January 10, 2019
FACIT makes follow-on investment in AI-based genomics company, DNAstack
Capital leverages Ontario’s strengths in genomics and informatics, deepens FACIT’s tech portfolio
Continue reading – FACIT makes follow-on investment in AI-based genomics company, DNAstack
December 17, 2018
When it comes to finding cancer risk, there’s power in numbers
Large-scale genomic study discovers 40 new genetic variants associated with colorectal cancer risk
The most comprehensive genome-wide association study of colorectal cancer risk to date has discovered 40 new genetic variants and validated 55 previously identified variants that signal an increased risk of colon cancer. The study, recently published in Nature Genetics, is a product of the world’s largest molecular genetic consortium for colorectal cancer – the Genetics and Epidemiology of Colorectal Cancer Consortium (GECCO) – which was established nearly 10 years ago.
Continue reading – When it comes to finding cancer risk, there’s power in numbers
December 13, 2018
What can we gain from looking at the outliers?: An investigation into long and short-term ovarian cancer survivors
Researchers investigate the clinical, molecular and microenvironment factors that contribute to extreme therapy response and resistance in ovarian cancer patients
Some patients with high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) respond exceptionally well to therapy, while others experience rapid disease relapse. The mechanisms behind these disparate outcomes are poorly understood, but a group of researchers based at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre (PM) supported by OICR’s Ovarian Cancer Translational Research Initiative (TRI) are working to change that.
Continue reading – What can we gain from looking at the outliers?: An investigation into long and short-term ovarian cancer survivors
November 14, 2018
Blood samples over biopsies: Developing a less invasive way to find and track cancers
Researchers find a new way to detect small traces of tumour DNA in blood and determine the tumour’s tissue of origin
A blood sample can be used to detect and monitor certain cancers in select patients, but there are significant technical barriers that prevent the widespread adoption of this “liquid biopsy”. This type of blood test analyzes the rare traces of tumour DNA that are circulating in the blood, but distinguishing tumour DNA from healthy DNA is both difficult and expensive. New methods are needed to improve the accuracy, sensitivity and cost-effectiveness of liquid biopsies so that more patients can benefit from this less-invasive test.
October 2, 2018
Understanding how cancer differs between sexes
OICR researchers uncover sex-linked genetic differences that may be able to predict cancer severity and response to therapy
Cancer differs in males and females but the origins and mechanisms of these sex differences remain unresolved. A better understanding of sex-linked differences in cancer could lead to more accurate tests and treatments that are personalized for patients based on their sex.
Continue reading – Understanding how cancer differs between sexes
September 4, 2018
Meet our students – 2018
Meet Dike Aduluso-Nwaobasi, Sarah Donald and Benson Wan. Find out how summer co-op positions affected their career and educational journeys.
August 22, 2018
Heliotrope: Personalizing cancer treatment decisions
OICR-developed software tool, Heliotrope, gains attention from the private sector for its potential to analyze large amounts of genomic information and inform clinical decision making
Continue reading – Heliotrope: Personalizing cancer treatment decisions
August 21, 2018
Leader in data access and CEO of DNAstack, Dr. Marc Fiume, joins OICR as its newest Associate
Formalizing his longstanding relationship with OICR, Dr. Marc Fiume joins the Institute as an Associate to turn big data into a cure
“We know there are valuable – potentially life-saving – genomics and clinical data that are locked away in the sever rooms in hospital basements,” says Dr. Marc Fiume, CEO of DNAstack, Adjunct Professor at the University of Toronto, and OICR’s newest Associate. “We’re working to make these data more findable, accessible and useful to help researchers find cures for diseases faster than ever before.”
August 7, 2018
Data integration for the future of precision oncology
Big data are ushering in a new era of individualized cancer care and prevention, but not without conceptual and practical challenges. Canadian advances in genomics will be made by or limited by bioinformatics analytical capacity as well as the ability to store and analyze data in new and more sophisticated ways.
To help realize the potential of genomics research in cancer, the Canadian Data Integration Centre (CDIC) platform, led by OICR, offers third generation bioinformatics and genomics tools to support both functional and clinical genomics research. CDIC is the largest academic cancer informatics program in the country – offering customizable, client-oriented access services for data challenges across diverse research areas.
Continue reading – Data integration for the future of precision oncology
June 13, 2018
Viral protein identified as one of the main drivers of virus-induced stomach cancers
Some common pathogens, like the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), can turn healthy cells into cancer cells, but it is not well understood how they do so. Better understanding how such pathogens work allows researchers to find new ways to target the pathogen’s disease-causing mechanisms and ultimately find new treatments for certain virus-induced cancers.
Dr. Ivan Borozan, from Dr. Vincent Ferretti’s Lab at OICR, and Prof. Lori Frappier at the University of Toronto are working together to better understand EBV and how it triggers the transformation of normal cells to cancerous cells, also known as oncogenesis. Together, they have identified that a key protein expressed by EBV, BKRF4, is one of the likely drivers behind EBV-induced stomach cancers.
May 10, 2018
Symposium offers preview of findings from the Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes project
On April 13, researchers from around the world gathered at the MaRS Centre in Toronto to get a sneak peek at the findings from the Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes (PCAWG) project. PCAWG is an ambitious international effort to comprehensively understand the non-protein coding elements of the genome, which make up 97 per cent of the genome but have been little studied in the context of cancer.
March 29, 2018
Q and A with Dr. Philip Awadalla, Scientific Director of the Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow Project
Since 2008, the Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow Project (CPTP) has collected health data and biological samples from more than 300,000 volunteer participants across Canada. Now that its primary data collection phase has concluded, the Project is sharing this data with qualified researchers to help uncover the factors behind cancer and other diseases. It was recently announced that OICR’s Dr. Philip Awadalla will serve as the Project’s National Scientific Director and that OICR will host the Project’s national database and other scientific activities. We sat down with Awadalla to learn more about his vision for CPTP’s future. Continue reading – Q and A with Dr. Philip Awadalla, Scientific Director of the Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow Project
