pharmascience

A World-Class Research Center Based On Innovative Research

Few of us remain untouched by the scourge of cancer, the leading cause of premature death in Canada. Between 40 and 45 per cent of Canadians will develop cancer during their lifetime and one in four will die from it. Medical researchers at hospitals and universities around the world are making breakthroughs that are unraveling the mysteries of this devastating disease. McGill and its affiliated hospitals are on the leading edge of discovery in the field.

McGill University's strong tradition of research into the basic nature of cancer extends back to 1965, when Dr. Phil Gold and his colleagues from the Faculty of Medicine discovered the carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA), which today is the most frequently used antigen for diagnosing recurring cancers.

The McGill Cancer Centre was established in 1978, through a bequest from Sir Mortimer B. Davis. Its mandate was - and remains - to serve as a hub for groundbreaking cancer research taking place in the Faculties of Medicine and Science by fostering a dynamic, interdisciplinary approach. The Centre was renamed in 2008, when Rosalind and Morris Goodman made a leadership gift that will also fund a chair to attract a world-class researcher in the field of pulmonary cancer.

Cancer is a multidimensional disease and research breakthroughs often come when scientists collaborate. The building that houses the Goodman Cancer Research Centre is an integral part of the Life Sciences Complex, which brings together more than 2,000 McGill scientists, technicians, graduate students and research fellows.

The GCRC Mandate

The Centre attracts internationally renowned research scientists whose discoveries are translated into clinical applications to improve the treatment and overall management of cancer. The GCRC trains future generations of cancer researchers and keeps the public informed about the latest research into the causes, prevention and treatment of cancer.

The Centre organizes its research along five themes:

Breast Cancer

This unit has earned an international reputation for successfully identifying and profiling several breast cancer oncogenes and creating some of the most important animal models of breast cancer in medical science.

Embryonic Development  

An outstanding group of researchers examine the early mechanisms of cell movement, proliferation, organ formation,gene regulation and initial tumour formation in embryos.

Metabolism and Cancer

GCRC scientists discovered that certain genes that appear to contribute to cancer development are also implicated in the metabolism of cancerous cells and normal cells. Many play a role in the metabolic control of patients suffering from diabetes and obesity. This has prompted a major research initiative that will offer new clues as to how cancer develops.

DNA Replication, Damage and Repair

Apoptosis - programmed cell death - is suppressed in most forms of cancer, allowing cancerous cells to survive and proliferate. Reactivating the apoptosis machinery in cancerous cells is being aggressively pursued by investigators.

Stem Cells and Signalling

Scientists in this research area study the signalling pathways between healthy and cancerous cells, and between cancerous tumours and their surroundings. How potential cancer stem cells are able to resist current cancer therapies is among the critical issues the Centre's scientists are presently examining.