Genome British Columbia this week unveiled new investments to expand Canada’s capacity for environmental DNA monitoring.
The investments, announced on World Environment Day, are being injected into regional projects leveraging a rising technology, eDNA.
Environmental DNA is like a blood test for the environment, in which a single scoop of water, soil, sediment, or air, can reveal what species are in an ecosystem.
The tool uses trace genetic material left behind in water, air, and soil to detect pathogens and assess ecosystem health. eDNA allows scientists and communities to track species without needing to see them directly. It can also monitor health and ecological signals without invasive testing.
This technology was used during the COVID-19 pandemic to monitor virus levels in wastewater and is now being expanded to protect biodiversity.
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One key project being supported by Genome BC is eDNA Explorer Canada. Led by Caren Helbing from the University of Victoria alongside experts from eDNA Explorer, the project aims to create a Canadian version of the original eDNA Explorer platform developed in California.
Once complete, the portal will allow anyone to understand, evaluate, and share eDNA data gathered in Canadian ecosystems, focusing on biodiversity monitoring, conservation, and restoration.
Another project, led by Erin Gill of Simon Fraser University, will establish a community-focused network to share data and knowledge about water-based eDNA monitoring in rural and remote communities in northern BC and the Yukon.
In total, 12 projects garnered a combined $11 million in funding.
“These investments reflect how genomics is helping us learn directly from the environments we live in—and how that knowledge can be shared in ways that empower communities,” says Federica Di Palma, who serves as Chief Scientific Officer and Vice President of Research and Innovation at Genome BC. “BC researchers are helping lead the way toward more inclusive, real-time approaches to health and environmental monitoring.”
Genome BC is a not-for-profit organization that has advanced genomics research and innovation for 25 years, growing the life sciences sector in BC.
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