Cancer research projects receive $29.7M funding injection

Toronto, ON – May 4, 2004 – The Canadian Cancer Society has funded 66 new research projects across the country, with a total of $29.7 million in funding over periods of up to five years.

The Canadian Cancer Society funds a broad spectrum of cancer research including basic laboratory research, behavioural and prevention research and research that will directly impact clinical practices and treatment. Grants are funded for periods of up to five years and are selected after a rigorous national review process.

Among the other promising new Canadian Cancer Society-funded research grants, by province:

1) Alberta: Total funding $2,174,067

Glover, Mark; University of Alberta. The structural biology of DNA repair. Total funding: $714,250

Moore, Ronald; Cross Cancer Institute (Alberta Cancer Board). Novel intravesical molecular therapy for superficial bladder cancer. Total funding: $401,097

Morris, Donald; Tom Baker Cancer Centre (Alberta Cancer Board). Purging of minimal residual disease during autologous transplantation for hematological malignancies. Total funding: $308,720

Young, James; University of Alberta. Structure and function of concentrative anticancer nucleoside transport proteins. Total funding: $750,000

2) British Columbia: Total funding $2,649,591

Brooks-Wilson, Angela; BC Cancer Agency (Vancouver). Double stranded break surveillance genes and susceptibility to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Total funding: $444,593

Huntsman, David; University of British Columbia. Hereditary diffuse gastric cancer – genetics, frequency, clinical features. Total funding: $269,210

Klassen, Anne; University of British Columbia. Parents of children with cancer a study of factors related to their psychological well-being. Total funding: $225,146

Klassen, Anne; University of British Columbia. Parents of children with cancer: a study of factors related to their psychological well-being (Equipment). Total funding: $1,696

Olive, Peggy; BC Cancer Agency (Vancouver). DNA repair complexes and tumour response to ionizing radiation. Total funding: $449,760

Overall, Christopher; University of British Columbia. Functional proteomics and activation of cancer matrix metalloproteinases. Total funding: $750,000

Stajduhar, Kelli; University of Victoria. Family caregiving coping in end-of-life cancer care. Total funding: $301,182

Zeng, Haishan; BC Cancer Agency (Vancouver). Raman spectroscopy for non-invasive diagnosis – application in skin cancer detection and evaluation. Total funding: $208,004

3) Manitoba: Total funding $336,415

Eisenstat, David; Manitoba Institute of Cell Biology. Role of mutant BNIP3 in brain tumours. Total funding: $300,900

Lobchuk, Michelle; University of Manitoba. What do informal caregivers think and feel when they are induced to perspective-take on cancer patients’ symptom experiences?. Total funding: $35,515

4) Newfoundland: Total funding $71,633

Parfrey, Patrick; Memorial Hospital (Nfld). Identification of novel colorectal cancer genes using the distinct population of Newfoundland. Total funding: $71,633

5) Nova Scotia: Total funding $330,558

Nachtigal, Mark; Dalhousie; University. Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling and Id activity in ovarian tumorigenesis. Total funding: $330,558

6) Ontario: Total funding: $16,484,679

Alibhai, Shabbir; University Health Network. A prospective longitudinal study to examine health effects of androgen deprivation therapy in older men with prostate cancer. Total funding: $441,831

Bedard, Andre; McMaster; University (King). Function of the Mnn1 tumour suppressor gene in the stress response in Drosophila melanogaster. Total funding: $370,500

Benchimol, Samuel; Ontario Cancer Institute/PMH. Involvement of p53 in replicative senescence and DNA damage-induced premature senescence. Total funding: $733,425

Berger, Stuart; University Health Network. Activation enhanced cell death.Total funding: $438,225

Bhatia, Mickie; Robarts Research Institute. Role of notch in the regulation of human hematopoietic stem cells. Total funding: $750,000

Boone, Charles M; University of Toronto. Formins: conserved regulators of actin assembly. Total funding: $750,000

Chin-Sang, Ian; Queen’s; University. The role of the PTEN tumor suppressor ortholog in C. elegans Eph RTK signaling. Total funding: $240,000

Clarke, David; University of Toronto. Inhibition of the human MDR1 multidrug transporter. Total funding: $449,160

Dirks, Peter; Hospital for Sick Children. A study of cancer stem cells in human brain tumors. Total funding: $428,172

Frappier, Lori; University of Toronto. Functional studies on the Epstein-Barr virus EBNA1 protein. Total funding: $750,000

Groome, Patti; Queen’s; University. Early detection, treatment variations and treatment delay in cancers of the oral cavity. Total funding: $592,454

Guha, Abhijit; Hospital for Sick Children. Role of angiopoietins and Tie2 receptor in astrocytoma angiogenesis and malignant growth. Total funding: $423,760

Hakem, Razqallah; University Health Network. Analysis of the role of Mus81 and Eme1 in genomic stability and cancer. Total funding: $447,990

Harrington, Lea; University Health Network. A unique murine model for the role of telomeres in genetic instability and cancer. Total funding: $450,000

Hui, Chi-Chung; Hospital for Sick Children. Mammalian costal2 in Hedgehog signaling and tumorigenesis. Total funding: $435,588

Koval, John; University of Western Ontario. Psychosocial factors in adolescent and young adult smoking. Total funding: $210,976

Lee, Jonathan; University of Ottawa. The role of protein elongation factor eEF1A2 in ovarian cancer. Total funding: $440,499

Lorimer, Ian; University of Ottawa. Regulation of glioblastoma cell proliferation and apoptosis by atypical protein kinase C. Total funding: $339,720

Malkin, David; Hospital for Sick Children. Molecular determinants of the Li-Fraumeni syndrome cancer phenotype. Total funding: $389,250

O’Brien, Peter; University of Toronto. Thiamine deficiency, carbonyls, and colon carcinogenesis. Total funding: $373,200

Ohh, Michael; University of Toronto. Molecular characterzation of VLP. Total funding: $381,000

Penn, Linda; Ontario Cancer Institute/PMH. Understanding the role of the myc oncoprotein in transformation. Total funding: $443,319

Prive, Gilbert; Ontario Cancer Institute/PMH. Structure and function of the BTB domain. Total funding: $640,295

Rak, Janusz; McMaster; University (King). Targeting oncogene-driven tumor angiogenesis: dissecting the role of endogenous angiogenesis inhibitors. Total funding: $348,000

Ritvo, Paul; Ontario Cancer Institute/PMH. Assisting stem cell transplant patients in the first year of post-transplant recovery. Total funding: $84,941

Squire, Jeremy; Ontario Cancer Institute/PMH. Telomere erosion as an early biomarker of prostate cancer. Total funding: $383,482

Tannock, Ian; Ontario Cancer Institute/PMH. Repopulation and chemotherapy. Total funding: $433,350

Tannock, Ian; Ontario Cancer Institute/PMH. Cognitive function and fatigue in cancer patients after chemotherapy: a longitudinal controlled study in patients with colorectal cancer. Total funding: $335,619

Torchia, Joseph; University of Western Ontario. Biochemical and functional analysis of the steroid receptor coactivator p/CIP/SRC3. Total funding: $645,825

Tsao, Ming-Sound; Ontario Cancer Institute/PMH. Novel molecular prognostic markers and potential therapeutic targets in non-small cell lung cancer. Total funding: $750,000

Tyers, Michael; Mount Sinai Hospital. SCF ubiquitin ligases in cell division and cancer. Total funding: $750,000

Watts, Tania; University of Toronto. Role of TRAF1 in the immune response. Total funding: $449,952

Wilde, Andrew; University of Toronto. The role of RanGTP
in spindle assembly. Total funding: $439,781

Wong, Eugene; London Regional Cancer Centre (CCO). Intensity Modulated Arc Therapy for radiation treatment of cancer. Total funding: $214,300

Zhang, Li; University Health Network. Dissecting the mechanisms involved in inhibition of GVHD and tumor growth by double negative regulatory T cells. Total funding: $730,065

7) Quebec: Total funding $7,643,161

Branton, Philip; McGill University. Mechanism of action of the adenovirus death protein E4orf4. Total funding: $750,000

Drobetsky, Elliot; Hopital Maisonneuve-Rosemont. Regulation of nucleotide excision repair in human cells. Total funding: $350,550

Drouin, Jacques; Clinical Research Institute of Montreal-IRCM. Regulatory mechanisms for cell-specific transription of the pomc gene. Total funding: $404,454

Flamand, Louis Laval; University. Human herpesvirus 8 and cancer: role for latency-associated viral proteins in oncogenesis. Total funding: $279,480

Gambacorti-Passerini, Carlo; Lady Davis Institute. Mechanistic studies on the oncogenic fusion protein (OFP) NPM/ALK as specific therapeutic target for ALK+ lymphomas. Total funding: $446,540

Hoang, Trang; Inst. de rech. en imm/cancer (IRIC) – U of Montreal. T cell leukemogenesis induced by the SCL oncogene. Total funding: $750,000

Lasko, Paul; McGill University. KH-domain RNA binding proteins in Drosophila development: Total funding: $426,000

Lebrun, Jean-Jacques; McGill University. Role of the lipid phosphatase SHIP1 in TGF-mediated immune cell growth arrest. Total funding: $319,620

Lohnes, David; Clinical Research Institute of Montreal-IRCM. Retinoids and skin cancers. Total funding: $544,144

Panasci, Lawrence; Lady Davis Institute Mechanism of Gleevec. (STI571) sensitization of chlorambucil in malignant lymphocytes. Total funding: $314,100

Sato, Masahiko; Laval; University. The role of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 in cytotoxicity induction by anticancer drugs targeting topoisomerase I. Total funding: $419,100

Savard, Jose; Laval; University. Insomnie secondaire au cancer: une tude longitudinale (Insomnia secondary to cancer: a longitudinal study). Total funding: $465,848

Shore, Gordon; McGill University. Regulation of E1A-induced apoptosis. Total funding: $750,000

Tremblay, Michel L; McGill University. TC-PTP in immune development and cancer. Total funding: $723,825

Vuong, Te; McGill University. Pre-operative high-dose rate brachytherapy in preparation for sphincter preservation surgery for patients with advanced cancer of the lower rectum. Total funding: $254,150

Yang, Xiang-Jiao; McGill University. Function analysis of the histone acetyltransferases MOZ and MORF. Total funding: $445,350