October 21, 2025
Genomics is no longer limited to the lab — it’s transforming health care delivery in BC. After decades of investment, research and partnership, genomics has fundamentally reshaped our understanding of human health and disease and is redefining how we treat and care for patients. It is producing tangible results across our health system as we expand the implementation of genomic innovations.
In BC, genomic medicine is no longer emerging — it’s taking root in everyday clinical care. Genomics is driving more accurate diagnoses, targeted therapies and safer prescribing. What once took years of diagnostic uncertainty can now be resolved through a genetic test. Treatment plans can be informed by a patient’s genomic profile, helping to prevent adverse drug reactions and reduce the need for trial-and-error prescribing. Genomic insights are also improving cancer care, from identifying inherited cancer risks to guiding personalized treatment. It also enables more proactive care, identifies individuals at higher risk for certain diseases, informs screening strategies, and supports earlier interventions. Genomics is helping to diagnose rare diseases and shaping how we approach chronic and inherited conditions. From the individual patient to the broader health system, the results are measurable and meaningful.
Protecting health at the population level means seeing the full picture, and genomics helps us do that. It enables faster detection of infectious disease outbreaks, more effective antimicrobial resistance monitoring and smarter surveillance systems. This supports a broader approach to health aligned with the principles of One Health, which recognizes that human health is deeply interconnected with the health of animals and the environment. In BC, genomic tools are being applied to monitor these connections in ways that support health protection, food safety and environmental resilience.
Real-world impact depends on more than research and innovation — it requires learning systems, support and equity. Yet for all its promises, implementing new genomic innovations into the healthcare system is not without its barriers. It calls for new infrastructure and workflows, clinical training, clear policy frameworks and robust data systems. Ensuring equitable access to these innovations, particularly for Indigenous and underserved populations, remains essential. Genome BC continues to support this work through inclusive funding practices, engagement frameworks and Indigenous-led initiatives.
Through long-term strategic investment and collaboration, BC’s genomics ecosystem is turning discovery into delivery, driving innovation that is already producing results today, while laying the groundwork to meet the health challenges of tomorrow.
This article appears in Genome BC’s 2024/25 Annual Report. View the whole report here.
