Big Data, Big Issues: Should We Be Worried?

UBC Office of the Provost & VP Academic and Office of the VP Research

<IMG ALT="Sally Otto, Loren Rieseberg, Bob Hancock" SRC="https://academic.ubc.ca/sites/vpa.ubc.ca/files/images/bigdata.jpg" HEIGHT="129" WIDTH="600">
Scientific innovation is accelerating at a breathtaking rate, with big data and related disciplines such as genomics opening up new possibilities in areas including health, sustainability and the environment.
As advances are made though, as a population, are we even aware of the types of moral, ethical and scientific questions that we should be asking?
As part of the UBC University Killam Professor Lecture series, we invite you to join three of our newest Killam professors and world-leading scientists Dr. Sarah Otto, Dr. Loren Rieseberg and Dr. Bob Hancock in a discussion on the impact and implications of big data and genomics within their fields.
What we can do now, what we will be able to do, and what we should do with these technologies? Some of the issues to be considered include those surrounding gene editing, such as the ability to quickly change the prevalence of certain genes in populations enabled by the CRISPR-Cas9 technology, and the potential for reducing disease genes in humans or introducing new traits into other populations. This could prevent the spread of malaria through mosquitoes and make animals resistant to certain types of disease, but what are the bigger implications of such gene manipulation? Also, what is the role of genomics in securing food supply, and should it be seen in conflict or in support of “green” issues? What happens if we’ve already discovered the last antibiotic? And can big data be the savior of or even generate fundamental scientific breakthroughs?
Join us for a thought-provoking series of presentations and panel-discussion. An informal reception will follow the discussion.
This event is presented by UBC's <A HREF="http://research.ubc.ca" DATA-MSYS-CLICKTRACK="0" REL="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Office of the VP Research</A> and <A HREF="https://academic.ubc.ca/" DATA-MSYS-CLICKTRACK="0" REL="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Office of the Provost &amp; VP Academic</A> in partnership with the <A HREF="http://pwias.ubc.ca/" DATA-MSYS-CLICKTRACK="0" REL="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies</A>, <A HREF="https://www.alumni.ubc.ca/" DATA-MSYS-CLICKTRACK="0" REL="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Alumni UBC</A> and <A HREF="http://www.genomebc.ca/" TARGET="_blank" DATA-MSYS-CLICKTRACK="0" REL="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Genome BC</A>. 
 
<IMG STYLE="vertical-align: middle;" ALT="Peter Wall Institute fror Advanced Studies Logo" SRC="https://academic.ubc.ca/sites/vpa.ubc.ca/files/images/PW%20logo.jpg" WIDTH="150"> <IMG STYLE="margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 20px; vertical-align: middle;" ALT="Alumni UBC Logo" SRC="https://academic.ubc.ca/sites/vpa.ubc.ca/files/images/alumniUBC_logoforhdr_578x102.png" HEIGHT="35" WIDTH="200"><IMG STYLE="vertical-align: middle;" ALT="Genome BC Logo" SRC="https://academic.ubc.ca/sites/vpa.ubc.ca/files/images/GBC.jpg" HEIGHT="102" WIDTH="200"> 
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About the Speakers: 
<A HREF="http://www.zoology.ubc.ca/~otto/index.html" TARGET="_blank" DATA-MSYS-CLICKTRACK="0" REL="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Dr. Sarah Otto</A> is a renowned evolutionary biologist, professor of Zoology and the first director of UBC’s Biodiversity Research Centre. Dr. Otto’s lab investigates the ability of populations to adapt to environmental challenges, the genetic basis of these adaptations and the factors promoting diversification versus extinction.
<A HREF="http://rieseberglab.botany.ubc.ca/" TARGET="_blank" DATA-MSYS-CLICKTRACK="0" REL="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Dr. Loren Rieseberg</A> is a professor and Canada Research Chair in Plant Evolutionary Genomics, and Associate Director, Research at the UBC Botanical Garden. Most recently, Dr. Rieseberg has also been named as the new director of UBC's Biodiversity Research Centre. With a focus on sunflowers, Dr. Rieseberg studies the origins and evolution of new species to understand weed evolution and plant domestication, and to provide genomic tools for crop improvement.
<A STYLE="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" HREF="http://www.cmdr.ubc.ca/bobh/" TARGET="_blank" DATA-MSYS-CLICKTRACK="0" REL="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Dr. Bob Hancock</A> is a professor and pioneer in several critical areas of microbiology. At UBC he established the Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research (CMDR) and also co-founded the Centre for Drug Research and Development (CDRD). Dr. Hancock’s research explores new treatments for infections and inflammations through a better understanding of antibiotic resistance and inflammatory diseases.
Moderated by Dr. Catalina Lopez-Correa, chief scientific officer and vice president, sector development, <A HREF="http://www.genomebc.ca/" TARGET="_blank" DATA-MSYS-CLICKTRACK="0" REL="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Genome BC</A>.  
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About UBC's University Killam Professorships and the Killam Trusts: 
The highest honour UBC can confer on a faculty member, a University Killam Professorship recognizes exceptional teachers and researchers who are leaders in their fields, and who have recieved international recognition for their talents and efforts. 
<IMG STYLE="float: left;" ALT="Killam Trusts Logo" SRC="https://academic.ubc.ca/sites/vpa.ubc.ca/files/images/killam_logo.jpg" HEIGHT="200">
In Canada, the Killam name is synonymous with excellence in advanced studies. The <A HREF="http://killamlaureates.ca/" TARGET="_blank" DATA-MSYS-CLICKTRACK="0" REL="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Killam Trusts</A>, established by Dorothy Johnston Killam and Izaak Walton Killam, benefit The University of British Columbia, The Canada Council for the Arts, Dalhousie University, Montreal Neurological Institute of McGill University, University of Alberta and The University of Calgary. 
More than 2,000 UBC professors, fellows, students and scholars have received Killam support for their research and scholarship. Every Killam scholar makes a unique contribution, creating and disseminating knowledge that has global impact.

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