Dr. Laszlo Radvanyi
President & Scientific Director, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR)
The future is tough to predict — especially in the field of cancer research. But today, as we enter a new decade, we’re seeing the culmination of many breakthroughs and trends in cancer research from the past half century, allowing us to be increasingly optimistic about the future of cancer care.
While the 20th century was all about discovering more about the biology of cancer and how it develops, the 21st century has been about applying that knowledge in new ways that will have ever greater impacts for patients.
Today, a convergence of fields such as mathematics, imaging, and cancer biology, combined with big data and technologies such as artificial intelligence and next-generation genomic sequencing, has aided us in developing more targeted and less invasive tools for diagnosing and treating cancer.
At the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR), we’re working with partners to advance these innovations to the clinic. In Canada, OICR is leading or participating in collaborative initiatives like the Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow Project, the Canadian Cancer Clinical Trials Network, and the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres. All these projects will have a tremendous impact for Canadian patients.
Our international collaborations are also showing incredible promise. As leading members of the Pan-Cancer Project, OICR researchers joined with researchers around the world to develop major new insights into how cancer evolves, as well as new tools in the fight against cancer.
Projects like these were unimaginable even two decades ago. But now they’re commonplace, opening new avenues for research and new optimism about the future of cancer care.
This new optimism is due to decades of investment in Canada’s research infrastructure, the talent and ingenuity of Canadian scientists and clinicians, and the willingness of Canadian patients to participate in cancer research. Working together, we’ll ensure that today’s breakthroughs are tomorrow’s solutions for patients.
