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Dr. David Huntsman calls it “game changing.” The BC Cancer Agency genetic pathologist is talking about his team’s breakthrough discovery: out of the three billion nucleotide pairs that make up the genetic code of the granulosa cell tumour of the ovary, they found the single mutant pair that is the probable cause of this often untreatable type of ovarian cancer.
Why is this so important? For the first time, the complete genetic sequence of cancers can be unraveled and the mutations that cause them can be exposed. As Dr. Huntsman says, “We collaborated with the BC Cancer Agency’s Genome Sciences Centre and its next-generation, DNA-sequencing technologies to decode billions of nucleotides at lightning speed and quickly assemble the data. This will allow us to conduct a ‘guerrilla war’ on cancer, leading to earlier diagnosis and effective treatment.”
“In just eight years, we at the BC Cancer Agency have assembled a world-class, multidisciplinary team with enough expertise to be global leaders. At the same time, everything that one research team here learns is shared with all the research groups - ovarian, prostate, breast, lymphoma, lung and so on. We’re all in this together, with the singular goal of eradicating cancer.”
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Found: One in Three Billion - The spelling mistake in the genetic code that causes a type of Ovarian Cancer.
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News and Announcements
Donation promises to advance cancer research on Vancouver Island
Feb 14, 2012
Victoria, B.C. – Danny and Sandy Jadresko have spent many memorable Valentine’s Days together over their 26 years of marriage, and this year they are celebrating with an extra special gift—rather than to each other—to the BC Cancer Foundation. The Jadreskos, owner-operators of Woodmere Holdings Corp., chose to make a $100,000 donation to establish The Danny and Sandy Jadresko Cancer Research Fund with the BC Cancer Foundation.
... Jan 17, 2012
Kelowna, B.C. – High priority cancer research programs receive an additional boost of over $475, 000 for new technology from the BC Cancer Foundation’s Innovative Support Fund. This investment supports leading-edge research already underway thanks to the $18.6 million in annual funding to BC Cancer Agency researchers and clinicians in 2011.
“I’m inspired by our donors and their commitment to the power of research,” says Douglas Nelson...
An important breakthrough in cancer research
Dec 21, 2011
Scientists at the BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, and the University of British Columbia are excited over a discovery made while studying rare tumour types.
Dr. David Huntsman, genetic pathologist and director of the Ovarian Cancer Program of BC at the BC Cancer Agency and Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute and Dr. Gregg Morin, a lead scientist from the Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre at the...
Dec 08, 2011
VICTORIA, B.C. December 8, 2011 – The BC Cancer Foundation’s swanky Jingle Mingle and brand new Jingle Soirée secure a staggering $510,000 for invaluable cancer research at the BC Cancer Agency’s Vancouver Island Centre.
A generous crowd of 275 Vancouver Islanders gathered at the Fairmont Empress Hotel to enjoy delectable drinks and hor d’oeuvres while bidding on fabulous silent and live auction items. Beneath the...
Nov 16, 2011
KELOWNA, B.C. November 16, 2011 – Funds raised today at the BC Cancer Foundation’s Inaugural Discovery Luncheon will support an innovative research project and provide hope for prostate cancer patients in British Columbia’s southern interior.
Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer amongst men in B.C. and today’s event is raising dollars to fund the new High-Dose Rate (HDR) Brachytherapy Pilot Project at the BC Cancer...
Nov 08, 2011
Vancouver, B.C. - Patrick Sullivan lost his three-year-old son to a rare cancer and is committed to changing future outcomes. To aid with this, Sullivan and the BC Cancer Foundation are launching an awareness video to change the story for children diagnosed with cancer in the future.
“Doctors couldn’t change Finn’s story. Incurable was his ending. If I could change that for somebody else, then every moment of time is worth it,”...
Nov 08, 2011
Victoria, B.C. - The BC Cancer Foundation’s Jingle Mingle — Victoria’s holiday season cocktail-party of the year— introduces Equip-a-Need for 2011.
“Equip-a-Need will add an exciting element to this year’s Jingle Mingle cocktail party, providing our guests with an opportunity to raise their paddles and help to fund a cutting-edge robotic microscope that will enhance researchers’ life-saving work...
Nov 02, 2011
VANCOUVER, B.C. – The path ahead for B.C.’s cancer survivors is about to get brighter thanks to a special gift Gordon Diamond made to the BC Cancer Foundation today.
In honour of his wife’s 70th birthday, Gordon Diamond generously donated $1 million for the Leslie Diamond Chair in Cancer Survivorship. The new Chair represents a significant partnership toward improved cancer survivorship between the BC Cancer Agency, Simon Fraser...
Nov 02, 2011
VICTORIA, B.C. – Alex A. Campbell’s philanthropic spirit and commitment to improved cancer care will live on as construction to expand the BC Cancer Agency’s Vancouver Island Centre is set to get underway in early December.
As Chair of the BC Cancer Foundation’s Inspire the World Campaign, Mr. Campbell led a two-year whirlwind initiative that raised $10 million for the centre’s expansion. The Inspire the World campaign launched in...
Oct 28, 2011
VANCOUVER, B.C. – Inspired by the opportunity to revolutionize cancer treatment in B.C. through personalized medicine, guests at the BC Cancer Foundation’s 2011 Inspiration Gala united to raise $1.5 million for the BC Cancer Agency’s Personalized Medicine Project.
The aspiration of a world free from cancer motivated gala chair and BC Cancer Foundation board member Monika Deol, who created an electric evening for the sold out crowd...