The second Conifer Genome Summit is being held in Qu\u00e9bec this week. The event takes place in the For\u00eat Montmorency and brings together sixty researchers from Europe and North America. This meeting follows on the first summit held in Sweden last year at the same time, in Bj\u00f6rkliden, Lapland above the Arctic Circle.<\/p>\n
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Open to all members of the forest genomics community, the 2014 Summit will facilitate updates on the most advanced approaches in conifer genome sequencing, assembly and annotation, as well as updates on the interpretation and practical application of the information gleaned from conifer genomes. These summits are essential in order to coordinate the resources and develop the database required for such a wealth of information to be exploited.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe summit, which came out of a joint Canada-Sweden initiative, was created last year following the publication in Nature<\/em> of the white spruce and Norway spruce genome sequences. It is thanks to large-scale projects such as SMaRTForests that we are able to bring together scientists in genomics, genetics and forest biology to develop international collaborations of this kind, and to position Canada in the development and enhancement of forest health and productivity,\u201d said John MacKay, principal SMaRTForests researcher and Professor in the Department of Wood and Forest Sciences, Universit\u00e9 Laval.<\/p>\n \u201cG\u00e9nome Qu\u00e9bec salutes the creation of the second Summit, which demonstrates the importance of international scientific collaboration in this sector. The forest is a priority sector in Qu\u00e9bec and Canada, and forest genomics is a niche of excellence that we must continue to develop. G\u00e9nome Qu\u00e9bec has already invested over $30 million in this sector at Universit\u00e9 Laval, because we want to position ourselves among the best. We are especially proud to highlight this joint initiative with Sweden,\u201d declared Marc LePage, President and CEO of G\u00e9nome Qu\u00e9bec.<\/p>\n The Dean of the Faculty of Forestry, Geography and Geomatics at Universit\u00e9 Laval, Robert Beauregard, stated that \u201cUniversit\u00e9 Laval\u2019s leadership in forest genomics is the result of the hard work of two professors, John MacKay and Jean Bousquet. Over the years they have developed a scientific network of such scope that world leaders of today in the field of forest genomics find it only natural that the event should be held here, in the For\u00eat Montmorency.\u201d<\/p>\n About SMarTForests<\/strong><\/p>\n SMarTForests is a Canada-wide initiative in the field of tree genomics. With a research budget of $10 million, this national forest genomics project is funded by Genome Canada, G\u00e9nome Qu\u00e9bec, Genome British Columbia and Genome Alberta. The research is led at Universit\u00e9 Laval by Professor John MacKay of the Department of Wood and Forest Sciences, and at the University of British Columbia by Professor Joerg Bolhmann at Michael Smith Laboratories.<\/p>\n The aim of the project is to harness the power of genomics to develop diagnostic markers based on DNA, metabolites and proteins in order to accelerate the selection of spruce species in Canada. Our goal is to enhance and maintain the natural genetic diversity of our forests by identifying the genes responsible for traits such as wood density, growth, resistance to insects and adaptation to climate.<\/p>\n About G\u00e9nome Qu\u00e9bec<\/strong><\/p>\n Since May 2000, G\u00e9nome Qu\u00e9bec has been the driving force behind the development of genomics in Qu\u00e9bec. By supporting over 80 projects and 900 researchers and managing the operations of the McGill University and G\u00e9nome Qu\u00e9bec Innovation Centre, G\u00e9nome Qu\u00e9bec is helping to accelerate the discovery of new applications for genomics in strategic areas, such as human health, forestry, the environment and agrifood.<\/p>\n The funds invested by G\u00e9nome Qu\u00e9bec are provided by the Government of Qu\u00e9bec, the Government of Canada through Genome Canada and by private partners.<\/p>\n For more information, visit our website at www.genomeQu\u00e9bec.com<\/a><\/p>\n About Universit\u00e9 Laval<\/strong><\/p>\n Located in Quebec\u2019s historic capital, a World Heritage City, Universit\u00e9 Laval is the first Information: <\/strong><\/p>\n SMarTForests <\/strong><\/p>\n B\u00e9atrice Rich\u00e9<\/p>\n Project Manager<\/p>\n beatrice.riche@sbf.ulaval.ca<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n G\u00e9nome Qu\u00e9bec<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00c9va Kammer<\/p>\n Director, Communications<\/p>\n 514\u00a0398-0668, poste\u00a0206<\/p>\n Cellulaire\u00a0: 514 519-6910<\/p>\n
French-language university in North America. It is one of Canada\u2019s leading research universities, ranking 7th<\/sup> among the country\u2019s 94 university-level institutions in terms of research funding with more than $300 million devoted to research last year. Universit\u00e9 Laval\u2019s 1,400 professors-researchers share their knowledge with 48,000 students, 10,000 of whom are enrolled in graduate-level programs. www.ulaval.ca<\/a><\/p>\n