Researchers at Université Laval are among the recipients of funding from Génome Québec’s fifth cycle of the Genomic Integration Program – Human Health. The program supports projects aimed at integrating advances in genomics into practical health applications, including prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
The funding will support innovative research into liver disease and improvements to gene therapy reliability, as well as a project focused on protecting the health of wastewater treatment plant workers.
Targeting the Microbiome to Treat Liver Disease
Olivier Barbier, a professor in the Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, will lead a project in partnership with Trienix Pharma Inc. To develop a new therapeutic approach for metabolic and autoimmune liver diseases. This research is particularly important as nearly 25% of the Canadian population may be affected by fatty liver disease (MASLD and MASH), a condition currently without approved treatments in Canada and projected to develop into the leading cause of liver transplantation by 2030.
The project will explore a new class of drugs designed to impact the gut microbiome, stimulating the production of metabolites beneficial to liver health. By leveraging genomic advancements, the team hopes to gain a deeper understanding of these mechanisms and pave the way for treatments for common conditions like MASLD and MASH, as well as rarer autoimmune diseases such as primary biliary cholangitis or primary sclerosing cholangitis.
This initiative combines fundamental research, preclinical validation, and a focus on commercialization, highlighting the potential of precision medicine to transform the management of chronic diseases.
Improving the Reliability of Gene Therapies
Bruno Gaillet, a professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering, will undertake a project in partnership with the National Research Council of Canada. His team is developing a new sequencing tool to accurately analyze the genetic material contained within viral therapies used in gene therapy.
Currently, the DNA or RNA inserted into viruses for these therapies isn’t always complete, which can compromise treatment effectiveness and safety. By utilizing advanced long-read sequencing techniques for DNA and RNA, the project aims to optimize the analysis of viral samples and better understand how design and production choices affect their quality.
Combining laboratory experimentation, sequencing, and computational analysis, this work will contribute to making viral therapies safer, more reliable, and more effective, while too supporting the development of next-generation treatments.
Supporting Wastewater Treatment Workers
Caroline Duchaine is co-leading a project with Professor Émilie Bedard, from the Department of Civil, Geological and Mining Engineering at Polytechnique Montréal, titled “Characterization of the risk of exposure to bioaerosols emitted by wastewater treatment processes on worker health and mitigation strategy.”
This project aims to develop a genomics-based approach to better protect the health of workers at Quebec wastewater treatment plants, who are exposed to bioaerosols during various stages of the treatment process. The goal is to create a risk assessment tool that can determine the type and concentration of various bacteria present in the air at these facilities.
The cities of Quebec and Châteauguay are partners in the project.
Caroline Duchaine, professeure à la Faculté de sciences et de génie
About the Genomic Integration Program – Human Health
The Genomic Integration Program – Human Health funds projects ranging from $100,000 to $400,000, covering up to half of the funding for partnerships between university researchers and user partners who can implement or commercialize the results.
Supported projects must establish proof of concept and include a component based on omics technologies, whether it involves the development of new technologies, the exploitation of data through artificial intelligence, genetic engineering, synthetic biology, or the validation of therapeutic targets identified through genomics.
Through this program, Génome Québec aims to accelerate the integration of genomic innovations into clinical settings and maximize the impact of public health investments.
