NovaQuarx delivered the public-facing website for CGEn (Canadian Genomics Enterprise Network) — Canada’s federally funded national platform for genome sequencing and analysis. The project required presenting a complex, multi-institutional research organization as a unified, accessible digital presence.
The Opportunity
CGEn is one of Canada’s most significant investments in genomics infrastructure. Funded primarily by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) through its Major Science Initiatives Fund, CGEn employs over 200 staff and operates as an integrated national platform with nodes at three of the country’s leading research institutions:
- The Centre for Applied Genomics (TCAG) at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto
- McGill Genome Centre at McGill University in Montréal
- Canada’s Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre at the Provincial Health Services Authority in Vancouver
The challenge was to unify these three distinct research nodes — each with its own identity, services, and capabilities — under a single, cohesive web presence that serves researchers across academic, private, and government sectors.
What NovaQuarx Delivered
NovaQuarx designed and developed the CGEn website to communicate the platform’s scope, capabilities, and services to a diverse audience — from principal investigators submitting sequencing requests to funding bodies evaluating national infrastructure investments.
The site presents CGEn’s advanced genomics services, including cutting-edge sequencing technologies (Illumina NovaSeq X Plus, PacBio Revio), bioinformatics tools, and extensive data storage and computational infrastructure. It connects researchers to the right node for their discipline — whether health sciences, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, environmental genomics, or biodiversity.
The design balances scientific credibility with accessibility, ensuring that both seasoned genomics researchers and institutional stakeholders can quickly understand CGEn’s capabilities and how to engage with the platform.
Built for a National Audience
A website for a federally funded national research platform carries expectations that go beyond typical web development. The CGEn site needed to reflect the rigour and credibility of the institutions it represents — SickKids, McGill, and BC Cancer — while remaining approachable for researchers from any discipline seeking genomic services.
The delivery included clear navigation pathways for different user types, service descriptions spanning dozens of genomic applications, and integration points for researchers to connect with the appropriate CGEn node. The result is a platform that serves as both a public information resource and a gateway to Canada’s national sequencing infrastructure.
Why It Matters
Research infrastructure at this scale requires digital presence that matches its ambition. CGEn’s website is the front door to a platform that enables groundbreaking research across disciplines — from rare disease genomics to environmental biodiversity to agricultural science. NovaQuarx was proud to deliver a digital experience that represents the calibre of work being done across CGEn’s three nodes.
This engagement reflects NovaQuarx’s strength in delivering web platforms for complex, multi-stakeholder organizations — particularly in the research, healthcare, and public sector spaces where clarity of communication and institutional credibility are essential.
Interested in a web platform for your research organization or institution? Start a conversation with NovaQuarx.
Visit: www.cgen.ca
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CGEn?
CGEn (Canadian Genomics Enterprise Network) is a federally funded national platform for genome sequencing and analysis. Established in 2015, it operates across three nodes in Toronto, Montréal, and Vancouver, providing advanced genomic services to Canadian and international researchers across academic, private, and government sectors.
What did NovaQuarx build for CGEn?
NovaQuarx designed and delivered the CGEn public-facing website — the digital front door to Canada’s national genomics infrastructure. The site unifies three major research institutions under a single web presence, presenting genomic services, technologies, and research capabilities to a national and international audience.
Does NovaQuarx build websites for research and public sector organizations?
Yes. NovaQuarx has extensive experience delivering web platforms for complex, multi-stakeholder organizations in research, healthcare, government, and the public sector. These engagements require clear communication architecture, institutional credibility, and accessibility compliance. Contact us to discuss your project.