February 3, 2021
Imagining the next 20 years and planning for the next five
How OICR is using strategic foresight to prepare for the future and inform its 2021-2026 Strategic Plan
OICR focuses on translating cancer research discoveries and transforming cancer care. Achieving this mission, however, is dependent on a myriad of factors beyond scientific research and development. Social, political, technological, economic and environmental factors all may play a role in driving the future of cancer research and care in Ontario and beyond.
As part of the process to develop its 2021-2026 Strategic Plan, OICR partnered with Dr. Peter Bishop, Professor Emeritus at the University of Houston, professional futurist and President of Strategic Foresight and Development, to investigate the possible futures of cancer research and care in Ontario and around the world. OICR plans to launch the 2021-2026 Strategic Plan in April 2021.
Read the full report in Foresight.
With the help of leaders from research institutes, hospitals and the public sector across Ontario, 20 key drivers were identified that may significantly affect the future of cancer, including an aging population, innovations in quantum computing and the growing focus on holistic health. The group then designed and evaluated potential future scenarios and derived four main insights that were used to inform OICR’s 2021-2026 Strategic Plan:
Data dilemmas
While health-related datasets continue to grow and new sources of data emerge, standards around data gathering, monitoring, integration, sharing and implementation remain unclear. These parameters affect how the cancer community implements precision medicine for people living with cancer. Through its 2021-2026 Strategic Plan, OICR’s computational biology and informatics research programs will continue to develop essential data tools and apply responsible data sharing standards, while strengthening Ontario’s global leadership in health data integration and federation through initiatives such as the Global Alliance for Genomics and Health, the International Cancer Genomics Consortium Accelerating Research in Genomic Oncology, Canada’s Digital Health and Discovery Platform, and the Ontario Data Integration Network.
Powerful patients
Integrating the perspectives of patients into research is becoming increasingly important to ensure that research ultimately leads to patient benefit. Over the next few decades, patients will increasingly have access to more information and misinformation, challenging the research and health communities to ensure patients receive the information they need to make informed decisions. To address these challenges, OICR will foster and grow meaningful partnerships with patients and caregivers to integrate patient values into OICR priorities. OICR is currently developing a Patient Family Advisory Council, which will advise on OICR’s patient partnership initiatives.
Funding fragility
As the cost and urgency of cancer drug development continue to increase, alternative funding for research and translation may become necessary. This challenge has become more apparent as the world looks to recover from the socio-economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. OICR will continue to strengthen partnerships within the cancer ecosystem over the next five years, to attract further investment in cancer research and innovation to Ontario. OICR will also build health services research expertise into critical research programs to evaluate the costs and benefits of emerging interventions to support the path between discovery and patient care.
Teetering trust
Trust between stakeholders in the cancer system – including patients, families, researchers and clinicians – is critical to progress in cancer research. Trust is imperative to data gathering, sharing and processing, and these data are necessary to make cancer detection and treatment more precise. Through the 2021-2026 Strategic Plan, OICR aims to work together with partners to ensure we remain and become an even more trusted custodian of patient data and scientific information to support high quality translational research, bridging the lab to the clinic.
“Our mission is based on translating cancer research discoveries to transform cancer care,” says Dr. Rebecca Tamarchak, Senior Director of Strategic Planning and Governance. “Integrating foresight into our strategic planning process is our way to proactively anticipate the future in order to develop a nimbler strategy.”
The strategic foresight workshop, which was hosted in late 2018, kicked off OICR’s multi-phase strategic planning process. The process, led by Tamarchak and OICR’s President and Scientific Director, Dr. Laszlo Radvanyi, has incorporated insights from extensive consultations with OICR staff, collaborators and the community.
“This strategic foresight study has reinforced the importance of enduring partnerships across the cancer research community and we look forward to strengthening those relationships over the next five years to maximize our impact on cancer patients and the Ontario economy,” says Tamarchak. “We’re excited to bring the 2021-2026 Strategic Plan into action.”
July 26, 2016
OICR is making its technology infrastructure, expertise and resources more available to the Ontario cancer community
Technology platforms are often one of the biggest enablers of high-impact research. Since it was established in 2005, OICR has invested in developing technology infrastructure, expertise and resources in diagnostic development, genomics, imaging, informatics and medicinal chemistry. These clusters consist of research and technical experts and state-of-the-art equipment.
