A Review of Genomic Data Holdings in the Atlantic Provinces

The founder effect occurs when an isolated population inherits the genetic and phenotypic traits of a small group of founders, leading to differences from the larger surrounding population over time. Recessive genes and genetic illness can be more prevalent in these groups due to the smaller gene pools. Atlantic Canada is home to multiple populations shaped by founder effects, such as those in Newfoundland and Labrador and the Acadian populations in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. However, the availability of genomic datasets and past genetic research has not yet been mapped. This project aimed to identify and summarize the genomic datasets available for populations in Atlantic Canada, with particular attention to the FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable) principles. Searches of the literature and communications with researchers indicate there are rich genomic data collected that have been used for secondary research (reusable), which are not necessarily easily findable, accessible, or interoperable because they are held by individual researchers not a centralized repository.