Four promising, early-career scientists in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver will each receive $450,000 over the next three years to support groundbreaking cancer research through the 2022 Terry Fox New Investigator Award program. The awards will inject a total of $1.8 million in new funding for studies looking at obesity, acute myeloid leukemia, liver cancer, and the tumour microenvironment-
The award recipients are:
- Dr. Mamatha Bhat, Ajmera Transplant Centre and Toronto General Hospital Research Institute at University Health Network (Toronto) for: Optimizing Therapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma via Image-guided Porphysome delivery
- Dr. Hartland Jackson, Lunenfeld-Tanembaum Research Institute at Sinai Health, (Toronto) for: Characterization and treatment response of Hippo pathway regulated tumour microenvironments
- Dr. Lawrence Kazak, Rosalind & Morris Goodman Cancer Institute (Montreal) for: Targeting host energy metabolism to combat cancer
- Dr. Ly Vu, BC Cancer (Vancouver) for Uncovering the role of long noncoding RNAs in myeloid leukemia
“The Terry Fox Research Institute is delighted to support four of the most promising cancer research minds in Canada as they establish their research groups,” says Dr. Jim Woodgett, TFRI President and Scientific Director. “We look forward to working with them and following their progress as they join us in our efforts to control and end cancer.”
“Terry Fox continues to unite and inspire people across Canada to fund innovative cancer research,” says Michael Mazza, Executive Director of The Terry Fox Foundation. “We are grateful for the generous support of our donors and volunteers to help realize Terry’s dream of a world without cancer.”
The New Investigator Award provides research operating grants to future leaders as they develop their independent careers in cancer research. The awards program pairs competition winners with larger TFRI-funded programs and projects for mentorship and research development. Candidates must be scientific and clinical investigators within the first seven years of a first faculty-level appointment in Canada.
Drs. Lawrence Kazak, Mamatha Bhat, Hartland Jackson and Ly Vu are the recipients of the 2022 TFRI New Investigator Award.
About the Terry Fox Research Institute:
Established in 2007, TFRI invests in world-class, collaborative cancer research teams and partnerships. Together with its research and funding partners, TFRI is working to inspire the transformation of cancer research in this country by bringing together leading cancer research and treatment organizations in Canada and empowering them under the framework of the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network and the Digital Health and Discovery Platform. www.tfri.ca; www.marathonofhopecancercentres.ca; www.dhdp.ca
About the Terry Fox Foundation:
The Terry Fox Foundation honours the vision and spirit of an iconic Canadian while raising critical funds for cancer research. As a leading national charitable organization, the Terry Fox Foundation plays a vital role in building community, engaging more than 20,000 passionate volunteers and 3.5 million students in nearly 10,000 annual fundraising events across the country.
People around the world of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities have been inspired by Terry’s enduring legacy. Through the generous support of our donors, partners, and volunteers, The Terry Fox Foundation has raised more than $850 million and funded 1,300 innovative cancer research projects, bringing hope and health to millions of Canadians. terryfox.org