Dr. Jennifer Gardy is a recognized scientist in the field of genomic epidemiology. By studying the entire sequence of a virus outbreak or bacterial infections she can track how it spreads. This kind of understanding allows researchers to gain new insights into how to stop diseases from moving between people.
Calling British Columbia home, Dr. Gardy received her BSc in Cell Biology and Genetics from University of British Columbia and completed her PhD in molecular biology and biochemistry from Simon Fraser University. Dr. Gardy is a Senior Scientist (Genomics and Molecular Epidemiology) at the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, and an assistant professor in the School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia.
Dr. Gardy's work currently holds a Canada Research Chair (Public Health Genomics), which recognizes outstanding Canadian scientists. In 2014, she recieved a YWCA Women of Distinction Award for both her science communication and her groundbreaking work. She has been awarded with the 2015 UBC Faculty of Medicine Award for development of innovative methods of genomic sequencing. She has also received the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR) Scholar Award and the Simon Fraser University Outstanding Alumni Awards in 2016.
Beyond her research, Dr. Gardy has a creative and innovative way in which she talks about science. For young scientists, her way of sharing her research and discussing current topics is both accessible and entertaining.