Québec Researchers

Nada Jabado, MD, PhD

Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre

Childhood Brain Cancer

Total budget: $12,997,397

Improve survival and quality of live
The research team will provide targeted treatments for children with brain cancer based on the genetic makeup of the tumours and work with health-care providers to validate and make these therapies rapidly available at the bedside following diagnosis. The team will also continue to chart new genetic alterations leading to brain cancer. This work will improve survival and enhance the quality of life of patients both during and after treatment, while allowing for a more effective use of health-care resources. To learn more

François Rousseau, MD, MSc

CHU de Québec Research Centre
Université Laval

Non-Invasive Prenatal Tests

Total budget: $12,241,625

For earlier and more accurate detection
The research team work will enable earlier and more accurate detection of fetal chromosomal anomalies and support shared decision-making between couples and their health-care professionals. To learn more

Jacques Simard, PhD

CHU de Québec Research Centre
Université Laval

Breast Cancer

Total budget: $15,475,000

Prevention and early detection based on the risk
Breast cancer is the most common cancer and second leading cause of cancer death in Canadian women. Currently, breast screening recommendations are based primarily on age. The research team will lead a project designed to provide evidence on how to shift from primarily age-based one-size fits all screening to a risk-based screening approach, to improve the balance of benefits to harms. To learn more

Guy Sauvageau, MD, PhD

Institute for research in immunology and cander
Université de Montréal

Acute myeloid leukemia

Total budget: $12,785,000

Better targeted treatments
This project will use state-of-the-art genomic technologies to develop new tests to predict how patients with acute myeloid leukemia will respond to specific treatments. Their work also identify novel therapeutic avenues, which ultimately could lead to improved patient survival. To learn more

Patrick Cossette, MD, PhD

Centre hospitalier universitaire de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM)

Precision medicine in the treatment of epilepsy

Total budget: $10,833,759

New diagnostic test for epilepsy gives hope to patients with drug-resistant form of the disease
The goal of this project is to develop a pharmacogenomic tool for the more accurate diagnosis of various forms of epilepsy, particularly those that are drug resistant. This decision-support tool would improve the lives of patients by giving them access to diagnostic information in a timelier manner, aiding their decision about treatment options. To learn more

Nada Jabado, MD, PhD

Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre

Biomarkers for pediatric glioblastoma through genomics and epigenomics

Total budget: $5,074,844

New therapy for pediatric glioblastoma (brain cancer) could finally see the light of day
The goal of this project is to develop and implement a diagnostic test for clinical trials that will stratify patients with glioblastomas. The test will make it possible to put in place a therapeutic strategy tailored to the mutations involved. To learn more

Claude Perreault, MD

Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont and the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer of Université de Montréal

Personalized cancer immunotherapy

Total budget: $13,486,784

A revolutionary approach to improve the effectiveness of hematological cancer immunotherapy
The project aims to make major strides towards improving the effectiveness of immunotherapy used to treat chemo-resistant cancer by reducing six-fold the rejection rate and developing a targeted lymphocyte transplant strategy with greater cancer-fighting ability. To learn more

John D. Rioux, PhD

Montreal Heart Institute, Université de Montréal

Inflammatory bowel diseases Genomic Medicine Consortium (iGenoMed)

Total budget: $9,892,162

Dawn of a new era for patients with inflammatory bowel diseases as personalized therapeutic approach may soon be here
Pr. Rioux and his team are working on tests that would enable doctors to match the right drug with the right patient, avoiding the often costly and ineffective trial-and-error approach of selecting a drug. In addition to greatly improving the quality of life of those affected this tool, once implemented, could help save the health care system several million dollars a year by avoiding costly hospitalizations and surgeries. To learn more

François Rousseau, MD, MSc

Université Laval and CHU de Québec

Personalized genomics for prenatal aneuploidy screening using maternal blood (PEGASUS)

Total budget: $10,459,731

New, safer prenatal screening solution could soon be available
The project involves conducting an independent study to compare the performance and usefulness of new genomic prenatal screening methods using a blood test instead of the riskier amniocentesis. The research team will also identify the best ways to implement this technology in Canada, which would involve decision-making support tools for couples and training tools for health care professionals. To learn more

Guy Sauvageau, MD, PhD

Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer of Université de Montréal

Innovative chemo-genomic tools to improve clinical outcome in acute myeloid leukemia

Total budget: $11,325,631

More accurate prognostic test for better management of patients with acute myeloid leukemia
The project will help increase the survival rate of patients with acute myeloid leukemia by helping to determine treatment based on the genetic makeup of their leukemia cells. By giving hemato-oncologists access to more accurate tools, this project will help pave the way for a new era in precision medicine and offer patients better targeted therapies. To learn more

Jacques Simard, PhD

Université Laval and CHU de Québec

Personalized risk stratification for the prevention and early detection of breast cancer

Total budget: $11,382,455

Towards an optimal breast cancer screening strategy
The project aims to develop a decision-making support tool that will help extend the benefits of the current screening program to those women most at risk for breast cancer.To learn more

Jean-Claude Tardif, MD

Montreal Heart Institute, Université de Montréal

Precision medicine strategies for molecular diagnostics and targeted therapeutics of cardiovascular diseases

Total budget: $9,443,002

Pharmacogenomic tests for cardiovascular diseases: Innovation for the health care system
The goal of this project is to develop pharmacogenomic tests that would render more effective the management of patients with CVD. These decision-support tools developed for health managers would present many benefits:

• Improved treatments, with reduced negative effects
• Greater patient confidence in the treatment and in turn better compliance
• Reduced costs to the Canadian health care system
• Better market access for cardiovascular drugs and diagnostic tests

To learn more