The Centre for Biodiversity Genomics (CBG) is the global leader in the field of DNA barcoding. It occupies a 50,000 ft2 facility on the University of Guelph campus. Its unique research capacity reflects the coupling of one of Canada’s largest genomics platforms with a workforce that includes world-class expertise in biodiversity science, DNA sequencing, and informatics.

The CBG is clearly differentiated from other genomics organizations by the taxonomic scope of its work and by its commitment to genomic minimalism. Instead of characterizing entire genomes, the Centre employs sequence diversity in targeted gene regions to advance understanding of the diversity, distribution, and interactions of multicellular life. The Centre is best known for its role in leading the development of DNA barcoding as a tool for specimen identification and species discovery. In addition, researchers at the CBG are heavily involved in studies which use DNA barcodes for large-scale biomonitoring programs and to probe interactions among species.