Canada’s leading cancer scientists hail the start of a golden age in research and call for accelerated collaborations between doctors, scientists, and philanthropists for the benefit of all cancer patients.
Approximately 300 cancer researchers, clinicians, and patients from across the country gathered in Toronto from May 24 – 26, 2024 for the Terry Fox Research Institute‘s 10th Scientific Meeting to share groundbreaking research and forge new collaborations for the benefit of cancer patients.
As a group, we believe we’re entering a golden era in cancer research. We now have powerful tools – including AI, machine learning, and remarkable developments in imaging and genomic sequencing technologies – that allow us to generate and study large amounts of data and find answers to help solve the 200+ diseases we collectively call “cancer.”
Over the last two decades, the Terry Fox Research Institute has created a collaborative ecosystem for these technologies to be validated and for new types of data to be generated and studied by the country’s top scientific minds. The Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network (MOHCCN) is fast-tracking the deployment of these tools and data to improve outcomes and quality of life for patients. This unprecedented pan-Canadian initiative enables us to share resources, explore new ideas, and leverage findings to detect, diagnose, and treat cancer patients more accurately and precisely.
These groundbreaking collaborations are allowing us to see a future in which all cancer patients in Canada – no matter where they live – receive the right treatment at the right time for their particular cancer.
The goal is ambitious. The path is clear. The timing is urgent.
We need everyone to be a part of this intensive collaboration. Your support right now is an investment that will drive this new era of cancer research and care. Please join us.
marathonofhopecancercentres.ca
To read the full press release, click here.
Supported by:
Dr. Sheela Abraham, Professor, Queen’s University
Paul Alofs, Board Member, Terry Fox Foundation
Dr. Deborah Anderson, Director of Research, Scientist, Saskatchewan Cancer Agency
Riley Arseneau, PhD Student, Dalhousie University
Dr. Taha, Azad, Principal Investigator, ECR, Université de Sherbrooke
Dr. Gary Bader, Professor, University of Toronto
Dr. Ali Bashashati, Principal Investigator, University of British Columbia
Stephen Bear, Vice-Chair, Board of Directors, Terry Fox Foundation
Dr. Nicole Beauchemin, Chair and Researcher, MOHCCN, PWG and McGill University
Dr. John C. Bell, Senior Scientist, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
Dr. Touati Benoukraf, Associate Professor, Memorial University of Newfoundland
Dr. Mamatha Bhat, Clinician-Scientist, University Health Network
Dr. Tarek Bismar, Professor of Pathology, University of Calgary
Dr. David Brooks, Senior Scientist, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Dr. Michael Brudno, Chief Data Scientist, University Health Network
Dr. Nadine Caron, Professor, University of British Columbia, Northern Medical Program & Department of Surgery
Angela Carmichael, Chair, Marketing & Communications Committee, Terry Fox Foundation
Dr. Jennifer Chan, Scientist and Research Institute Director, University of Calgary
Dr. Angela Chan, Research Scientist, Alberta Health Services
Carol Chiang, Board Member, Terry Fox Research Institute
Carolyn Chisholm, Board Member, Terry Fox Research Institute
Dr. Sherri Christian, Professor, Memorial University of Newfoundland
Beth Ciavaglia, Patient Partner, MOHCCN
Dr. Sylvie Clairefond, University of Saskatchewan
Dr. Dawn Cochrane, Staff Scientist, BC Cancer
Dr. Matthew Cormier, Postdoctoral Fellow, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Dr. Karen Cranston, Staff Scientist, University Health Network
Kelly Curwin, Chief Communications Officer, Terry Fox Research Institute
Denise Dias, Vice President, Marketing & Communications, Terry Fox Foundation
Diane Dou, Board Member, Terry Fox Foundation
Debbie Duclos, Patient Partner, MOHCC
Dr. Ahmed Elbassiouny, Postdoctoral Fellow, BC Cancer
Joel Feldberg, Board Member, Terry Fox Foundation
Dr. Sidney Fels, Professor, University of British Columbia
Darrell Fox, Board Member, Terry Fox Research Institute
Fred Fox, Supporter Relations, Terry Fox Foundation
Wendy Freeman, Board Member, Terry Fox Research Institute
Andrew Garven, PhD student, Queen’s University
Dr. Daniel Gaston, Scientist and Professor, Dalhousie University
Dr. Spencer Gibson, Scientist and Professor, University of Alberta
Dr. Vincent Giguëre, Professor, McGill University
Ashley Girgis, Program Manager, TFRI – DHDP
Jennifer Graham, Patient Partner, MOHCCN
Heather Grant, Project Manager , Queen’s University
Dominique Gregoire, Vice President, Finance & Human Resources, Terry Fox Foundation
Rachel Hausman, Graduate Student, University of British Columbia and BC Cancer
Dr. Lesley Hill, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of British Columbia
Dr. Martin Hirst, Professor, University of British Columbia
Samantha Holmes, MSc Student, Queen’s University
Sarah Hunt, Patient Partner, MOHCCN
Theo Husby, PhD Student, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Dr. Jonathan Irish, Senior Scientist, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Dr. Hartland W. Jackson, Investigator and Assistant Professor, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute and University of Toronto
Dr. Lum Julian, Professor, BC Cancer
Dr. Aly Karsan, Professor, University of British Columbia and BC Cancer
Dr. Sachin Katyal, Associate Professor, Senior Scientist and Director, Cancer Care Manitoba
Katherine Kay, Board Member, Terry Fox Foundation
John Kearsey, Chair, Governance & Nominating Committee, Terry Fox Foundation
Dr. Rama Khokha, Professor and Senior Scientist, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Lee Kiera, MD/PhD Student, University of British Columbia
Mary Kitchen, Board Member, Terry Fox Foundation
Dr. Kristian Kiland, Postdoctoral Fellow, British Columbia Cancer Research Institute
Dr. David JHF Knapp, Assistant Professor, IRIC, Université de Montréal
Kim Kobar, PhD Student, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute
Dr. Michael Kolios, Professor and Associate Dean, Toronto Metropolitan University
Dr. Nilakshi Kulathunga, PhD, Sunnybrook Research Institute
Dr. Sushant Kumar, Scientist, UHN
Natalie Kwadrans, Patient Partner MOHCCN
Dr. Wan Lam, Scientist and Professor, British Columbia Cancer Research Institute
Dr. Janessa Laskin, Clinician & Scientist, University of British Columbia & BC Cancer
Dr. Noemie Leblay, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Calgary
Hon S. Leong, Senior Scientist, Sunnybrook Research Institute
Dr. David Wai Lim, Surgeon Scientist, Women’s College Research Institute
Dr. Victor Ling, Emeritus Scientist, University of British Columbia BC Cancer
Dr. Benjamin Lok, Clinician Scientist, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Dr. Calum MacAulay, Scientist, University of British Columbia, BC Cancer
Dr. David Malkin, Oncologist and Senior Scientist , SickKids
Georgio Mansour Nehmo, MSc Student, CHU Sainte-Justine
Dr. Marco Marra, Scientist, University of British Columbia, BC Cancer
Michael Mazza, Executive Director, Terry Fox Foundation
Jessica McAlpine, Canada Research Chair University of British Columbia
Martha McClew, Vice President, Community & School Programs
Dr. JB McIntyre, Research Scientist, Tom Baker Cancer
Dr. Anne-Marie Mes-Masson, Associate Scientific Director, Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal
Dr. Michael Milosevic, Clinician Scientist, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and University Health Network
Dr. Ryan Morin, Associate Professor, Simon Fraser University
Dr. Amir Moslemi, Postdoctoral Fellow, Sunnybrook Research Institute
Dr. Patrick Murphy, Assistant Professor, University of Prince Edward Island
Dr. Shaghayegh Nouruzi, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of British Columbia
Dr. Nirvana Nursimulu, PhD, UHN
Dr. Hanne Ostergaard, Professor, University of Alberta
Dr. Rodney Ouellette, Senior Scientist and Chair, Atlantic Cancer Research Institute
Dr. Christopher Paige, PhD, University Health Network
Kathy Palmer, Patient Partner MOHCCN
Dr. Morag Park, Scientist and Professor, Goodman Cancer Institute, McGill University
Darrin Park, Patient Partner MOHCCN
Dr. Linda Penn, Board Member, Terry Fox Research Institute
James Pereira, Patient Partner MOHCCN
Jorge Pinzon Mejia, PhD Student, Dalhousie University
Dr. Eitan Prisman, Clinician Scientist, University of British Columbia, VCH
Dr. Trevor Pugh, Senior Scientist & Director, Genomics Princess Margaret Cancer Centre & Ontario Institute for Cancer Research
Dr. Laszlo Radvanyi, President and Scientific Director, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research
Dr. Dean Regier, Senior Scientist, BC Cancer Research Institute/University of British Columbia
Bev Riediger, MOHCCN
Carolyn-Ann Robinson, Program Manager, University of Calgary
Michael Rossi, Chair, Board of Directors, Terry Fox Foundation
Dr. Robert Rottapel, Principal Investigator, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Emmanuelle Rousselle, PhD student, McGill University
Dr. Bertrand Routy, CRCHUM
Miriam Santos Dutra, Chief Operating Officer, McGill Centre for Translational Research in Cancer
Gordon Schwark, Chief Financial Officer, Terry Fox Research Institute
Dr. Rosalie Sears, Professor, Oregon Health & Science University
Dr. Isabel Serrano, Managing Director, Terry Fox Research Institute
Dr. Marla Shapiro, Board Member, Terry Fox Research Institute
Dr. Peter Siegel, Professor and Senior Scientist, McGill University
Dr. Amber, Simpson, Queen’s University
Dr. Lillian Siu, Professor, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Tayah Sommer, MSc Student, University of Prince Edward Island
Dr. Hyojin Song, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Calgary
Dr. Julie St-Pierre, Professor, University of Ottawa
Dr. Christian Steidl, Scientist and Professor, British Columbia Cancer Research Institute
Dr. Lincoln Stein, OICR, University of Toronto
Dr. Stephanie Xie, Scientist, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Dr. Natalie Szudy, Managing Director, DHDP Terry Fox Research Institute
Dr. Susanna Tan, Scientist, STEMCELL Technologies
Randy Thompson, Patient Partner MOHCCN
Dr. John Thoms, Clinician Scientist, Memorial University of Newfoundland
Laurent Tillement, Director, Partnership AI & Health Mila – Quebec AI Institute
Joanna Tong, Vice President, Philanthropy, Terry Fox Foundation
Patricia Turnbull, MOHCCN Patient Working Group, Terry Fox Research Institute
Dr. Robin Urquhart, Associate Professor & Senior Scientist, Dalhousie University/Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute
Dr. Yuzhuo Wang, Professor, University of British Columbia, BC Cancer
Deirdre Weymann, Director, Real World Evidence BC Cancer/Simon Fraser University
Dr. Brian C. Wilson, Senior Scientist, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Dr. Jim Woodgett, President & Scientific Director, Terry Fox Research Institute
Dr. Bradly Wouters, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Dr. Shaocheng Wu, University of British Columbia, BC Cancer
Dr. Francois Yu, Associate Professor, Université de Montréal
Dr. Gang Zheng, Professor and Senior Scientist, University of Toronto and Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Dr. George Zogopoulos, Clinician-Scientist, McGill University Health Centre
Paul Alofs, Board Member, Terry Fox Foundation
Dr. Deborah Anderson, Director of Research, Scientist, Saskatchewan Cancer Agency
Riley Arseneau, PhD Student, Dalhousie University
Dr. Taha, Azad, Principal Investigator, ECR, Université de Sherbrooke
Dr. Gary Bader, Professor, University of Toronto
Dr. Ali Bashashati, Principal Investigator, University of British Columbia
Stephen Bear, Vice-Chair, Board of Directors, Terry Fox Foundation
Dr. Nicole Beauchemin, Chair and Researcher, MOHCCN, PWG and McGill University
Dr. John C. Bell, Senior Scientist, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
Dr. Touati Benoukraf, Associate Professor, Memorial University of Newfoundland
Dr. Mamatha Bhat, Clinician-Scientist, University Health Network
Dr. Tarek Bismar, Professor of Pathology, University of Calgary
Dr. David Brooks, Senior Scientist, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Dr. Michael Brudno, Chief Data Scientist, University Health Network
Dr. Nadine Caron, Professor, University of British Columbia, Northern Medical Program & Department of Surgery
Angela Carmichael, Chair, Marketing & Communications Committee, Terry Fox Foundation
Dr. Jennifer Chan, Scientist and Research Institute Director, University of Calgary
Dr. Angela Chan, Research Scientist, Alberta Health Services
Carol Chiang, Board Member, Terry Fox Research Institute
Carolyn Chisholm, Board Member, Terry Fox Research Institute
Dr. Sherri Christian, Professor, Memorial University of Newfoundland
Beth Ciavaglia, Patient Partner, MOHCCN
Dr. Sylvie Clairefond, University of Saskatchewan
Dr. Dawn Cochrane, Staff Scientist, BC Cancer
Dr. Matthew Cormier, Postdoctoral Fellow, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Dr. Karen Cranston, Staff Scientist, University Health Network
Kelly Curwin, Chief Communications Officer, Terry Fox Research Institute
Denise Dias, Vice President, Marketing & Communications, Terry Fox Foundation
Diane Dou, Board Member, Terry Fox Foundation
Debbie Duclos, Patient Partner, MOHCC
Dr. Ahmed Elbassiouny, Postdoctoral Fellow, BC Cancer
Joel Feldberg, Board Member, Terry Fox Foundation
Dr. Sidney Fels, Professor, University of British Columbia
Darrell Fox, Board Member, Terry Fox Research Institute
Fred Fox, Supporter Relations, Terry Fox Foundation
Wendy Freeman, Board Member, Terry Fox Research Institute
Andrew Garven, PhD student, Queen’s University
Dr. Daniel Gaston, Scientist and Professor, Dalhousie University
Dr. Spencer Gibson, Scientist and Professor, University of Alberta
Dr. Vincent Giguëre, Professor, McGill University
Ashley Girgis, Program Manager, TFRI – DHDP
Jennifer Graham, Patient Partner, MOHCCN
Heather Grant, Project Manager , Queen’s University
Dominique Gregoire, Vice President, Finance & Human Resources, Terry Fox Foundation
Rachel Hausman, Graduate Student, University of British Columbia and BC Cancer
Dr. Lesley Hill, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of British Columbia
Dr. Martin Hirst, Professor, University of British Columbia
Samantha Holmes, MSc Student, Queen’s University
Sarah Hunt, Patient Partner, MOHCCN
Theo Husby, PhD Student, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Dr. Jonathan Irish, Senior Scientist, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Dr. Hartland W. Jackson, Investigator and Assistant Professor, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute and University of Toronto
Dr. Lum Julian, Professor, BC Cancer
Dr. Aly Karsan, Professor, University of British Columbia and BC Cancer
Dr. Sachin Katyal, Associate Professor, Senior Scientist and Director, Cancer Care Manitoba
Katherine Kay, Board Member, Terry Fox Foundation
John Kearsey, Chair, Governance & Nominating Committee, Terry Fox Foundation
Dr. Rama Khokha, Professor and Senior Scientist, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Lee Kiera, MD/PhD Student, University of British Columbia
Mary Kitchen, Board Member, Terry Fox Foundation
Dr. Kristian Kiland, Postdoctoral Fellow, British Columbia Cancer Research Institute
Dr. David JHF Knapp, Assistant Professor, IRIC, Université de Montréal
Kim Kobar, PhD Student, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute
Dr. Michael Kolios, Professor and Associate Dean, Toronto Metropolitan University
Dr. Nilakshi Kulathunga, PhD, Sunnybrook Research Institute
Dr. Sushant Kumar, Scientist, UHN
Natalie Kwadrans, Patient Partner MOHCCN
Dr. Wan Lam, Scientist and Professor, British Columbia Cancer Research Institute
Dr. Janessa Laskin, Clinician & Scientist, University of British Columbia & BC Cancer
Dr. Noemie Leblay, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Calgary
Hon S. Leong, Senior Scientist, Sunnybrook Research Institute
Dr. David Wai Lim, Surgeon Scientist, Women’s College Research Institute
Dr. Victor Ling, Emeritus Scientist, University of British Columbia BC Cancer
Dr. Benjamin Lok, Clinician Scientist, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Dr. Calum MacAulay, Scientist, University of British Columbia, BC Cancer
Dr. David Malkin, Oncologist and Senior Scientist , SickKids
Georgio Mansour Nehmo, MSc Student, CHU Sainte-Justine
Dr. Marco Marra, Scientist, University of British Columbia, BC Cancer
Michael Mazza, Executive Director, Terry Fox Foundation
Jessica McAlpine, Canada Research Chair University of British Columbia
Martha McClew, Vice President, Community & School Programs
Dr. JB McIntyre, Research Scientist, Tom Baker Cancer
Dr. Anne-Marie Mes-Masson, Associate Scientific Director, Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal
Dr. Michael Milosevic, Clinician Scientist, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and University Health Network
Dr. Ryan Morin, Associate Professor, Simon Fraser University
Dr. Amir Moslemi, Postdoctoral Fellow, Sunnybrook Research Institute
Dr. Patrick Murphy, Assistant Professor, University of Prince Edward Island
Dr. Shaghayegh Nouruzi, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of British Columbia
Dr. Nirvana Nursimulu, PhD, UHN
Dr. Hanne Ostergaard, Professor, University of Alberta
Dr. Rodney Ouellette, Senior Scientist and Chair, Atlantic Cancer Research Institute
Dr. Christopher Paige, PhD, University Health Network
Kathy Palmer, Patient Partner MOHCCN
Dr. Morag Park, Scientist and Professor, Goodman Cancer Institute, McGill University
Darrin Park, Patient Partner MOHCCN
Dr. Linda Penn, Board Member, Terry Fox Research Institute
James Pereira, Patient Partner MOHCCN
Jorge Pinzon Mejia, PhD Student, Dalhousie University
Dr. Eitan Prisman, Clinician Scientist, University of British Columbia, VCH
Dr. Trevor Pugh, Senior Scientist & Director, Genomics Princess Margaret Cancer Centre & Ontario Institute for Cancer Research
Dr. Laszlo Radvanyi, President and Scientific Director, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research
Dr. Dean Regier, Senior Scientist, BC Cancer Research Institute/University of British Columbia
Bev Riediger, MOHCCN
Carolyn-Ann Robinson, Program Manager, University of Calgary
Michael Rossi, Chair, Board of Directors, Terry Fox Foundation
Dr. Robert Rottapel, Principal Investigator, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Emmanuelle Rousselle, PhD student, McGill University
Dr. Bertrand Routy, CRCHUM
Miriam Santos Dutra, Chief Operating Officer, McGill Centre for Translational Research in Cancer
Gordon Schwark, Chief Financial Officer, Terry Fox Research Institute
Dr. Rosalie Sears, Professor, Oregon Health & Science University
Dr. Isabel Serrano, Managing Director, Terry Fox Research Institute
Dr. Marla Shapiro, Board Member, Terry Fox Research Institute
Dr. Peter Siegel, Professor and Senior Scientist, McGill University
Dr. Amber, Simpson, Queen’s University
Dr. Lillian Siu, Professor, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Tayah Sommer, MSc Student, University of Prince Edward Island
Dr. Hyojin Song, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Calgary
Dr. Julie St-Pierre, Professor, University of Ottawa
Dr. Christian Steidl, Scientist and Professor, British Columbia Cancer Research Institute
Dr. Lincoln Stein, OICR, University of Toronto
Dr. Stephanie Xie, Scientist, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Dr. Natalie Szudy, Managing Director, DHDP Terry Fox Research Institute
Dr. Susanna Tan, Scientist, STEMCELL Technologies
Randy Thompson, Patient Partner MOHCCN
Dr. John Thoms, Clinician Scientist, Memorial University of Newfoundland
Laurent Tillement, Director, Partnership AI & Health Mila – Quebec AI Institute
Joanna Tong, Vice President, Philanthropy, Terry Fox Foundation
Patricia Turnbull, MOHCCN Patient Working Group, Terry Fox Research Institute
Dr. Robin Urquhart, Associate Professor & Senior Scientist, Dalhousie University/Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute
Dr. Yuzhuo Wang, Professor, University of British Columbia, BC Cancer
Deirdre Weymann, Director, Real World Evidence BC Cancer/Simon Fraser University
Dr. Brian C. Wilson, Senior Scientist, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Dr. Jim Woodgett, President & Scientific Director, Terry Fox Research Institute
Dr. Bradly Wouters, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Dr. Shaocheng Wu, University of British Columbia, BC Cancer
Dr. Francois Yu, Associate Professor, Université de Montréal
Dr. Gang Zheng, Professor and Senior Scientist, University of Toronto and Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Dr. George Zogopoulos, Clinician-Scientist, McGill University Health Centre
News and Impact
Here are some of the most exciting developments from the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network.
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Leading Terry Fox-Funded Scientists Forge a New Era in Cancer Research
Over 100 Canadian cancer researchers signed an open letter calling for urgent support Over 100 Canadian cancer researchers signed an open letter calling for urgent support.
