Welcome MCTRC

Translation of the exciting novel findings made in fundamental laboratories into testable hypotheses for evaluation in clinical trials is the aim of translational research in oncology. This website is designed to provide information to both the scientific community and cancer patients seeking on clinical research that could benefit them.

The McGill University Centre for Translational Research in Cancer provides the infrastructure to bring the investigators involved in "translational research" together to generate novel approaches to cancer treatment. It adds a key element to the coordination of cancer researchers by providing a structured focus for these activities. It accelerates the testing of potential benefits to people derived from scientific discovery. The need for an organized structure devoted to this particular integrative research orientation has been widely recognized throughout the North American cancer research community. The McGill University Centre for Translational Research is based at the Sir Mortimer B. Davis-Jewish General Hospital. It's scientific members extend beyond McGill to include researchers at the Université de Montréal, Institut Armand Frappier, Université du Québec .

The Centre includes members of a wide range of University departments. This mix of perspectives provides for better opportunities for synergistic insights. The development of novel therapeutics is extremely expensive, both in the discovery stages as well as during pre-clinical and clinical development. The Centre positions its scientists to interact with industry at all stages in the development of a novel therapeutic idea. Significant technology transfer and commercial agreements are facilitated by the Centre, while we retain the opportunity to continue on in the clinical development program derived from our discoveries.

The Centre provides two key core functions, , in addition to others described in "Core Resources".

A Clinical Research Unit with a dedicated staff of nurses and clinical research associates. The Unit has an established track record in novel cancer therapeutics included pharmacokinetics/dynamics. Among the Centre's staff are clinician-scientists with expertise in a wide range of therapy approaches, and the Clinical Research Unit provides high quality data and patient safety.
A Tissue/tumor Bank, containing high quality clinically derived specimens carefully preserved for laboratory studies of protein and nucleic acids. Working with our Ethics Committee, the Tissue Bank Committee ensures appropriate and ethical acquisition of these samples.

The McGill University Centre for Translational Research in Cancer thus bridges pre-clinical/mechanistic studies expertise with an excellent site for complex and early phase clinical testing. It provides infrastructure functions and funding to send novel projects and support fellowships.