About Us

Welcome to the British Columbia Node of the Canadian Bioinformatics Hub–Canada’s platform for Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, and Data Science skills and community development. The national CBH network consists of six Regional Nodes hosted by partner institutions in strategic regions: Atlantic, Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, the Prairies, and British Columbia. Each node plays a crucial role in CBH’s mission by offering localized training programs, building partnerships with regional stakeholders, and providing opportunities for active involvement of community members in their initiatives.

The BC Node is based at the Faculty of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University, representing all of British Columbia. This regional team is responsible for representing your bioinformatics and computational biology interests at the national level.

Our resources are structured around the platform’s two main pillars: training and community. The Training Portal will serve as a central hub for all partner-led bioinformatics and professional development training programs aligned with competency-based learning paths. It will also host our training awards program. The Community portal will extend the trainee experience with valuable resources and activities, including career recognition awards, mentorship opportunities, networking events, a national conference, and regional bioinformatics user groups.

CBH British Columbia Team

William Hsiao, PhD
Director, CBH British Columbia
Associate Professor, Simon Fraser University

Dr. William Hsiao is an associate professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) at Simon Fraser University and the principal investigator of the Center for Infectious Disease Genomics and One Health. Before joining FHS in 2020, he was the chief bioinformatician, a senior scientist at the BC Centre for Disease Control Public Health Laboratory (BCCDC PHL), and a clinical associate professor at the University of British Columbia. Dr. Hsiao was awarded the Michael Smith Health Research BC Scholar Award in 2019. Dr. Hsiao’s research incorporates data science and knowledge engineering to support public health data sharing, integration, and harmonization. With experience conducting genomics and data science research both in academia and in government laboratories (public health and animal health), Dr. Hsiao is dedicated to training the next generation of bioinformaticians in public health and infectious disease research. He is the lead faculty advisor and organizer for the Vancouver Bioinformatics Users Group (VanBUG), demonstrating his commitment to fostering community involvement. His diverse experiences give him a unique perspective, from understanding trainee needs to strategically positioning bioinformatics programming within the Canadian landscape.

Pratima Shrivastava, PhD, PMP
Community Manager, CBH
Regional Coordinator, CBH British Columbia

Pratima holds a PhD in Immunology and brings extensive experience in immunology, clinical research, and project management. She has a proven track record of successfully managing complex projects, ensuring timely and effective outcomes. She is passionate about empowering communities with bioinformatics and data science skills, with a strong commitment to contributing to the growth and development of the scientific community.

Pratima is also deeply committed to community engagement, actively participating in outreach programs, workshops, and seminars to raise awareness about bioinformatics and data science in BC. By organizing and leading these initiatives, she aims to make these fields more accessible and inspire the next generation of scientists. Her efforts will help build a supportive and knowledgeable community, ready to tackle future challenges together.

Contact

To contact CBH British Columbia, email bc@bioinformatics.ca or use our contact form. For general inquiries about CBH, contact our central leadership unit at info@bioinformatics.ca.

Additionally, visit our LinkedIn page for regional updates.