Bc Cancer Research

Leveraging remote monitoring technology, the study aims to improve patient care and reduce pressure on Canada's healthcare systems. KIRKLAND, QC, June 3, 2024 /CNW/ - Today, Pfizer is proud to announce that it is supporting a McMaster University-led study, through the Ontario Clinical Oncology Group, that aims to improve care for Canadians living with multiple myeloma. The EMBRACE study, which is being led by Dr. Hira Mian, Assistant Professor in the Department of Oncology at McMaster University and a hematologic oncologist at Hamilton Health Sciences, will study how adult patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) can safely receive treatment and care at home, with the aim to improve patient care and reduce pressure on Canada's health systems. "Multiple Myeloma is a blood cancer which can cause significant morbidity and mortality. Certain therapies – especially newer modalities like bispecific antibodies – require patients to be admitted to hospital to receive treatment, at least for the first few days," explains Dr. Mian. "Our study will evaluate whether treatment can be delivered safely to patients at home, using remote patient monitoring as one of the measures. The technology available today allows us to keep a close watch on patients' vitals from a distance. Remote monitoring will help reduce the time patients spend travelling to treatment appointments and time in hospital, which can help improve their quality of life. This will also help reduce overall hospital appointments for patients and strain on the healthcare system. Furthermore, because multiple myeloma patients are particularly susceptible to infection, the study will also examine how increasing the treatment dosing interval may help decrease the risk of infections." EMBRACE will launch in July 2024 at five sites across Canada. The site investigators include: Dr. Alissa Visram at the Ottawa Hospital, Dr. Irwindeep Sandhu at the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton, Dr. Nizar Bahlis at the Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute in Calgary, Dr. Christopher Verner at BC Cancer Vancouver and Dr. Hira Mian at Hamilton Health Sciences. As part of the study protocol, correlative laboratory studies will also take place. These will be performed in Calgary by Dr. Bahlis, the co-investigator of EMBRACE. Multiple myeloma is the second-most common type of blood cancer, with an estimated 11 Canadians being diagnosed with myeloma every day.i It is estimated that in 2023, 3,900 Canadians were diagnosed with multiple myeloma and 1,700 Canadians died from the disease.ii "Multiple myeloma is a disease of high unmet need as patients often relapse and become refractory to successive and limited therapies." said Andrew Brown, Medical Affairs Lead, Oncology at Pfizer Canada. "We are committed to supporting patients and the multiple myeloma community affected by this difficult disease, which is why we are proud to be partnering with McMaster University, as well as Dr. Mian, Dr. Bahlis and all of the site investigators, to advance research and our understanding in this space." "On behalf of the Government of Ontario, we congratulate Pfizer on their new partnership with McMaster University," said Vic Fedeli, Ontario Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. "Ontario's life sciences sector and R&D ecosystem continue to produce the cutting-edge solutions and discoveries that improve and save lives. We thank Pfizer, McMaster and the talented team behind the EMBRACE study for their work to improve the lives of those living with multiple myeloma and for representing the best of Ontario's talent and innovation to the world." About Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma Multiple myeloma is associated with the abnormal behavior and uncontrolled growth of the plasma cells. In people with multiple myeloma, abnormal plasma cells crowd out other types of blood cells. As a result, a person can become anemic, bleed easily and have increased susceptibility to infection.iii Other symptoms of multiple myeloma may include frequent infection; fatigue or shortness of breath; numbness or weakness; low platelet, red or white blood cell counts; or bone problems including pain, weakness or fractures.iv,v While disease trajectory for myeloma varies for each person, relapses are nearly inevitable, and many people become resistant to treatments – these people have what is referred to as relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma.vi There is no cure for multiple myeloma and most patients living with multiple myeloma will receive four or more lines of therapy due to relapse.vii About Pfizer Canada Pfizer Canada ULC is the Canadian operation of Pfizer Inc., one of the world's leading biopharmaceutical companies. At Pfizer, we apply science and our global resources to bring therapies to people that help extend and improve their lives. We strive to set the standard for quality, safety, and value in the discovery, development, and manufacture of health care products. Every day, Pfizer colleagues work to advance wellness, prevention, treatments, and cures that challenge the most feared diseases of our time. To learn more about Pfizer Canada, visit pfizer.ca or you can follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, X, Instagram or YouTube. SOURCE Pfizer Canada

New Center to Shine Light on the Dark Genome NEW YORK, Jan. 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The New York Genome Center (NYGC) announced the launch of the MacMillan Center for the Study of the Non-Coding Cancer Genome (MCSNCG) today, a major new initiative in cancer research to study the role and function of the non-coding genome and epigenome in the evolution, progression, and treatment of multiple cancer types, including breast, ovary, pancreas, gastrointestinal, lung, and hematologic cancers. Continue Reading The study of the non-coding "dark" genome allows for insight into the evolution, progression, and treatment of multiple cancer types, including breast, ovary, pancreas, gastrointestinal, lung, and hematologic cancers. Tom Maniatis, PhD, NYGC's Evnin Family Scientific Director and CEO, commented: "This Center, with its leading-edge multidisciplinary approach –– bringing together experts in genomics, engineering, mathematics, computational biology, and cancer biology –– will dramatically advance the understanding of the role of the non-coding genome in cancer." The non-coding "dark" genome constitutes 98% of the human genome and it plays an essential regulatory role across all molecular layers of biological complexity (i.e. genome, epigenome, transcriptome, proteome), influencing DNA organization and structure, genome accessibility to regulatory proteins and RNA, and intracellular organelle organization. The molecular mechanisms by which cell functions are carried out hold extraordinary promise for understanding how cellular identity is encoded in individual cell types and cell states; how cells are altered by intercellular interactions within the microenvironment, including immune cells; and how they are disrupted in various disease states, most specifically in cancer. While extraordinary progress has been made through individual, gene-focused research projects, the biomedical research community has historically lacked the technology and collaborative framework to systematically study the causality of the non-coding genome in cancer. Therefore, foundational questions regarding the role of the non-coding genome in the development and progression of many cancer types remain unanswered. Established by a generous gift from the MacMillan Family Foundation, the MCSNCG will seek to answer these questions through an inter-institutional, multi-disciplinary research program that brings together engineers, data scientists, mathematicians, technologists and biological experts. This range of expertise from the NYGC's collaborative network will allow the MCSNCG to engage in coordinated efforts to understand how behavior is encoded in cells and unravel the intricacy of intercellular interactions involved in the development of cancerous cells, metastasis, and drug resistance. Education and Outreach to promote diversity and representation in genomics and cancer research, engage the broader scientific community, and educate the public on the value and benefit of this important work is another critical component of the Center. To that end, the MCSNCG will offer internship and post-baccalaureate training opportunities, workshops and seminars for both scientific and public audiences, and will broadly disseminate the Center's scientific findings through the publication of protocols, analytic methods, genomic data, and discoveries. To maximize the impact of this research, the MCSNCG will also leverage existing regional cancer and genomic technology research initiatives anchored by the NYGC collaborative network such as the Polyethnic-1000 (P-1000) initiative. The researchers of the P-1000 initiative study cancer genomes of under-represented minority populations with the goal of understanding the role of genetic diversity in cancer, improving the application and outcome of precision medicine for these populations, and addressing the stark ethnic disparities in cancer research and diagnosis. Samuel Aparicio, FRCPath PhD, FRSC, NYGC's Senior Scientific Director of Cancer Genomics, says, "Decoding causality is fundamental to providing interpretable quantitative explanations of elements of the non-coding genome in cancer. Biological problems of this nature require cross-cutting programs where investigators with a broad range of expertise are supported to collaborate and focus on building new measurement methods and computational frameworks to understand the complex dynamics of cancer biology." The NYGC and the MacMillan Family Foundation share a mutual commitment to meaningfully and measurably advancing our understanding of cancer biology by innovating and applying new technologies, methodologies, and analytics. This new collaborative initiative brings together leading researchers from eight institutions including the BC Cancer Research Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Columbia University, Morehouse School of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Northwell Health, New York University, and Weill Cornell Medicine. About the New York Genome Center The New York Genome Center (NYGC) is an independent, nonprofit academic research institution that serves as a multi-institutional hub for collaborative genomic research. Leveraging our strengths in technology development, computational biology, and whole-genome sequencing, our mission is to advance genomic science and its application to novel biomedical discoveries. NYGC's areas of focus include the development of computational and experimental genomic methods and disease-focused research to advance the understanding of the genetic basis of cancer, neurodegenerative disease, and neuropsychiatric disease. During the pandemic, the NYGC worked with its hospital and academic partners to advance COVID-19 research, monitoring viral variants and exploring the genetic basis of severe disease. We are committed to prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion, which is fundamental to promoting greater collaboration, innovation, and discovery. About the MacMillan Family Foundation The mission of the MacMillan Family Foundation is to support organizations that help strengthen and enrich our society in three major areas: cancer and medical research, education, and the arts. In addition, through its community grants program, the Foundation supports local, grass-roots organizations and services that seek to maintain and enhance the health, education, and well-being of the communities where it operates. The MacMillan Family Foundation was founded in January 2003 by Duncan and Nancy MacMillan. The MacMillans were early signers of the Giving Pledge. Duncan serves as Chairman of the Foundation, and Nancy serves as its President. Media Contact Madi Grimaldi Senior Communications Associate [email protected] (646) 977-7149 SOURCE NEW YORK GENOME CENTER, INC.

Researchers have made an advancement in genetic testing that allows for more accurate prediction of which parent's genes led to an individual's increased cancer risk. This improves the efficiency of familial testing strategies and could eliminate concern for patients at high risk of cancer caused by genes inherited from a parent. Researchers at the BC Cancer Research Institute have made an advancement in genetic testing that allows for more accurate prediction of which parent's genes led to an individual's increased cancer risk. This improves the efficiency of familial testing strategies and could eliminate concern for patients at high risk of cancer caused by genes inherited from a parent. The approach was spearheaded by Vahid Akbari and Dr. Steven Jones at Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre (GSC) at BC Cancer, and by Vincent Hanlon and Dr. Peter Lansdorp at the BC Cancer Research Institute's Terry Fox Laboratory. The new test confirms whether a cancer predisposing gene variant is present in a patient, and can determine whether the variant was inherited from the mother or the father -- an understanding that was not possible until now. "Being able to assign the parent of origin to cancer variants allows us to rapidly identify other family members who may be at risk," says Dr. Kasmintan Schrader, co-medical director of the Provincial Hereditary Cancer Program at BC Cancer, assistant professor of medical genetics at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and a co-author of the study. "Allowing us to focus on one side of the family will help save lives by concentrating on prevention efforts. This new approach will eliminate the unnecessary psychological burden of needing to test family members on the other side who are not at an increased risk, reduce the need for clinical counselling and focus resources on identifying and supporting those truly at risk." Dr. Steven Jones, co-director of the Genome Sciences Centre and professor of medical genetics at UBC adds, "The approach has been enabled by new long-read sequencing technology which can sequence not only DNA but also determine subtle functional alterations to DNA." Unlike other DNA sequencing approaches, this approach uses thousands of microscopically small pores to determine the sequence of DNA as it travels through them. "All of our chromosomes have marks that are indicative of whether the chromosome came from our mother or our father," says Dr. Louis Lefebvre, associate professor of medical genetics at UBC and co-author of the paper. "The challenge is that over the three billion base pairs that represent our genome, only approximately 190 tiny regions contain these parental marks." Technology developed by Dr. Lansdorp provided the final missing piece, allowing these tiny regions to be linked to entire chromosomes. For certain patients the promise of this test might be more profound. Those bearing damaging variants of the SDHD or SDHAF2 genes are at very high risk of developing certain cancers over their lifetime, but only if the defective gene is inherited from their father. If it is inherited from the mother, the patient has no increased risk. For those at risk, they face a lifetime of regular screening and testing to identify tumours early. For some individuals with the variant, though, family members are not around to help identify from which parent the variant was inherited. For half of the approximately three hundred patients in Canada in this position and many more around the world, this new test could eliminate a lifetime of unnecessary hospital visits and the psychological burden of increased cancer risk. Quick Facts: