Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, announced today the appointment of Dr. Marco Marra as an Officer of the Order of Canada.
Dr. Marra is a distinguished scientist at BC Cancer’s Genome Sciences Centre (GSC) and professor at the University of British Columbia (UBC) at Michael Smith Laboratories and in the Department of Medical Genetics.
Dr. Marra was appointed to the Order for how he “propelled Canada to the forefront of genome research. A world-renowned scientist, he led large-scale initiatives and groundbreaking work in sequencing the SARS coronavirus genome and highlighted the underlying causes of cancers and new treatment strategies.
“Receiving the news, I was quite overcome with emotion. To be recognized by my country is the honour of a lifetime,” shares Dr. Marra on his appointment. “I am extremely fortunate to have many wonderful colleagues and supporters who have enriched my science over the years, and we all recognize that together we have moved our field forward in ways we could never have imagined. Even so, there remains much to do!”
Dr. Marra’s work focuses on studying genomic data to reveal information about diseases, with a particular focus on revealing mutations, biomarkers and therapeutic targets for various types of cancer. This work includes a program focused on whole genome and transcriptome analysis towards personalizing cancer genome medicine. This program, which Dr. Marra has co-led for over 12 years, opens doors to more effective treatments that target the specific cancer cells within a patient’s tumour.
Reflecting on the significance of his appointment to the field of genome research, Dr. Marra says, “to have genome science and cancer genomics recognized by our country in this way is uplifting and is an important reminder that we must continue to forge ahead, particularly in the area of precision cancer genomic medicine, where many across our nation have been working tirelessly to bring the benefits of cancer genomics to cancer patients and their families.”
Dr. Marra holds a BSc and PhD from Simon Fraser University, and also completed a post-doctoral fellowship in St. Louis where he led work on the Human Genome Project. He was recruited back to Vancouver by Dr. Michael Smith, where he went on to co-found and direct Canada’s Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre at BC Cancer for over two decades, co-found and co-direct the UBC Genome Sciences and Technology Graduate Program, and serve as a founding member of the UBC Bioinformatics Graduate Program.
Formerly Head of the Department of Medical Genetics, where he remains a professor in addition to the Michael Smith Laboratories, and current Terry Fox Leader in Cancer Genome Science, Dr. Marra has long remained a leader in BC and Canada’s genomics research, education and training spaces.
Dr. Marra’s research has made a huge impact on the field of genomics, and holds the promise of greater impact still to come. Please join us in extending our congratulations to Dr. Marra on his well-deserved appointment to the Order of Canada.
This article has been adapted from its original version. Read the Michael Smith Laboratories story here.