The Ontario Institute of Cancer Research (OICR) has awarded $4 million to a team of researchers working to harness the immune system to attack cancer. Called cancer immunotherapy, this area of research was dubbed “breakthrough of the year” by Science in 2013 and has been growing ever since. It can involve the use of drugs, cells and viruses to target many different kinds of cancer.
The grant is one of five new OICR Translational Research Initiatives announced today by Reza Moridi, Ontario’s Minister of Research, Innovation and Science. It is co-led by Dr. John Bell of the University of Ottawa and The Ottawa Hospital and Dr. Marcus Butler of the University of Toronto and University Health Network.
“Immunotherapy is very exciting because it has the potential to completely eliminate even advanced cancers, but it doesn’t work for everyone,” said Dr. John Bell. “This new funding will help us test some innovative new strategies, both in the laboratory and the clinic, so that we can continue to refine this approach and hopefully help many more people.”
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