Genome British Columbia names new chief scientific officer

Vancouver, BC – January 22, 2004 – Dr Donald Riddle has joined Genome British Columbia as chief scientific officer for Genome British Columbia.

Dr Riddle joins Genome BC from the University of Missouri, Columbia, where he held the position of director of the molecular biology program, a campus-wide interdisciplinary program with more than 160 affiliated faculty and eight core facilities, since 1989. In addition, Dr Riddle was a professor of biological sciences at the university, a position he held since 1985. Among his many other appointments, he was a postdoctoral fellow at the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, England in the laboratory of Nobel Prize winner Dr Sydney Brenner.

“Our ability to attract such a high calibre genomics scientist to British Columbia is a testament to our growing and important role in the international genomics community,” says Dr Alan Winter, president and CEO, Genome British Columbia.

As chief scientific officer, Dr Riddle is responsible for partnering with Genome BC scientists to create a scientific strategy for the organization, focusing on the science of genomics, proteomics and bioinformatics within the larger realm of biotechnology and life sciences in BC. He will also be responsible for working closely with Genome BC’s project and platform leaders on science-related issues to ensure goals are met and that opportunities for scientific advancements and technology transfer are recognized and maximized.

Dr. Riddle earned his Bachelor of Science in chemistry and biological sciences at the University of California, Davis, and went on to receive his PhD in genetics from the University of California, Berkeley. He has made significant research contributions, has received many honours and has written and collaborated on numerous publications.