McGill Applied Genomics Innovation Core (MAGIC)

The McGill Genome Centre within the Victor Philip Dahdaleh Institute of Genomic Medicine, supports Canadian and international researchers with expertise and state-of-the-art, high-throughput technologies and pioneering methods for forefront genomic research. We are committed to integrating next-generation sequencing into groundbreaking biomedicine and life sciences research.

The McGill Genome Centre provides Canadian and international researchers with high-throughput technologies and cutting-edge approaches to enable next-generation genomic studies. Our Centre addresses key challenges in harnessing the power of next-generation sequencing (NGS) into innovation in biomedicine and the life sciences by: 1) Empowering study designs, sequencing and analytical solutions for nucleotide variation, 2) Providing comprehensive tools to assess functional differences in human tissues and cells, 3) Furnishing scalable techniques and robust interrogation of functional genomic variation in populations. We work closely with the other two major national genome centres as a founding member of the CGEn consortium to coordinate these efforts across Canada. Initiatives led by our scientists have enabled us to secure state-of-the-art technologies and integrate innovative methodologies, setting the stage for contemporary and future genomics operations with scope and impact beyond simply producing raw data, and thereby allowing Quebec and Canadian scientists leadership in genome-based science.

The Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ) and the McGill Genome Centre announced the initial results of their study into the genetic sequencing of the SARS-CoV-2 genome, the virus responsible for the outbreak of COVID-19. According to the study available online, the virus entered Quebec during the spring break period and could have been carried into the province by as few as 247 people.

Representation of national and international transmissions of SARS-CoV-2 variants during the months of February and March 2020. The color represents the geographic origin of the cases. At least 247 acquisitions led to the emergence of the epidemic in Quebec.

The Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ) and Genome Québec announced the launch of the Québec COVID-19 Biobank, a Province-wide initiative to enable the collection, storage and sharing of samples and data related to the COVID-19 crisis. The task force that has been mobilized to take on this role is led by McGill’s Dr. Vincent Mooser, with additional medical and scientific expertise from McGill and several other Quebec institutions. Click here for more information.

Dr. Vincent Mooser speaking about the the Québec COVID-19 Biobank in the CanCOVID Speaker Series (April 25, 2020). CanCOVID is an expert network of Canadian COVID-19 researchers, clinical collaborators, and healthcare stakeholders from across the country.