30 years at SickKids: Jo-Anne Herbrick and the rise of genomic research

When a historic blackout brought Ontario to a halt one summer weekend in 2003, many people put things on pause and worried about how to keep their food from spoiling. But for Jo-Anne Herbrick, a deadline loomed for an international genomics grant – and a sizeable stream of funding was at stake.   

As manager of The Centre for Applied Genomics (TCAG) at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), Herbrick was determined to get a complex grant submission finished, even if it felt like the world had stopped. At home, when her laptop battery died, she made a plan to return to the lab where she knew backup power would be available.  

“It was a big grant – Genome Canada and Genome Spain were involved,” recalls Herbrick, who spent the weekend at SickKids. “We knew the rest of the country, and everyone in Spain, would be submitting their grants on time... so we had to do something. And of course, the best part is, we won.” 

Her pursuit of that grant is emblematic of Herbrick’s energy, drive and determination over three decades at SickKids — which have both anchored and empowered TCAG's growth over that same time. 

‘None of this happens without her’ 

This month marked Herbrick’s 30th year of service at SickKids as TCAG Manager. In that time, she’s played a central role in growing TCAG into one of the most influential genomic facilities in the world.  

Few at SickKids have known her longer than Dr. Richard Wintle, TCAG Assistant Director, who first met Herbrick in 1994 when she joined Dr. Diane Cox’s lab as an undergraduate student. Over time, Wintle learned that if something needs to be done, Herbrick will simply get it done.    

“There appears to be no barrier that Jo-Anne can’t overcome,” Wintle says. “She is incredibly diligent and has spent three decades navigating a complex research environment while building TCAG from its humblest beginnings to the massive, high-profile genome centre it is now. None of this happens without her.”    

“We never thought we’d sequence human genomes 25 years ago and now we can sequence 140 genomes all in one day”

 

Back to those humble beginnings.  

When TCAG launched in 1998, the field of genomics was only emerging. With a handful of staff, Herbrick was asked to build and manage a first-of-its-kind facility with no playbook. Those asking were a new staff scientist, Dr. Stephen Scherer (now SickKids Chief of Research), and acclaimed researcher Dr. Lap-Chee Tsui – who nine years earlier had discovered the gene that causes cystic fibrosis.   

“In those early years it was so exciting, having merged genetic sequencing, DNA synthesis and gene cloning all into one centre,” says Herbrick, who for years ran both experiments and the facility itself. “From day one, everyone had full freedom to explore, rise and really make a difference. I saw how special that was when building something new.” 

Together, they were building not only something new, but very impactful. In the early 2000s, more disease genes had been identified at SickKids than anywhere in the world.  

“People from all over Canada would solicit help from us,” Herbrick says. “It was exciting to come into work because the first thing you’d do is check the results of yesterday’s X-ray films to see if we’d found a disease-causing gene.” 

Supporting 800 labs each year  

Today, TCAG is home to a staff of 70 specialists who every year support 800 labs, including 125 from SickKids, with others across Ontario, Canada and around the world. It is the lead node for CGEn, Canada's national platform for genome sequencing and analysis.   

TCAG is a well-recognized resource for spurring genomic discovery, and its non-profit seeking model makes it an appealing option for researchers. Investigators pay only for each experiment’s direct costs and, in doing so, access top equipment and deep expertise in DNA sequencing.  

Dr. Tara Paton, manager of TCAG’s Genetic Analysis and Sequencing Facilities, has known Herbrick for 20 years and says she is the guiding hand behind TCAG’s success. 

“Jo-Anne sees the big picture so well yet also makes a point to know all the smaller details, which makes her an exceptional problem solver,” Paton says. “She’s got a keen mind for business and science, and it’s been amazing to see her take a vision and execute it, often against the odds.” 

Herbrick, who honed skills at decoding complex grant and infrastructure project budgets, has grown a sustainably-funded Centre stocked with the best facilities and equipment in the country. She believes the true ingredients to the TCAG’s success are the collective efforts of brilliant and dedicated staff.   

“I’ve tried to fill the Centre with people far smarter than myself,” she says. “I want them to be part of problem solving and future planning, so that working here brings a sense of purpose and pride. It also strengthens TCAG immensely by having these experts and their depth of knowledge contribute to our operations.” 

Herbrick is proud of this collaborative effort in building this engine for discovery, but proudest of the fact that she’s helped foster an environment where people stay. The average tenure at TCAG is 17 years.  

“I like to think we’re like family,” she says. “I’ve watched people’s kids grow up and go off to school.” 

From gene discovery to translation 

For Herbrick, 30 years in managing genomic research has evolved so dramatically that it’s really been decades of continual learning. She is now captivated by not only uncovering disease-causing genes but translating findings into new treatments that could change the lives of families. 

“We never thought we’d sequence human genomes 25 years ago and now we can sequence 140 genomes all in one day,” she says, adding that few places in Canada have the capabilities of TCAG. As a result, the Centre is a go-to resource for major national initiatives, including the $200 million Canadian Precision Health Initiative that is creating Canada’s largest collection of human genomic data.  

“Being at SickKids is the perfect combination of having the opportunity to work with the latest and greatest technologies and the privilege of applying them to research that leads to meaningful discoveries.” 

---