When Dr. François Bernier thinks about the future, he imagines a time when our genetic information will help us identify risks early and even completely prevent diseases like cancer and heart disease. And thanks to the donor-funded research he’s leading out of the Richmond Road Diagnostic and Treatment Centre, that future isn’t impossibly far away. OUR GENES HOLD HEALTH INFORMATION PreventGene is a precision genomics medicine project led by Bernier, a clinical geneticist and professor of medical genetics and pediatrics at the University of Calgary. He explains that our chance of getting certain cancers, illnesses, and even mental health conditions can be affected by the genes we’re born with. The PreventGene pilot project uses precision genomics — a tailored medical approach that analyzes individuals’ unique genetic makeup to diagnose diseases, predict risks, and guide personalized treatments. Illnesses can be identified early and treated quickly, or even prevented entirely — that can mean life-saving and life-altering outcomes. “Our genes create risk, but by knowing those risks, we can individualize treatment,” says Bernier. CREATING A DISEASE-FREE FUTURE Precise genetic screening can identify health risks, transforming what healthcare will look like. By Karin Olafson | Photographs by Jared Sych
Dr. François Bernier
He adds that by using precision genomics, detection of certain diseases can be identified before symptoms occur.
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE? Currently, PreventGene is open to individuals who are known to have a moderate risk of breast cancer and cardiovascular disease, but who don’t meet thresholds for clinical testing. They are recruited to the program through referrals and screening clinics. Now in its third year, PreventGene is currently recruiting 300 participants. Genetic information is collected via a simple blood test, and DNA is subsequently analyzed for disease markers. Bernier says that PreventGene’s eventual goal is population- level testing. “We assess their risk for cancer, if that’s what they came in for, and then we ask if they want to know about other genes and health risks, and about pharmacogenetics [response to medications],” says Bernier. “PreventGene is trying to understand what our genetic information risk is telling us about our future health trajectory and then intervening early. We’re using genetic information in a preventative way.” This innovative research could transform the future of healthcare — and it wouldn’t be possible without donors, who fund everything from research to technology to equipment. “Donors are the engine of innovation,” says Bernier. “I’m always stunned at the opportunity to do the work we do, that people believe in us and want to have an impact.”
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Genetic information is collected via a blood test.
Breakthroughs [ Spring 2026 ]
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