BC Cancer scientists receive millions to develop novel cancer therapies

BC Cancer scientists were recently awarded millions of dollars in infrastructure funding from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation to bring their world-leading research to the clinic.

​BC Cancer recipients include Dr. François Bénard, Dr. Brad Nelson and, through a project led by the Vancouver Prostate Centre and the University of British Columbia, Dr. Marcel Bally.

Dr. Bénard's work in the production of rare isotopes for cancer therapy at TRIUMF – Canada's national laboratory for particle and nuclear physics and accelerator-based science located at UBC – will receive $3.95 million. Dr. Nelson's project, Engineering Precision Immunotherapies for Cancer (EPIC), will receive $4 million. Dr. Cherkasov's work will receive $9 million for Accelerated Drug Discovery Using Clinical Translation (ADDUCT), which is led by the Vancouver Prostate Centre.

The funds were announced on October 12 and come from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation through the Ministry of Science.

Both Drs. François Bénard and Brad Nelson’s research into rare isotopes and immunotherapy were originally supported by donors to the BC Cancer Foundation and leveraged to develop the projects that received the grant funding from the federal government.

Generous support from donors to the BC Cancer Foundation is critical in leveraging competitive grants and moving transformational research projects that take place at BC Cancer from the lab to the clinic, bringing new hope to families facing cancer across the province.

For more information, please contact:

Vincent Matak
Communications Coordinator
BC CANCER FOUNDATION
bccancerfoundation.com
T: 604.707.5946
C: 778.233.3740