Anne-Christine Bonfils

Research Program Manager
Vice-President’s Office – Life Sciences National Research Council Canada
Ottawa, ON

Anne-Christine Bonfils joined the National Research Council (NRC) in 2008 to coordinate the development, funding ($159.2 million between 2011 and 2019, then $19.9 million per year ongoing), and implementation of a new collaborative model for the interdepartmental Genomics R&D Initiative. Through this initiative, eight federal science departments and agencies collaborate in the field of genomics research to address issues that are important to Canadians, focusing on the role of federal government research to support important areas such as environmental protection, health care, food safety, sound management of natural resources, and a sustainable and competitive agriculture sector.

Prior to joining NRC, Dr. Bonfils was a research manager at the Canadian Forest Service of Natural Resources Canada and chaired the Biotechnology Management Committee, whose mandate was to provide advice on strategic research directions and funding allocations. Her activities with this committee, her involvement in interdepartmental activities, and the preparation of documents for Cabinet and Treasury Board, resulted in a strategic national approach and the allocation of an additional $34.2 million over 10 years for forest biotechnology research at the Canadian Forest Service. Dr. Bonfils also spent five years at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, where she participated in the development and application of regulations related to the environmental assessment of plants with novel traits under the Seeds Act.