UK scientist named as Genome Canada chief scientific officer

Ottawa, ON – Genome Canada says it has appointed Dr Michael Morgan as its new chief scientific officer. Dr Morgan is an internationally known researcher and the former chief executive of the Wellcome Trust Genome Campus. His appointment was effective on June 1.

“We are thrilled to have recruited a scientist of Dr Morgan’s calibre,” said Dr Martin Godbout, president and CEO of Genome Canada. “The potential of Genome Canada and Dr Morgan working together is immeasurable. We are looking forward to the significant contributions he will bring to Genome Canada and to the Canadian research field overall.”

“I feel extremely privileged for the opportunity afforded to me by Genome Canada’s gracious invitation,” said Dr Morgan. “I am very fortunate to be able to contribute in this magnificent endeavour undertaken by Genome Canada and its team. Science, and particularly genomics research, is best advanced through national and especially international partnerships and cooperation.”

Since joining the Wellcome Trust — the United Kingdom’s largest non-governmental source of funds for biomedical research — in 1983, Dr Morgan has assumed many responsibilities, including being chief executive of the Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, home of the famous Sanger Institute, and director of research partnerships and ventures. While engaged in both posts, he also played a major role in the global co-ordination of the Human Genome Project, and the Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) Consortium, a major public-private partnership.