The Center for Advanced Research in Environmental Genomics (CAREG) was created by the University of Ottawa Senate in 2000. The creation of CAREG grew from a research partnership between highly successful research groups within the University. Initially, CAREG consisted primarily of the environmental biology, fish physiology, and molecular evolution groups from the Department of Biology, but has grown since to include a number of individuals outside the Department of Biology.

The central goal of CAREG is to study the effects of environmental stressors on genome function and expression. The members of CAREG are united by a common interest in understanding the variations that take place at the molecular, genetic, physiological and ecological levels and how these variations affect an organism's response to an environmental stressor. To determine the relationships between variations taking place at the different levels constitutes another common goal of the CAREG team.

To achieve our objectives, we are applying the power of modern genomics research to problems of environmental biology – environmental genomics. We also look at the interactions between environmental heterogeneity and genetic variation in a number of microbes, plants and animals, including humans.

The powerful tools of genomics, proteomics and bioinformatics research provide us with novel approaches to solve problems of environmental biology.