The Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR) is a centre of excellence in cancer research. It is focused on discovery of new concepts and translation of research findings into programs, technologies and therapies. OICR’s programs accelerate the development and testing of innovative cancer therapies and are improving the environment for cancer clinical trials.
History
The Ontario Cancer Research Network (OCRN), a not-for-profit corporation, was created by the Government of Ontario in 2002 to accelerate the development and testing of new cancer therapies. OCRN’s initiatives include:
Cancer Research Fund
The Fund supports translational research projects through peer-reviewed grant competitions.
Clinical Trials Programs
The programs are improving the environment for cancer clinical trials in Ontario through:
- funding for cancer centres and hospitals to expand their clinical trials programs;
- development of consistent standards, guidelines and improved processes;
- fostering of communication and collaboration among cancer centres and hospitals across Ontario;
- www.OntarioCancerTrials.ca lists the cancer clinical trials in Ontario, searchable by cancer type, treatment or location.
Ontario Cancer Research Ethics Board (OCREB)
OCREB is a centralized oncology-specific research ethics board that streamlines and standardizes the review of protocols for faster start up of multi-centre clinical trials.
Ontario Tumour Bank
The Ontario Tumour Bank collects and analyzes tissue samples from thousands of cancer patients. The data from these samples are available to cancer researchers worldwide through a website at www.OntarioTumourBank.ca. They will be used to locate potential new targets for therapies and to identify patients most likely to respond to a particular treatment.
On December 2, 2005, the Hon. Dalton McGuinty, Premier of Ontario, announced the creation of the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR). This is a bold new initiative that will develop a centre of excellence with top cancer scientists in the world conducting cancer research in Ontario. It will place Ontario at the forefront of discovery and innovation and establish Ontario as a leading jurisdiction in cancer control and the commercialization of new discoveries. OICR incorporated the OCRN programs which are continuing. Funding for OICR is provided by the Government of Ontario through the Ministry of Research and Innovation.
Vision
The vision of the Institute is a centre of excellence in cancer research that moves Ontario to the forefront of discovery and innovation so that Ontario citizens and the economy benefit from promising research results and breakthroughs.
Mission
The mission of the Institute is to build a critical mass of top cancer researchers and comprehensive support programs, to attract and retain the best scientists to complement existing strengths and make Ontario a globally recognized player in the international effort to control cancer and commercialize discoveries.
Leadership
In July 2006 Dr. Thomas Hudson was appointed President and Scientific Director of OICR. He was previously the founder and Director of the McGill University Genome Quebec Innovation Centre in Montreal, Quebec and prior to that, Assistant Director of the Whitehead/MIT Center for Genome Research in Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Hudson is internationally renowned for his work in genomics and brings extensive expertise in research and in building large, multi-disciplinary research groups.
Opportunities for biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies
OICR offers opportunities to biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies for collaboration on research leading to prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment of cancer. OICR can help cancer researchers involved in the early stages of drug development or in testing new therapies by connecting them with the brightest cancer researchers working in a multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional environment.
Left to right: Dr. Robert Phillips, Chief Operating Officer and Dr. John Evans, Chair of the Board of Directors
Dr. Thomas Hudson, President and Scientific Director
