The Cancer Research Society (CRS) is awarding 90 new research grants valued at $10.8 million as part of its annual competition. It is an all-time record for the organization for a second year in a row. The grants are awarded to some of the most promising cancer research projects in Canada.
As part of its annual competition, the CRS receives hundreds of applications from researchers and clinicians throughout Canada who are seeking a $120,000, 2-year grant for a cancer research project. The financial support is awarded to projects retained through a rigorous selection process conducted via peer evaluation committees which this year were composed of 85 researchers and clinicians who generously volunteered their time.
“The Cancer Research Society is an undisputed leader in Canada’s research sector. Our vision for the last 75 years has been to outsmart cancer by providing the necessary financial support to brilliant researchers across Canada whose research projects are both innovative and promising.
This announcement further demonstrates our impact on cancer research and inevitably on cancer patients and their families.”
– Manon Pepin, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Cancer Research Society
Whether it is to counter the adverse effects of certain cancer drugs or detect breast cancer with a blood test, discover some of the innovative proposals of researchers who received a grant by clicking here.
“We are very proud of the excitement our competition has generated within the scientific community and among leading researchers. All of the selected projects have a real potential to lead to breakthroughs that will ultimately have an impact in the cancer research ecosystem.”
– Dajan O’Donnell, PhD, Director of Scientific Affairs and Partnerships at the Cancer Research Society
The support offered by the CRS is made possible thanks to the generosity of thousands of donors and partners who co-fund certain grants, including Ovarian Cancer Canada, the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Cancer Research, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis, and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada.
Furthermore, CRS continues to fund grants and scholarships from previous years, as well as some research projects aimed at various types of cancer in partnership with other organizations.
Here is the list of all the researchers selected.
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute – funded in partnership with "Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Cancer Research"
Identification of pathways driving metastasis of invasive lobular breast cancer
Université Laval – funded in partnership with "Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada"
Uncovering the mechanisms of cell adhesion-induced chemoresistance in T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia
The Hospital for Sick Children
ATRX-mediated chromatin compaction and the alternative lengthening of telomeres
University of Calgary
The role of phosphoinositides in the generation of anti-cancer cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses by dendritic cells
Queen's University
Mechanisms of mitochondrial fusion during tumour progression and metastasis
University Health Network
Premalignancy as an opportunity for therapeutic interception of ovarian cancer
CHU de Québec - Université Laval – funded in partnership with "Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation"
The effect of cannabinoid receptors on breast cancer survival
The Hospital for Sick Children
APOBEC3, an endogenous mutagen driving breast cancer progression
University of Alberta – funded in partnership with "Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada"
IL-16 as a novel therapeutic target in hematological cancers
University Health Network – funded in partnership with "Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Cancer Research"
Defining the determinants of IDH-mutant gliomas evolution from indolent to aggressive disease phase
Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont – funded in partnership with "Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Cancer Research"
A novel pathway of VEGF-C/FLT4 signalling for renal cell carcinoma development
University of British Columbia
Regulation and function of CD44 in tumour metastasis to the lung
Simon Fraser University – funded in partnership with "Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Cancer Research"
Defining ER stress profiles as determinants of cell identity and therapeutic vulnerability in mTORC1-driven brain tumours
Université de Montréal
Modelling the progression from clonal hematopoiesis to leukemia
University Health Network – funded in partnership with "Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada"
Elucidation of the immune contexture and gene regulatory basis underlying post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders
Université de Montréal
Roles of the transcription factor FOXA1 in breast tumorigenesis
Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont – funded in partnership with "Herbert James Davies Memorial Fund"
Novel function of DEPTOR in regulating the formation of spliceosomes in multiple myeloma
University of Ottawa
Role of the gut microbiome in epigenetic alterations at puberty and breast cancer in adulthood
University of Manitoba
Exploring and targeting reduced FBXO5 expression in colorectal cancer
McGill University
Investigating the role of RHBDL4 in HER2-driven mammary tumorigenesis
Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont – funded in partnership with "Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Cancer Research"
Investigating the roles of primate-specific retrotransposon-derived transcripts in glioblastoma
Jewish General Hospital
The role of electron transfer flavoprotein dehydrogenase (ETFDH) in cancer
McGill University – funded in partnership with "Cancer Research Society Michael O’Gallagher Memorial Fund"
PTP-PRL2 (PTP4A2) in lymphoangiogenesis and metastasis: a novel target in cancer
London Health Sciences Centre Research – funded in partnership with "Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis"
Roles of microenvironment hyaluronan in preventing skin cancer initiation
McGill University
Investigating ovarian cancer susceptibility of FANCI L604F in mouse ovarian cancer models
BC Cancer
A blood-based biomarker for the early detection of oropharyngeal cancer
McGill University
Live imaging of individual extracellular vesicles from single breast cancer cells
The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre – funded in partnership with "Suzanne and Louis Daubois Fund"
Exploring the role of exomeres and supermeres in prostate cancer
York University– funded in partnership with "Ovarian Cancer Canada"
Role of circSKA3 in ovarian cancer development
Queen's University
Proteomics-based biomarker discovery in human ovarian cancer extracellular vesicles
Carleton University – funded in partnership with "Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Cancer Research"
Sensorized needles for prostate cancer localization in mpMRI/US targeted biopsy
University of British Columbia – funded in partnership with "Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Cancer Research"
Development of a liquid biopsy for early breast cancer detection
University of Toronto – funded in partnership with "Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada"
Single-cell proteogenomics integrating mutation profiles with protein signatures to identify relapse-fated leukemic clones in FLT3-ITD acute myeloid leukemia
Toronto Metropolitan University
Metabolic control of glycogen synthase kinase 3ß nuclear translocation by lysosomal signals drives breast cancer cell proliferation and survival
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute – funded in partnership with "Suzanne and Louis Daubois Fund"
PD-L1 metabolically imprints cancer cells to be more responsive to oncolytic virotherapy
Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine
New senolytic approaches for the elimination of senescent cells
University of Toronto
A fluorescent chemosensor for the DNA repair protein, O6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase, to guide clinician decision-making in glioblastoma
University of Ottawa – funded in partnership with "Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Cancer Research"
Pre-clinical development of an extended-release nanosphere formulation to deliver a novel colorectal cancer stem cell-targeting agent
Université Laval – funded in partnership with "Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada"
Anti-PEG antibodies and adverse reactions to PEGylated drugs: effect of mRNA vaccination and novel mitigation strategies
CHEO Research Institute
Evaluating the role of extracellular vesicles in response to Interferons and IAP antagonists
Université de Sherbrooke – funded in partnership with "Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis"
Development of NF1 gene therapy
Montreal Clinical Research Institute
Chemoprevention of medulloblastoma
Université Laval
Understanding the molecular determinants of high-grade endometrial stromal sarcomas
CHEO Research Institute – funded in partnership with "Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Cancer Research"
Pannexin 1 in rhabdomyosarcoma: role in pathogenesis and progression & mechanisms of action
Queen's University
Impact of chromosome 19 miRNA cluster oncomiRs on melanoma progression and metastasis
BC Cancer – funded in partnership with "Rob Lutterman Memorial Fund"
Pancreatic cancer progression: Targeting NET-DNA-induced ILK activation
University of Western Ontario
Investigating Hoxa9 as a novel therapeutic target in advanced prostate cancer
University Health Network
Impact of the microenvironment on triple-negative breast cancer progression
Jewish General Hospital – funded in partnership with "Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation"
Gene-Modified Mesenchymal Stem Cells as Delivery Vehicles for the Treatment of Breast Cancer
University of Waterloo – funded in partnership with "Charlotte Légaré Memorial Fund"
Developing novel small molecule inhibitors of VISTA for cancer immunotherapy
BC Cancer
Integrative genomic analysis of Hodgkin variant Richter transformation in CLL
University of Alberta – funded in partnership with "Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Cancer Research"
Investigating breast cancer organoids
Université de Montréal
Role of ZO-1 in endothelial cell stress responses and in tumour angiogenesis
University of Toronto
Development of selective allosteric inhibitors of JPRK for fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma
BC Cancer – funded in partnership with "Herbert James Davies Memorial Fund"
A proteomics-guided approach to multi-antigen targeted (CAR)-T cells for myeloma
University of Western Ontario – funded in partnership with "Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Cancer Research"
Novel electrotherapy for enhanced drug delivery and control of brain-seeking breast cancer metastases
York University
Development of selective inhibitors of human m6A demethylases
University Health Network – funded in partnership with "Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada"
Targeting the epigenetic reader MBD1 as a novel strategy to intercept acute myeloid leukemia
University of Western Ontario
Reprogramming the tumour-associated macrophages and microenvironment by PU.1 inhibition
Queen's University
Investigating the role of age-associated B cells in response to BCG immunotherapy in bladder cancer.
The University of Saskatchewan – funded in partnership with "Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Cancer Research"
Potential therapies for cisplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy in breast cancer
Université Laval
Structural characterization of full-length BET proteins and their functional implications to cancer
The University of Saskatchewan – funded in partnership with "Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Cancer Research"
Targeting mitochondrial fission machinery in tumour-initiating cells
University of British Columbia – funded in partnership with "Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Cancer Research"
Paracrine and autocrine IL-6 as drivers of treatment resistance in medulloblastoma
McGill University
Identifying tamoxifen-persistent cells to predict ER+ breast cancer outcomes
Jewish General Hospital – funded in partnership with "Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Cancer Research"
Deciphering the role of the E3 ubiquitin ligase HERC1 in the chemotherapy response of acute myeloid leukemia
Jewish General Hospital
Using MNK1/2 inhibitors to target CDK4/6 resistance in breast cancer
University of British Columbia – funded in partnership with "Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Cancer Research"
Optimizing triple-negative breast cancer therapy based on immune cell morphology
University of Western Ontario – funded in partnership with "Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Cancer Research"
Studies of anticancer effects of radiation therapy and polo-like kinase 4 (PLK4) inhibitor CFI-400945 in triple-negative breast cancer
University of Windsor
Dissecting the progression to treatment-resistant neuroendocrine prostate cancer
Université de Montréal – funded in partnership with "Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada"
Optimizing the anti-tumour potency of the MSC-TPr vaccine
Dalhousie University
The cell death-regulating protein MLKL as a novel target for colorectal cancer treatment
The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre – funded in partnership with "Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Cancer Research"
Targeting senescent cells to subdue breast-to-bone metastasis
McMaster University – funded in partnership with "Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada"
Tumour targeting of universal T cells using covalent adapter molecules
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
The role of Sox7 in phenotype switching of BRAF melanomas
Université de Montréal – funded in partnership with "Charlotte Légaré Memorial Fund"
MitoCure: a program for the development of biguanides targeting mitochondria
Sunnybrook Research Institute
Targeting interferon to improve leukemia therapy
The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre
Disentangling radiation-resistant lung cancer by targeting neutrophil extracellular traps
Montreal Clinical Research Institute – funded in partnership with "Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada"
Epigenetic driving forces of angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma (AITL)
University Health Network – funded in partnership with "Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada"
Targeting the molecular interaction of acute lymphoblastic leukemia with the bone marrow microenvironment
University of Alberta – funded in partnership with "Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Cancer Research"
Regulation of CD8+ T cell-mediated anti-tumour immunity by insulin signalling
The Hospital for Sick Children
Transcriptome-based risk stratification of pediatric thyroid neoplasms
University of Ottawa
Suppression of cancer stem cells and cancer cachexia by candidate C/EBPß reducing drugs
University of British Columbia
Defining new glyco-immune checkpoint ligands as next-generation targets for leukemia immunotherapy
Lady Davis Institute at the Jewish General Hospital
Targeting aberrant transcriptional processes in high-grade serous ovarian cancer
University of Guelph – funded in partnership with "Ovarian Cancer Canada"
Preclinical translation of oncolytic Orf virus as a potent inducer of anti-tumour immunity in an orthotopic model of late-stage epithelial ovarian cancer
University of Guelph
Igniting pyroptotic fire to boost anticancer immunity
Queen's University – funded in partnership with "Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Cancer Research"
Characterization of PTPN12 as a novel regulator of the Hippo pathway in breast cancer metastasis
University Health Network – funded in partnership with "Aristotle Fund"
Prediction of drug response in esophageal adenocarcinoma patients using organoids
University Health Network
Proteomic markers of treatment-induced adaptation to hypoxia in glioblastoma