Sanofi Biogenius Canada

Sanofi Biogenius Canada (SBC), formerly known as the Sanofi BioGENEius Challenge Canada (SBCC), is a national, biotechnology-focused science competition for Canadian high school and CEGEP students.

SBC challenges students to initiate and undertake university-level research projects. Students submit a project proposal to a scientific evaluation committee that reviews their proposed research. For approved projects, the committee suggests mentors from the local biotechnology community.

Working in teams or as individuals, the students spend approximately four months conducting research and collaborating with their mentor. In March or April, students compile their results, prepare scientific posters and present their findings at their regional competitions to a panel of judges from the local scientific, education and biotechnology communities. The judges grade students on originality and scientific merit, project execution and communication of their work. Cash prizes are awarded to the top five student teams and their schools. As well, in several regional competitions, one project is awarded a commercialization prize.

The winner of each regional competition moves forward to the national competition that takes place at the Ottawa headquarters of the National Research Council (NRC) of Canada. The top national winner goes on to participate in the International BioGENEius Challenge, which takes place each year in conjunction with the annual Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) International Convention.

Begun in the Toronto area in 1992 as the Connaught Student Biotechnology Exhibition (CSBE), the competition was established to raise biotechnology awareness among high school students, educators and the public and give hands-on exposure to its many applications.

In 1996-97, the program expanded to Montreal and to London, Ontario. The Ottawa region became the newest site in the fall of 1997. The biotechnology associations in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, British Columbia and Saskatchewan launched competitions in the fall of 1998. In 2000, new programs were set up in Manitoba and Edmonton, Alberta; New Brunswick and Calgary, Alberta became competition sites in 2002. The 2005 competition marked the addition of Prince Edward Island as a participating region in the program. In 2009, Northern Manitoba was added as the 14th SBCC region, and in 2010, students from Quebec City competed in the Montreal competition. Following a consolidation of programs in 2011, today’s Sanofi Biogenius Canada has nine regional competitions: Atlantic region, Quebec, Eastern Ontario, Greater Toronto Area, Southwestern Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia.

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