Mission

Canagene will:

  1. Promote basic and clinical research in all areas of genetics and genomics as they apply to the broad study of determinants of human health and diseases, including population/public health, clinical genetics, mathematics and statistics, epidemiology, computational biology, molecular and developmental genetics, genetic health services, ethics, law, humanities and related disciplines;
  2. Promote, facilitate, and improve recruitment and training of students (at all levels), fellows and researchers in genetics and genomics research in Canada through close interaction with governments, the private sector and academia;
  3. Promote the free flow and exchange of scientific knowledge in all areas of genetics and genomics across Canada, including networking of research groups, informing of latest research results, facilitating access to the latest technologies, and medical services;
  4. Act as an advisory body to third parties with an interest in genetics and genomics, such as institutions of higher learning, governmental health and regulatory agencies, and corporate entities working in these areas;
  5. Advocate for basic and clinical research in all areas of genetics and genomics, including developing policy statements, guidelines, and identifying research priorities in the area, communicating to the public the successes and benefits of genetics/genomics, advocating to government the critical importance of training and research in these areas, and to participate in knowledge transfer to groups most likely to benefit from such information;
  6. Link with other non-governmental organizations (charities, disease-specific foundations) that share with the society an interest in teaching and research in the areas of genetics and genomics. Canagene will identify and engage such organizations in partnering activities that fall under the mission of the society. Canagene will provide and facilitate direct linkages to such entities that may benefit individual or groups of members from the society.

Vision

Leverage Canada’s strengths in genetics and genomics to decrease the burden of disease affecting individuals and families and bring societal benefits to the population of Canada.

Activities

In the initial years, Canagene will plan to organize:

  1. an annual meeting;
  2. a web site for job posting, funding opportunities, proposals of collaborative projects;
  3. specialized courses or exchange programs; and
  4. information on genetics/genomics core facilities available across the country.

Advocacy

The society will speak as a united voice of genetics and genomics expertise in Canada. Canagene will promote productive interactions with governmental agencies for regulatory and research issues, create links with the private sector, and identify and advise on research priorities and addressing ethical, legal, and societal issues.

Catalyst

The society will help the genetics/genomics community address the dynamically changing landscape in health research priorities by building on the established strength in genetics in Canada with the goal to face new challenges and define new opportunities.

Membership

The society invites membership from all areas of human and animal model genetics/genomics including development and validation of statistical analysis approaches for large genetics and genomics data sets, molecular mechanisms of rare and complex common human genetic diseases, somatic genetic alterations in cancer and application of genetics and genomics to clinical medicine including diagnosis and treatment of inherited and somatically acquired genetic disease.

The society seeks broad membership including biomedical researchers, clinician-scientists, clinical geneticists, genetic counselors, computational biologists, ethicists, specialists from other disciplines such as law, humanities, economy and environmental sciences, research associates, technicians and trainees (including post-doctoral fellows, graduate and medical students).

Fees

Modest fees will be collected at levels that reflect the career stage of the member. When appropriate, Canagene will seek sponsorship from public and private institutions for costs related to activities.

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