Vancouver - Dr. Steven Jones, head of Bioinformatics at the Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre at the BC Cancer Agency (BCCA), is pleased to announce the launch of the Bioinformatics Training Program for Health Research, with the first classes beginning in September, 2002.

This innovative trans-disciplinary program (offering learning streams leading towards a certificate, MSc or PhD) will be designed and taught in a co-operative effort by leading researchers and their institutions in BC and the Pacific Northwest.

The explosion of biological information in genomics, proteomics and health-care has created an enormous demand for highly skilled scientists trained in both computational and biological research, bioinformaticians. Bioinformatics uses computational methods to organize, mine, and analyze biological information, especially macromolecular sequence data (proteins, DNA, RNA).

Currently, there is a serious shortage of individuals capable of working in bioinformatics. To fully exploit the data that has been gathered, and to accelerate the pace of health research, North America needs scientists trained to function in the new paradigm defined by bioinformatics. This innovative program will break new ground by offering a trans-disciplinary bioinformatics training program designed and taught in a co-operative effort by leading researchers and their institutions in British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest. Funding of up to ten students has been provided by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

Dr. Jones has led this effort, involving faculty from UBC, SFU and BCCA. Associate Directors of this program are Dr. Phil Hieter, Director of UBC Biotechnology Laboratory and a Professor of Medical Genetics at UBC, and Dr. David Baillie, a Professor in the Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry at SFU.

The Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre will provide the link between the graduate programs at SFU and UBC, and link the program to other participating institutions in BC. The program has been principally funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) with generous assistance from the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research and other funding agencies.

For further information about this program, see the website at http://bioinformatics.bcgsc.ca/ or contact:

Noah Stewart
Bioinformatics Program Coordinator
Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre
BC Cancer Agency
604.707.5965
nstewart@bcgsc.ca