Genomics Sector Innovation Network

The genomics sector innovation network portal was developed to highlight and support the genomics sector in Ontario and was created by the Ontario Genomics Institute.

Genomics Sector Innovation Network (G-SIN)
Nonprofit organization
Founded Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Headquarters MaRS Discovery District
Website Genomics Sector Innovation Network (G-SIN)

What is Genomics?

Genomics is the holistic, systematic, and high-throughput characterization of genomes—the full complement of DNA underlying the genetic make-up of a given organism. Though smaller genomes had been previously completely sequenced, the consideration of the possibility of doing so for the entire human genome crystallized the notion of a new paradigm for the life sciences, intended to enable and accelerate traditional hypothesis-driven research.

Genomics has since been generalized to capture the application of this approach (holistic, systematic and high-throughput) to any and all aspects of life sciences, but many of these applications have also stimulated the coining of a much broader vocabulary of "omics" applications, for example: functional genomics (the characterization of the cellular functions of the genome's genes and proteins for which they code); proteomics (the characterization of all the kinds of proteins for which the genome codes); metabolomics (the characterization of all the metabolites in an organism); transcriptomics (the characterization of all transcribed RNA molecules within an organism); epigenomics (the characterization of all epigenetic modifications to the genome); and glycomics (the characterization of all the kinds of polysaccharide polymers attached to other macromolecules in an organism).

Genomics - and the scale, scope and strategy it brings to life sciences research - has emerged as an important, complementary alternative to traditional approaches to R&D. It is, on the one hand, focused on gaining insight, at the molecular level, into genes and the proteins for which they code; and, on the other hand, reflects a new scientific paradigm for life sciences research that came into play over the past decade and which is blossoming as we move into the 21st century.

The growth of genomics and the resulting boom in technology development have created a tremendous global impact on our knowledge and understanding of the molecular basis of life. This impact ranges from drug and pesticide discovery to industrial enzymology, to crop and livestock cultivation, to environmental remediation, to natural resource management, and to criminal and civil law. This impact of these changes in technological underpinnings has also been reflected in other sectors focused more on societal implications, including public policy, education, journalism, fine arts, and entertainment.

Genomics in Ontario

The genomics sector in Ontario consists of the individuals, institutions, and associations—a sub-set of the province's life-sciences industry—who are working:

This industry includes universities and private research institutions, individual and institutional investors, biotechnology, pharmaceutical and related companies, and the various public and private institutions devoted to servicing and supporting these enterprises.

There are more than 500 scientists conducting research in genomics located at 20 universities, research institutions, hospitals and government laboratories across the province. These individuals are generating genomics discoveries and innovations as well as using genomic tools and products.

Life Sciences Industry

Explore G-SIN

Finally, there are number of technology platforms scattered throughout the province of Ontario, providing world class support and infrastructure for innovative research and services in genomics and proteomics.

See also

References

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 7/23/2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.