Driving Clinical Implementation of Genomics in British Columbia
2018-08-22
With more than
20 years of international experience in both the academic and private sectors, Dr.
Catalina Lopez-Correa’s deep understanding of genomics has inspired leaders in
science and industry to collaborate toward solving some of the world’s greatest
challenges.
Prior to joining Genome BC, Catalina was
the CSO and Vice-President Scientific Affairs at Genome Quebec, where she was
instrumental in developing competitive teams for national and provincial
research projects raising the profile of Canadian genomics on the global
stage.
Before becoming one of Canada’s leading
advocates for genomics research and translation, Catalina held senior research
positions with pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly and the renowned deCODE genetics
lab in Iceland. From leading teams to identifying genomic biomarkers in
therapeutic areas of oncology, cardio-metabolic and neurosciences to developing
screening strategies associated with disease, Catalina’s leadership helped
drive the discovery and development pipelines.
As part of her commitment to international
development, Catalina has championed several initiatives aimed at demonstrating
the impact of genomics in developing countries. Since 2002 she has served as
evaluator for large multinational projects funded by the European Commission
and has been recognized with several awards nationally and internationally.
Catalina holds a Medical degree from the UPB
in Colombia, a Master’s degree in Human Genetics from Paris V University in
France, a PhD in Medical Sciences from the KULeuven in Belgium, and a mini MBA
from McGill University in Canada.
Awards:
2013: National order of Merit Award in the
Rank of Officer. Appointed by the Honorable President of the Republic of
Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos Calderon. This honorable distinction is conferred
to Dr. Lopez-Correa for her outstanding professional and academic career and
the scientific contributions in the field of Genomics in Canada