Dr. Alejandro Berlin
Medical Director of Cancer Digital Intelligence,
Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Princess Margaret Cancer Centre’s culture of excellence fosters a virtuous cycle of research and innovation with global impact.
Cancer patients all agree on one thing: three of the scariest words ever spoken are “you have cancer.” When an individual — someone’s daughter, son, partner, mother, father, sister, or friend — hears these words, life is instantly changed, and filled with fear, uncertainty, and a whirlwind of emotions — not just for the patient, but for all those who love and care for them.
That’s why Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto is committed to working ceaselessly to improve the cancer experience and outcomes for patients. From developing innovative diagnostic techniques that can detect cancer earlier, to pioneering new more targeted cancer treatments, to providing unparalleled care and comprehensive support, The Princess Margaret has earned its place as a world-leading beacon of hope.
Driving transformative change
The Princess Margaret’s leadership is rooted in its dedication to research and innovation. Breakthroughs in genomics and AI are helping to advance treatment planning and personalized medicine.
Dr. Alejandro Berlin is the Medical Director of Cancer Digital Intelligence at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, where he also serves as a clinician-scientist and radiation oncologist. His research focuses on the treatment and management of prostate cancer as well as using digital health technology to improve and shift current care paradigms. For him, this work is not only deeply personal — he lost his father to cancer — but also incredibly urgent.
“Cancer is often associated with the darkest time in someone’s life,” says Dr. Berlin. “As health care practitioners, we need to keep hope high on our priority list. When I think about The Princess Margaret’s inspiring new brand, Carry The Fire, I think of moving faster, being more nimble. We need to push boundaries in order to change the reality of cancer for everyone affected by it.”
We need to push boundaries in order to change the reality of cancer for everyone affected by it.
Igniting sparks
Dr. Berlin believes that innovation comes from a culture of excellence and a collective responsibility to do better every day.
“There are many incredibly talented, creative, and committed people who are proud to work in a place like The Princess Margaret, creating a virtuous cycle of discovery and impact,” he says. “The sparks that are ignited here shed light all around the world in the form of new treatments and improved care.”
As Dr. Berlin explains, the team at The Princess Margaret is focused on rethinking how they deliver care and how to make things more patient-centric, efficient, and streamlined. “Some of my flagship research projects include using genomics to better match treatments to the aggressiveness of individual tumours and using AI to generate rapid and highly effective radiotherapy treatment plans,” he adds.
Other digital health initiatives, such as asynchronous care — where patients and healthcare providers communicate without needing to be available at the same time — and AI-powered pathology, are further enhancing patient experiences and streamlining care. And these innovations aren’t just shaping cancer care at The Princess Margaret — they’re redefining the future of cancer care globally.
To learn more, please visit CARRYTHEFIRE.CA.
