Fish research nets award
Willie Davidson (North Shore resident), 778.782.5637, wdavidso@sfu.ca
Carol Thorbes, PAMR, 778.782.3210, cthorbes@sfu.ca
Willie Davidson, a Simon Fraser University evolutionary geneticist, is one of two scientists receiving the 2009 Genome BC Award for Scientific Excellence.
LifeSciences British Columbia, a non-profit, industry-funded association promoting biomedical research, presents the award annually to individuals garnering significant international recognition in the fields of genomics, proteomics, bioinformatics or systems biology.
Davidson and Ben Koop, a University of Victoria researcher and an award co-recipient, are being recognized for their leadership of the Consortium for Genomic Research on All Salmonids Project (cGRASP).
The international group, which includes scientists from Norway and Chile, is studying the genetics of salmonids (salmon and related species such as trout, charr and whitefish). The group is developing new research tools to advance Atlantic Salmon genome mapping and to breed fish that tolerate climate change.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada is already using one of the tools, a microarray to study genes and monitor their expression, to investigate what is causing salmon runs to decline in the Fraser River.
Davidson notes that cGRASP’s findings will go beyond unraveling the genetics of salmonids. “Understanding fish genomics allows us to look at the evolution of all vertebrate genomes,” explains Davidson. “It provides information that puts changes in the human genome into perspective, which is important to developing personalized medicine.”
LifeSciences BC will honour Davidson, Koop and the recipients of four other 2009 awards at its 11th annual awards ceremony on Wednesday, April 8 in Vancouver. See: http://www.lifesciencesbc.ca/Events/Upcoming_Events/event04080901.asp
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Arne Mooers
Congratulations, Willie!