CHRIM investigators continue to lead the way in the world of genome research. Dr. Cheryl Rockman-Greenberg will be leading a new, genomics-based data integration project, titled PrairieGen. PrairieGen is a 7.2 million, 4-year project that will sequence the genomic data from over three thousand individuals. By sequencing this data, researchers will be able to unlock information that will lead to better insight into the health of individuals in both Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Dr. Athanasios Zovoilis is another CHIRM member involved in this project and will co-lead, alongside Rockman-Greenberg.
We are very excited to lead this 4 year study called PrairieGen. The aim of PrairieGen is to generate, analyze and contribute complete genomic sequence data from over 3000 individuals from different patient cohorts followed by our many collaborators in MB and Saskatchewan to the PanCanadian Genome Library. These patient cohorts of course include children. Information that will be learned about normal variation and the genetic diversity in our population will be critically important to understand the basis for many disorders and will help orient future studies, drug development and clinical trials- in the end to improve the health of children and their families.
Drs. Cheryl Rockman-Greenberg and Athanasios Zovoilis
PrairieGen, together with the other projects funded by the Canadian Precision Health Initiative, will contribute to the creation of a secure, ethically governed nationwide genomics database, providing a critical foundation for future research, clinical applications, and policy development in data-driven healthcare.