MSL Seminar Series: June – Invited Speaker, Dr. Laura Arbour

Invited Speaker: Dr. Laura Arbour
Professor, Department of Medical Genetics – UBC Island Medical Program
Affiliate Professor, Division of Biomedical Sciences – University of Victoria

This seminar will be presented in a hybrid format. All speakers will be delivering talks in person at the MSL Lecture Theatre (room 102). Audience members are welcome to attend either in person or via the zoom link. Those connecting via zoom will be able to ask questions during the Q&A portion using the chat function.

Zoom registration link:
https://ubc.zoom.us/meeting/register/u5Mtce2qqz8uGdXATo05hGhF5vu6Ha4_VuLu

Talk title
The Silent Genomes Project: Challenges, successes and building the path for next steps

Abstract
The Silent Genomes project was funded as a CIHR/Genome Canada/Genome BC Large-Scale Applied Research Project (LSARP) in 2018 to address inequity in genomic diagnosis for Indigenous patients across Canada. With Indigenous partnership locally and nationally, issues such as lack of policy surrounding approaches to research for Indigenous patients with rare diseases, challenges to access to genetic/genomic care, and a lack of Indigenous genomic variant reference data necessary for precise diagnosis were tackled. Now in its final year, Dr. Arbour, the project lead, will present the challenges and successes of the project and the key components needed for sustainability of the Indigenous background variant library in development. The importance of allyship in supporting Indigenous sovereignty including governance of Indigenous data/biomedical samples will be discussed.

Hosted by: Dr. Freda Miller