Season’s greetings to everyone in the Ontario cancer research community and beyond. Thank you to all of those who worked with us and supported the Institute during our milestone 20th year and all those who have been a part of our success. Happy holidays and best wishes for a great year ahead!

Two decades ago, Ontario set out to create a world-class cancer research institute. Today, OICR is a cornerstone of Ontario’s life sciences ecosystem. Watch the video to see how far we’ve come, and where we’re headed next. https://oicr.on.ca/ #OICR20Years #cancerresearch

Aqsa, who lost her father and sister to cancer, works in clinical genome interpretation at OICR, preparing reports for patients. She enjoys this work, not just because she is helping patients but also that she able to "not let them be alone in their fears". https://bit.ly/4j0shUl #changedmylife

🧬 Protein that unties tangled DNA linked to hotspots of cancer mutations: Research from @reimand.bsky.social and his collaborators associated a chemotherapy-related cellular process with genetic mutations and used it to identify novel cancer driver alterations. https://bit.ly/4iMcV5B

⚠️New study: we mapped DNA-binding of topoisomerase TOP2B in cancer, uncovering surprising hotspots of DNA damage. TOP2B, normally essential for DNA stress relief, can act as a double-edged sword. co-led by @LiisUuskula @ChristianLee, out now @natcomms.nature.com www.nature.com/articles/s41... [1/7]

We had the pleasure of hosting @torontomet.bsky.social students for a lab tour and panel discussion about careers in STEM. It was great to interact with students from TMU's biology, biomedical science, chemistry and medical physics programs and see their enthusiasm for research. Thanks for visiting!

OICR sponsored fourth-year undergrad Chelsea Leduc to study in a molecular biology lab through the 2025 BioCanRx Indigenous Summer Student Internship. Her experience studying triple-negative breast cancer reaffirmed her choice to switch programs to biomedical science. https://bit.ly/4oTEXP7

🇨🇦 National guideline for #LynchSyndrome aims to prevent cancers and save lives Development of the new guideline by the Canadian Lynch Syndrome Working Group was co-led by Dr. Raymond Kim, Head of the Ontario Hereditary Cancer Research Network. https://bit.ly/3LiXa9A

When Jerry was diagnosed with prostate cancer, he received a compressed schedule of radiation therapy which used techniques that he helped develop during his time as a medical physicist. He hails this accelerated form of treatment as a life-changing advancement. #changedmylife https://bit.ly/43q89Ej

🎨 OICR's Interconnections art competition invites Ontario cancer researchers to submit a visually striking image generated through their work, whether it’s from pathology, radiology, bioinformatics or beyond! ✨ 🚨Submit an image by this Friday's deadline! ➡️ https://bit.ly/42yPZzR

⚠️ Reminder: The deadline to submit images to our InterConnections art competition is one week away on Oct. 17! Interconnections is an exciting opportunity for Ontario cancer researchers to share their work & make it more widely accessible through the universal language of art. https://bit.ly/42yPZzR

The deadline to submit images for OICR's InterConnections scientific art competition is coming up on Oct 17! This is an opportunity for Ontario cancer researchers to share their work with a wider audience by showcasing eye-catching images generated as part of their projects. ➡️ https://bit.ly/42yPZzR

🚨 The deadline to submit images to InterConnections is Oct. 17! 🖼️ To spotlight the complex beauty and humanity of research data, OICR is hosting InterConnections, a unique art competition of images generated as part of cancer research projects. ➡️ Submit your image today! https://bit.ly/42yPZzR

📢 We are inviting applications for our new funding stream, CATALYST! CATALYST will support research that leverages existing biospecimens & clinical data to generate insights and discoveries to improve cancer detection, risk or treatment stratification. https://bit.ly/42prlBT #cancerresearch #cdnsci

We are calling on Ont. cancer researchers to join in celebrating the interplay of art and science through our InterConnections art competition! If you have made attention-grabbing images as part of a research project, this competition is a great opportunity to share your work. https://bit.ly/42yPZzR

🧬 Technological first in DNA sequencing leads to real-time brain cancer diagnosis⚡ OICR’s Dr. Jared Simpson developed a world-first application for Oxford Nanopore sequencing that is making a difference for patients with brain cancer. https://bit.ly/4nQG5C4

When Vinesha's cancer had spread to her lungs, she enrolled in a clinical trial with the hope of gaining a few more months of life. 15 years later, she now lives a life of "promise and hope" and is grateful for the cancer research that changed her life. Vinesha's story: https://bit.ly/47SGP4Q

What do Leonardo da Vinci, Maria Sibylla Merian and John James Audubon have in common? The answer is that they were all accomplished artists and scientists. We are calling on Ont. cancer researchers to tap into their inner da Vinci and enter our Interconnections art contest! https://bit.ly/42yPZzR

Our new report 20 Years of Changing Lives is a snapshot of OICR’s impact since its founding in 2005, the difference it is making today and the future of cancer research in Ontario. Read the report: https://reports.oicr.on.ca/

We are nearly a month away from the deadline for InterConnections, an art competition that is allowing Ontario cancer researchers to highlight the artistic beauty that lives in their scientific work. Get more details at the link below and enter the competition today! 🎨 🔬 🦠 https://bit.ly/42yPZzR

When Cassandra was 15 she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. After treatment she was declared cancer free, but would have to be vigilant about long-term side effects. Faced with this situation, she decided to pursue a career in cancer research to help others. #changedmylife bit.ly/4n90u5J

It's great to see the amazing progress @marathonofhope.bsky.social has made in the past month! We are so excited to be a part of this fantastic initiative to bring increased precision medicine to Canadians with cancer. 🇨🇦

News release: Canadian Indigenous Nurses Association and OICR partner to increase Indigenous inclusion in cancer research to improve cancer outcomes bit.ly/4kseQwc

Working in the leukemia clinic as part of his MD/PhD training let Andy see how big of an impact advancements in genomics are making. Seeing this link between research and the clinic has further motivated Andy as a clinician-scientist. #changedmylife Read Andy's story: bit.ly/441bJ8E

Please note that applications to attend the ECR Workshop require that an abstract be submitted to the Canadian Cancer Research Conference by June 6. bit.ly/43XPT5U Workshop applications remain open until June 23. bit.ly/3SzTOzG

New to Bluesky and looking for Canadian universities and research organizations? We've got you covered! Let us know if you don't see your org/uni on here and we'll add it. 🧪 #CdnSci #AcademicSky #Research Pack 1: go.bsky.app/DjqbMNB Pack 2: go.bsky.app/2i7Qi3E Pack 3: go.bsky.app/8phKHSB

[email protected] is seeking abstract reviewers to ensure the quality and relevance of content presented at the 2025 Canadian Cancer Research Conference. Those interested are asked to complete the survey at the link below by June 4, 2025. #CCRC2025 bit.ly/3SU3lBA

A new study shows how precision oncology has the potential to transform cancer care and also highlights the challenges to accessing it. It followed 55 patients who had whole-genome and transcriptome sequencing and had results analyzed by an expert panel. bit.ly/4kC6r94

Join us for the next OBI Public Talk: Exploring the Brain-Gut Axis, where experts discuss how the gut microbiome influences neuroinflammation, neurodevelopment & neurodegeneration. 📅 June 5 at 6:00 p.m. | In-person in downtown Toronto & online Register here: tinyurl.com/brain-gut-talk

For Peter, the reason for his career change was deeply personal. Because of his wife's experience living with a rare cancer and her eventual passing, he got involved in cancer research and is now the CEO & Pres. of @ga4gh.org. #changedmylife Peter's story: bit.ly/4d4Pp11 youtu.be/ecOAz20E4T0?...

May is Asian Heritage Month! We are happy to join in this important celebration of the diverse history and culture of Asian communities in Canada. Asian-Canadians continue to make vast contributions to our society, including in cancer research. Learn more about Asian Heritage Month: bit.ly/3nAlvrO

Congratulations to Dr. Waël Hanna and the NodeAI Diagnostics team on winning the Ernsting Entrepreneurship Award at the recent FACIT Falcons' Fortunes pitch competition! This award will help NodeAI further advance its innovative tech to improve lymph node #biopsies. bit.ly/4jztH7y #AI #lungcancer

I am hiring for the role of Bioinformatician in the Clinical Genome Interpretation team at OICR! Our goal is to deliver real-world solutions, to find cancer earlier and treat it more effectively. To view more details and apply: oicr.bamboohr.com/careers/394 @oicr.on.ca @oicrgenomics.bsky.social

Join leading experts from the cancer research community to discuss New Horizons in Cancer Research this November 2-4 in Calgary at #CCRC2025. Don’t miss it! ✍️ Submit your abstract: ccra-acrc.ca/conference

As part of her treatment for #breastcancer, Kathy participated in a clinical trial that she says saved her life. Twenty years later, she is enjoying family life and is deeply engaged in cancer research as a patient partner. #changedmylife Her story: bit.ly/4jxtcuP www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_2v...

Thrilled to share that applications for CIHR-ICR's 2025 Early Career Researcher (ECR) Workshop are now open! This is a fantastic professional development opportunity for #ECRs. Please share with your networks! Applications due: June 23, 2025 cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/53480.html

Carla says that cancer research is a big part of why she is alive after receiving a diagnosis of stage-3 #breastcancer and today can continue to be a mother to her two young children. Now, Carla has become actively engaged in #cancerresearch as a patient partner. #changedmylife 🔹 bit.ly/3XPH1vS

The latest health breakthroughs and health innovation insights will be showcased at #MaRSImpactHealth on May 7 & 8. Get your tickets now! impacthealth.marsdd....

We are proud to sponsor #MaRSImpactHealth, featuring the most promising companies and discoveries in digital health, devices and biotech. Reserve your spot today to enjoy two days of panels, pitches and insightful conversation with leading voices in healthcare. bit.ly/4j8WgsA

Check out the April issue of our newsletter to read about: 🧬 Ultrarapid genomic testing 💬 Unique patient perspectives on cancer research 🧪 New funding for promising drug discovery research 🏥 Part 3 of our Let's Talk About Clinical Trials series ❇️ and more! bit.ly/4coLc82 📩 Subscribe bit.ly/4coLc82

Join an in-person workshop where you'll: ✅ Explore CanPath's synthetic dataset ✅ Analyze epidemiological data using Lifebit cloud-based trusted research environment ✅ Apply research techniques with R & Python ✅ Connect with peers for future collabs 🔗 Apply now >> canpath.ca/2025/03/synt...

We are proud to join our Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network partners in celebrating the publication of the Network's marker paper in Cancer Cell. Congratulations to everyone involved, we are excited to continue working together to advance precision oncology in Canada! 🇨🇦 🍁 bit.ly/41Ykqja

News release: OICR has announced its support for five Ontario research teams working to develop the next generation of medicines that kill tumours more effectively, cause fewer side effects and reduce the risk that cancer will come back. bit.ly/43Bjz9t #cancerresearch #drugdiscovery #cdnsci #cansky

Beginning April 7, OICR's Cancer Therapeutics Innovation Pipeline program is accepting applications for Early Validation, Early Accelerator and Late Accelerator projects. 📄 RFA and more information: bit.ly/3RyfRWE 💻 Register for the online information session (April 23, 2-3 p.m. ET): bit.ly/4cjG4Cb

What started as back pain ended in shock for Rakhi, a non-smoker who was diagnosed with #adenocarcinoma in her lung. Tests found she had a rare genetic mutation for which a targeted treatment existed. Because of that, Rakhi continues to lead a fulfilling life today. #changedmylife bit.ly/4iOT9We

OICR joins in proudly recognizing the International Day of Transgender Visibility today, March 31. This day is dedicated to honouring transgender individuals, acknowledging their significant contributions to all aspects of our society, and raising awareness about the discrimination they face. #TDOV

New ‘Ultrarapid’ genomic testing has reduced the turnaround time for whole genome and transcriptome sequencing in #pancreaticcancer studies from 45 to 14 days. This advancement by OICR researchers could shift the paradigm for cancer treatment and be "game-changing" for patients. bit.ly/3FLtXl1

This installment of "Let’s Talk About Clinical Trials" explores the patient perspective. Martina Wood has a unique lens on #clinicaltrials, drawing from her experience as a #breastcancer survivor, the wife of a cancer patient, and a patient representative for the @cctg.bsky.social. bit.ly/4j6ZM6l

After a devastating diagnosis of Stage 4 laryngeal #cancer at the age of 18, Julie Deleemans has been able to give hope to others affected by cancer through a career in #cancerresearch Her #ChangedMyLife story: changedmylife.oicr.on.ca/2025/03/19/j...

Every day, #cancer research breakthroughs are changing people’s lives for the better. OICR’s new #ChangedMyLife campaign features life-changing stories about #CancerResearch firsthand from our community of scientists, patients, clinicians and everyday Ontarians. changedmylife.oicr.on.ca