In this episode of ByteSight, our host Dr. Manasi A-Ratnaparkhe speaks with Dr. Catalina Lopez-Correa, Chief Global Strategy Officer at Genome Canada. A physician-scientist with more than two decades of experience, Catalina has led national genomics initiatives across Canada, Europe, and Latin America and advised global organizations such as the WHO, UNDP, and PAHO. Beyond her professional accomplishments, she brings the perspective of a patient as a breast cancer survivor. Together, they discuss how genomics is leaving the lab and entering everyday life, and why equity and inclusion are critical to shaping its future.
About Dr. Catalina Lopez-Correa
She has dedicated her career to bridging science, policy, and patient needs. She led Canada’s COVID-19 Genomics Network (CanCOGeN), building a national system to track viral evolution and inform public health. She previously held executive leadership roles at Genome Québec and Genome BC, driving strategies in precision health, rare disease, and cancer research. On the international stage, she has advised the WHO, UNDP, and PAHO, while also championing patient involvement through networks such as the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network. Her leadership reflects a consistent mission: to make genomics inclusive, accessible, and impactful worldwide.
A Personal Wake-Up Call
Catalina shares a defining moment in her own cancer journey: receiving her own breast cancer test result that identified a „variant of unknown significance.” In simple terms, the science couldn’t interpret what it meant because as a Latina from Colombia, her genome wasn’t represented in the global databases. What should have been clarity turned into uncertainty. That experience underscored for her the human cost of missing diversity in genomics and transformed how she advocates for equity in healthcare.
Genomics in Everyday Life
The pandemic marked a turning point, moving genomics from research labs into the public eye. Catalina explains how sequencing shifted from a specialized tool to something that shaped daily conversations, policy decisions, and even household awareness. But beyond COVID-19, genomics is now driving advances in cancer care, accelerating rare disease diagnoses, and opening new possibilities in areas like pharmacogenomics. She argues that the future of medicine lies in embedding genomics not only in hospitals but also in communities, schools, and homes.
Equity and Access at the Core
Catalina emphasizes that equity is not a side issue but the foundation of progress. Without diverse genomic data, discoveries risk being incomplete or worse, harmful. Her call to action is clear: invest in diversity, include underserved communities, and design systems where patients are decision-makers, not just data points. Only then can genomics fulfill its promise as a tool for better health for all.
Final Takeaway
„For listeners who want to start their own journey into accessible genomics, my advice is simple: get informed, ask questions, and be an advocate for equity. Genomics is not just for scientists. It is for all of us.” - Dr. Catalina Lopez-Correa
