Species identification and biodiversity science
The Centre for Biodiversity Genomics (CBG) is a place of excellence in biodiversity research. The building hosts a dynamic mash-up of creative minds from three distinct disciplines – taxonomy, genetics & computer science – which combine to create the first ever “Big Data” pipeline that is capable of capturing the full breadth of ecosystem diversity. Part of the ongoing research at CBG is focused on mobilizing applications of DNA barcoding to address the socio-economic problems Canada and the rest of the world face. We do this by partnering with government and industry on a variety of projects, including:
- Working with mineral extraction companies, such as New Gold Inc., to develop the next generation of environmental restoration tools for the Canadian mining sector;
- Helping the Bird Strike Association of Canada to identify species of birds and bats which are colliding with civil and military aircraft; and
- Assisting the United States Food and Drug Administration in developing a DNA-based tool for identifying ingredient substitutions in food products.
Species identification services, including: bird/wildlife involved in aircraft collisions, ingredient authentication in foods, DNA-based environmental impact assessments, detection of invasive pests and illegally traded plants and wildlife, dietary analyses (metabarcoding).
- Agriculture, animal science and food
- Education
- Environmental technologies and related services
- Fisheries and aquaculture
- Forestry and forest-based industries
- Healthcare and social services
- Information and communication technologies and media
- Life sciences, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment
- Mining, minerals and metals
- Ocean industries
- Policy and governance
Specialized labs and equipment
| Specialized lab | Equipment | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Genetics Laboratory (CCDB) | Beckman FXP and NXP liquid handling robots | |
| ABI 3730XL DNA analyzers | Capillary DNA sequencing | |
| Eppendorf thermocyclers | ||
| DNA bank | 2 million specimen capacity. Secure -80C freezer suite with backup generator. | |
| Roche LightCycler® 96 | Real-Time PCR | |
| Applied Biosystems StepOnePlus™ | Real-Time PCR | |
| ThermoFisher Scientific Ion Torrent PGM | Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) | |
| Life Technologies Ion Torrent OneTouch ES | Emulsion system for NGS | |
| Life Technologies Ion Torrent S5 | Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) | |
| Life Technologies Ion Torrent S5 chef | Liquid handling and sample preparation system for S5 | |
| Pacific Biosystems (PACBIO®) Sequel System | Next Generation Long Amplicon Sequencing | |
| Collections Laboratory | Specimen bank (5 million specimen capacity) | |
| 3D imaging systems | ||
| Photo montage digital imaging systems | ||
| Leica Microsystems Critical Point Dryer | ||
| Ultrasensitive balance | ||
| Mobile specimen collection laboratory | ||
| Informatics Laboratory | 756 CPU cores (IBM, SGI) and 218 terabytes of storage (IBM DS4700/DCS9900, Isilon X200) | High Performance Computing (HPC) cluster for data-intensive research |
Private and public sector research partners
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration
- New Gold Inc.
- Bird Strike Association of Canada
- Environment and Climate Change Canada
- Agriculture and Agri Food Canada
- Parks Canada
- Human Food Project
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Additional information
| Title | URL |
|---|---|
| Cataloguing all the world’s living things: The University of Guelph is building a powerful inventory of every species on Earth in an effort to monitor and conserve biodiversity in the face of crisis. | https://www.innovation.ca/projects-results/research-stories/cataloguing-all-worlds-living-things-ce… |
| Do you know where your food came from? It's all in the genes. | http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/food-trends/do-you-know-where-your-food-came-from-its-all-in-the-genes/article595866/ |
| Tests reveal mislabeling of fish. | http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/27/science/earth/27fish.html?_r=3&scp=1&sq=Paul%20Hebert&st=cse& |
| Shark fins sold for soup in Canada include many at-risk species. | http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/shark-fins-1.4262628 |