Advanced Medical Research Institute of Canada (AMRIC)

The Advanced Medical Research Institute of Canada (AMRIC) was established on June 16th, 2011 as an independent not-for-profit corporation. Founded on the basis of fostering translational research, AMRIC is the affiliated research institute of Health Sciences North, under the direction of a Board of Directors. AMRIC’s strategic business plan (2011-2012) articulates a vision and business architecture that augments the vision and strategic direction of Health Sciences North. AMRIC works in close cooperation with several key partners in Greater Sudbury Region, including Health Sciences North, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Laurentian University, Cambrian College and Collège Boréal. AMRIC also actively pursues strategic partnerships with all levels of government and private industry from across Canada and around the world.

A BRIEF HISTORY

In January 2010, Dr. Denis R. Roy became CEO and President of Health Sciences North. During his inaugural year in this role, Dr. Roy introduced a vision for the hospital to become an academic health sciences centre. He subsequently recruited Dr. Francisco Diaz-Mitoma, a noted researcher from Ottawa, in January 2011 to serve as Vice President, Research at Health Sciences North. During this time, Dr. Diaz-Mitoma also established a Research Institute (now known as AMRIC), assuming the role of inaugural Chief Executive Officer.

The Advanced Medical Research Institute of Canada (AMRIC) was established to accelerate the translation of novel scientific ideas into widespread applications. AMRIC’s translational research programs focus on infectious diseases, chronic diseases and cancers affecting Northern populations, with emphasis on:

• Research and Dissemination of Advances: Identifying and disseminating beneficial scientific advances that emanate from our expertise in cancer research and in vaccine development and immunotherapy.
• Commercial Uptake and Clinical Integration: Identifying and commercializing promising scientific ideas or applying scientific advances into clinical practice.

AMRIC is building a core competency in the areas of discovery, development and commercialization. Activities range from the conduct of basic and applied research, integration of advances into clinical practice, including the design and conduct of hospital-based clinical research, as well as active business development to enable the commercialization of promising ideas.

AMRIC is the daily setting for cutting edge research that is focused on preventing and curing diseases, as well as improving health care outcomes in the North.

AMRIC’s Key Strategic Objectives:

• Build a strong research program that targets the key health concerns and priorities of the North and that enables enhanced access to funding opportunities for translational research
• Increase commercial uptake of innovative scientific and clinical advancements to ensure greater accessibility to residents of the Greater Sudbury Region
• Develop sustainable infrastructure to meet current and future research needs
• Attract and retain nationwide leaders in translational health care research to the North

AMRIC aims to become a Canadian leader by inspiring researchers to explore the unknown and to challenge conventional approaches.

At the Advanced Medical Research Institute of Canada (AMRIC), one of our greatest resources is our people! AMRIC offers a variety of exciting career opportunities, including staff positions for researchers and administrators, as well as training positions for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.

A dynamic and growing research and health care environment awaits you in Sudbury, Ontario. Nestled in the beautiful Canadian Shield, surrounded by provincial parks and over 200 lakes, Sudbury is located near spectacular Georgian Bay and the Muskoka region and is only four hours north of Toronto. Here, you will experience the balance of a challenging career and a comfortable lifestyle, right on nature’s doorstep.

Please feel free to email our scientists directly, should their particular field of research be of interest to you (seeResearcher Profiles for more information). If you are interested in a training position, you may also want to consult our page for students and postdoctoral fellows.

Here is a listing of our current opportunities. CVs are kept on file for six months. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

• Site Superintendent
• Future Opportunities – Clinical Research Coordinator
• Research Facilitator
• Clinical Research Coordinator

OUR RESEARCH

Health-related education and services are now firmly established as a major strength of the Sudbury region. The Advanced Medical Research Institute of Canada (AMRIC) adds to the region’s expertise by focusing its research on chronic diseases, infectious diseases and cancers that are associated with Northern populations.

AMRIC-derived research and its translation are based on strong local platforms that offer versatility in target disease discovery and affordability in application (to patients and the health care system). AMRIC is organized into research programs and a linked commercial uptake program both oriented toward the translation of ideas into changes in understanding, clinical practice or commercial application. The major phases of AMRIC’s translational research program include:

RESEARCH

Our research programs are located on the campus of Health Sciences North and organized to address the disease targets of concern to Northern populations. AMRIC has a reputable cancer research program that has a focus on mitigation of these health impacts. A platform in vaccine development and immunotherapy is also being established to develop more flexibility in developing relevant health strategies. AMRIC’s orientation is applied research, augmented by some longer term programs targeting fundamental knowledge gaps.

PROSPECTING

AMRIC has established a presence in the heart of Toronto’s medical research community to prospect for promising novel scientific ideas. Ideas are identified (from within and from outside the Institute), assessed for potential and, if selected, nurtured to the point of uptake by investors and partners. Internally developed novel ideas emerging from the Institute’s research projects may take this commercial developmental route through the business development function or, alternatively, through the introduction of improved techniques or procedures, enhanced policies or advances in knowledge.

TRANSLATION

The foundation for translational research at AMRIC may be found in the collaborative research approach that seeks to move ideas “from bench to bedside” or from laboratory experiments through clinical trials to actual point-of-care patient applications, or clinical integration. Working closely with business, academic experts and physicians, AMRIC’s collaborative approach is being strengthened through continuous improvements to the protocols and processes governing translational research.

DISSEMINATION

The various advances in knowledge and practice that are generated by AMRIC are disseminated by our experts and corporately through research publications, conferences, outreach, and clinical and commercial application. Strong linkages with Health Sciences North, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Laurentian University, other research institutes and industrial partners provide the means by which advances originating in Sudbury can impact all Canadians.

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Robarts Research Institute

At Robarts Research Institute we’ve made it our mission to accelerate medical discovery. Right now, our scientists are conducting basic and clinical research that will have an impact on many of today’s most devastating diseases. This remarkable science is driven by a common philosophy: to bring medical discoveries and new technologies faster to clinical trial, faster to market, and, ultimately, faster to you.

Take a look inside . . .At Robarts, we believe we have a winning formula: attract the best and the brightest researchers, give them the freedom to think big and set the bar high. Since its founding in 1986, the Institute has applied that formula to become a national leader in biological, clinical and imaging research.

Robarts is like no other place in Canada.

Here you can explore what Robarts has to offer and get a firsthand look at the world renowned research happening right now at Robarts Research Institute.

Careers at Robarts
Robarts could be the place to turn your ideas into discoveries. With key strengths in advanced medical imaging, cell biology, genomics, immunology and stem cell biology, our scientists and their skilled staff conduct research on some of the most debilitating diseases of our time: heart disease and stroke, Alzheimer’s, cancer, organ failure, diabetes and many others.

Research Technicians/Assistants/Associates, Animal Care Technicians, Computer Programmers, Systems Administrators, Postdoctoral Fellows, Graduate Students and many other highly skilled personnel play important roles in our research programs. Our affiliation with the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at Western University and London Health Sciences Centre has also made us an attractive place to conduct research and training.
If you have the dedication, education, training and skills needed to join this dynamic group of researchers, join this exciting team!

TO APPLY FOR A JOB

You will be required to follow the application process and procedures at Robarts and/or Western University:
1) The applicant will have to apply for an available position via an online process.
2) We suggest that the applicant go to the Working at Western pages under the Human Resources Section to look for any available positions.
3) Then register on the Western online application system and submit your resume info by following the instructions provided. Please note that you will need to supply an e-mail and password in order to do this.
4) Therefore, when a job becomes available that suits the applicant’s field of work they can apply accordingly by following the above suggestions.
It is recommended that the applicant check on an ongoing basis as there are always new jobs being posted.

Virtual Tour

RESEARCH

How do cells form and function for years before giving way to the ravages of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and ALS? What can genomics, stem cell biology and imaging research reveal about the progress of neurological and cardiovascular disease, bone disorders and asthma? Just how early might we be able to track immune disorders and cancer cells at work? These are among the many questions Robarts scientists are tackling now.

EDUCATION

As part of the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at Western University, Robarts Research Institute provides a unique learning experience for graduate students that goes beyond access to state-of-the-art research facilities and training by internationally recognized leaders in clinical and basic medical science research. A collaborative environment and interdisciplinary approach bring students together with clinical and basic scientists to give them the experience of being a contributing member of a research team working on significant scientific problems that aid in our understanding of medical issues.

CLINICAL TRIALS

Robarts Clinical Trials Research Group is a centre of academic excellence for clinical research and a contract research organization with proven expertise in conducting multi-centre clinical trials since 1986. The group consists of a multidisciplinary team of experienced clinicians, biostatisticians, clinical epidemiologists, information systems specialists, project managers, data managers and clinical monitors.

www.robartsclinicaltrials.ca

IMAGING

The Imaging Research Laboratories at Robarts focus on the discovery and development of innovative imaging techniques and instrumentation to improve the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of human diseases including cancer, cardiovascular and orthopaedic disease, schizophrenia and other brain disorders. Using X-ray, ultrasound, CT and MRI, the group is the largest in the Institute, conducting research across nine broad themes:

•  Basic imaging science & engineering
•  Brain and mind imaging & spectroscopy
•  Cancer imaging
•  Cardiovascular imaging
•  Clinical Imaging Research Laboratories
•  Image-guided surgery & therapy
•  Molecular, cellular and micro-imaging
•  Musculoskeletal imaging
•  Respiratory imaging

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Ontario Brain Institute

The Ontario Brain Institute is a provincially‐funded, not‐for‐profit research centre seeking to maximize the impact of neuroscience and establish Ontario as a world leader in brain discovery, commercialization and care. Convergent partnerships are created between researchers, clinicians, industry, patients, and their advocates to foster discovery and deliver innovative products and services that improve the lives of those living with brain disorders.

Our Role

IT’S ALL ABOUT WIRING

The brain is all about wiring. And so, in a fundamental way, is the Ontario Brain Institute. By the time we reach adulthood, our heads each contain up to 176,000 kilometers of wiring, in the form of impossibly fine organic filaments known as “axons.”These tiny wires connect billions of thickets of firing synapses, shuttling an almost unimaginable volume of signal traffic from our senses into the brain, from one part of the brain to another, and from the brain to the rest of our bodies. This connecting network weaves together the diverse and widely distributed activity of our neurons into co-ordinated thought and action, plus the rich resource of memory.

At the Ontario Brain Institute, we aim to do something similar for brain science in the province. Not in complexity, of course, but in function. Ontario has a lot going for it in terms of brain science and healthcare. Many of the province’s universities, hospitals and research institutes boast neuroscientists of global stature, doing work at the cutting edge of their disciplines. And Ontario has a community of clinicians and patient advocacy groups with a track record of first class care and support.The challenge is in the area of innovation. Ontario isn’t the world leader it could be in terms of translating neuroscience research into the kinds of procedures, services and products that produce breakthrough outcomes in brain health.What’s been missing, we think, is a little wiring. Our mandate at the Ontario Brain Institute is to help provide the “axons” that connect all those firing synapses around the province, helping to create a network that results in…well, co-ordinated thought and action, plus the rich resource of memory.

WIRING FOR COLLABORATION: INTEGRATED DISCOVERY

WIRING FOR MEMORY: BRAIN-CODE

The human brain contains, by some estimates, 1,000 trillion wired connections.At the Ontario Brain Institute, we make no claim to that kind of complexity or ubiquity. Instead, we pursue simplicity. Just as axons are relatively simple wires for the transmission of chemical and electrical signals, so we take a lean and very functional approach to what we do.

We don’t boast a complex of labs – just a handful of cubicles and offices, staffed with people who know and are passionate about brain research and medicine.Nor are we a massive funder. Our role is to stimulate creativity and co-ordinate effort, to squeeze world-leading impacts from modest dollars. When we propose a program, we ask questions like: What gaps can we fill to make the programs goals possible? How can we help make existing resources work harder and smarter?And most importantly: how we can help make the connections that lead to results? Connections between inspiration and application. Between curiosity and commercialization. Between brain scientist and brain patient.This is, after all, how the brain itself works – by making connections.And making connections is how we make brain research work for Ontario.

Our Task

TURNING IDEAS INTO INNOVATION

Ontario has more brain scientists than almost any jurisdiction in the world. Our task at the Ontario Brain Institute is to draw those researchers together into seamless, convergent partnerships with clinicians, industry, patients and their advocates. The goal: to facilitate the kind of continual interaction and discovery among these players that delivers innovative services and products for brain-related health care.The Institute is a government-funded, not-for-profit initiative whose scope spans the entire continuum of brain science and treatment. As a virtual research centre, we have no labs and conduct no research of our own. Instead, our projects and programs are focused on bringing actors and elements together and enabling their interaction.

In doing so, we’re turning Ontario’s world caliber brain science into

• successful Ontario companies and good jobs;
• data and knowledge that can be shared with the world, and that will attract investment in Ontario;
• commercialization of new treatments; and
• improved patient care.

Our work is in support of a single vision: Ontario as a world leader in brain discovery, commercialization and care.

Our Approach

THE POWER OF A CATALYST

The elements are all here.

Ontario is already rich in research talent. Our clinical and patient advocacy resources are outstanding. And we have a strong business and manufacturing base.
Our task is to be a catalyst: to bring those elements together, and to support and enable the kind of interaction that releases energy and produces innovation in brain-related care.

We pursue this task through four core initiatives with an overarching goal of building partnerships and catalyzing knowledge translation:

• High-impact translational programs such as our Integrated Discovery programs – Orchestrating calls for proposals, hosting province-wide workshops, reviewing research proposals, granting and managing funds, and overseeing the ongoing performance management of research outcomes.
• Centralized patient information systems referred to as Brain-CODE (Centre for Ontario Data Exploration) – Managing the development, implementation, operation, and accessibility of a ground-breaking, cross-disorder databank of brain research across Ontario.
• Mechanisms to engage and support industry including Commercialization – Managing projects that focus on the final stages of bringing lab discovery to the marketplace.
• Training and Entrepreneurship – Initiatives involving the mentoring of young entrepreneurs and training opportunities to develop managerial skills

We also catalyze discovery through the following means…

• Governance and Partnerships – Managing our corporate governance components, such as our Board of Directors, Industry Advisory Council, and Science Advisory Council; and developing and managing partnerships with Canadian and international organizations that both enhance and further the mission of OBI.
• Outreach – Generating awareness of the OBI’s activities in conventional media, social media, and among key stakeholders (e.g., universities, hospitals, public, patient advocacy groups, etc.).
• Fundraising – The OBI works with institutions to fund platforms for discovery. These partner contributions strengthen partnerships and provide increased resources to enhance the scope of the research programs.
• Accountability – Meeting the requirements of the agreement between the OBI, the Ministry and other stakeholders on all facets of our activity – including monitoring and reporting on outcomes outlined in the agreement. See  policies and procedures here. 
• Leverage – Utilizing the people and infrastructure resources already existing in Ontario as a result of previous provincial and federal investments in Ontario research and development.

Research

MOBILIZING ONTARIO’S EXCELLENCE IN BRAIN RESEARCH

The National Academy of Sciences in the United States recognizes the crucial importance of collaboration in the field of neuroscience. Their 2008 Workshop Report – From Molecules to Minds – describes the importance of collaboration.

“Recognizing that neuroscience is not, of course, really a single field is important. Rather it is a multidisciplinary enterprise including diverse fields of biology, psychology, neurology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, engineering, computer science and more. If scientists within neuroscience and related disciplines could unite around a small set of goals, the opportunity for advancing our understanding of brain and mental function would be huge.”

The Ontario Brain Institute is cultivating this multidisciplinary collaboration. Its goal is to improve brain health. To do this we created research programs called “Integrated Discovery Programs” that bring together scientists, clinicians, industry representatives and patient advocacy groups from across Ontario.  We believe this approach will help to foster the kind of fresh thinking that takes breakthroughs in the lab and turns them into ground-breaking outcomes for patients and families.

OUR INTEGRATED DISCOVERY PROGRAMS

We call it “Integrated Discovery” because:

• it gathers together all the researchers and clinical sites dealing with a specific disease, for example, intractable epilepsy.
• it addresses disorders that represent a significant burden to Ontarians, their families and Ontario’s society and economy, by engaging clinicians and basic scientists.
• it mobilizes researchers skilled in all the relevant tools and platforms required to understand the causes and treatments of a disease, to enable the fullest understanding of the disease mechanisms.
• Integrated Discovery enables researchers in one disorder area to apply their discoveries and findings to other disorders, because imaging and clinical data are gathered and kept in a common format. This lets researchers pursue questions and hypotheses across disorders to discover common mechanisms that may have unexpected explanatory power

Our Programs

Our research programs, called “Integrated Discovery Programs”, have five underlying principles. The research must:

• rank as excellent on an international stage
• focus on the patient
• integrate across Ontario and across disciplines
• involve standardized assessments
• have a translational thrust

Entrepreneurship & Management Training

OUR ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND MANAGEMENT TRAINING PROGRAM

To quote a famous slogan, “A mind is a terrible thing to waste”. Here in Ontario, there is a growing pool of brilliant, highly qualified neuroscientists whose potential would be largely untapped without the right catalyst.There is a genuine need for training programs that can harness the talents of these highly qualified personnel. That’s why we’ve created the entrepreneurship and management program focused on helping neuroscientists bridge the gap between academia and industries operating beyond the bench. The aim of this initiative is to:

• Build capacity for a knowledge-based economy in Ontario.
• Create expertise in a determined area of need in Ontario: the management of neuroscience research, knowledge translation, and commercialization of neuroscience.
• Increase employment options for neuroscientists – qualifying them for high-quality jobs, that contribute to a knowledge-based economy.

By building the translational skill set of scientific human capital, we can build the entrepreneurship capacity and management talent in Ontario.

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Ontario Institute for Cancer Research(OICR)

OICR is an innovative translational research institute dedicated to research on the prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

OICR Associates are exceptional investigators with appointments at academic research institutions that share a scientific focus with OICR. These investigators engage in innovative research collaborations with OICR programs and platforms, but do not receive financial support from OICR. OICR Associates collaborate primarily with the Genetic Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Genome Technologies, Informatics and Bio-computing, Drug Discovery and Transformative Pathology Programs.CAREERS@OICR

To learn more about OICR’s job opportunities, please visit our Careers page.

OICR’s Investigator Awards Program has attracted outstanding PhD researchers and clinician-scientists to Ontario from across Canada and around the world. The program provides stable recruitment and retention funding for principal investigators in Ontario, further strengthening the province’s cancer research capacity.CAREERS@OICR

To learn more about OICR’s job opportunities, please visit our Careers page.

OICR OVERVIEW

Translational cancer research institute;

• Research in small molecules, biologics, stem cells, imaging, genomics, informatics and biocomputing, pathology, high impact clinical trials and health outcomes;

• With its collaborators and partners supports >1,700 researchers, clinician scientists research staff and trainees;

• Headquartered in downtown Toronto’s Discovery District, with a global strategy and an Ontario focus;

• Toronto has Canada’s largest concentration of scientific research and is among the top three in North America in terms of its bioscience cluster.

8 partnerships with national organizations that support cancer research and commercialization in Canada;

• 20 startup companies with a total of 180 employees developed out of OICR’s investments and research, 7 with prototypes manufactured, 4 with products sold, 4 commenced first-inman studies;

• 108 patent applications filed between April 2010 and March 2014 arising from OICR-funded research;

• 565 papers published in scientific journals between April 2013 and March 2014 arising from OICR-funded research; ON

OICR’S VISION

5 OICR is a centre of excellence that moves Ontario to the forefront of discovery and innovation in cancer research and ensures the effective knowledge transfer and commercialization of research findings to maximize the health and economic benefits for the people of Ontario.

OICR’S TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH MISSION AND PRIORITIES

 OICR’s unique translational research model leverages Ontario’s province-wide strengths in discovery research, translational medicine and commercialization to maximize impact of prevention, screening and treatment for cancer patients.

Collaboration among programs, e.g., Translational Research Initiatives, accelerates the flow of research discoveries for testing in the clinic. The Improved Management of Early Cancer (IMEC) is developing new approaches to distinguish aggressive versus non-invasive disease for patients with early breast or prostate cancer. PanCuRx integrates genomics, bioinformatics, drug discovery, biology, imaging and innovative pre-clinical models to develop new treatment approaches for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

OICR PROGRAMS

1-Cancer Stem Cell (CSC) Leader: Dr. John Dick 10 Determining the role of CSC biology in cancer prognosis and treatment, and its potential to improve patient outcomes

2-Innovation in Target Validation Leader: Dr. Rob Rottapel

3-Drug Discovery Leader: Dr. Rima Al-awar Translating cancer-related discoveries into effective and safe therapeutics for patients

4-Smarter Imaging and Imaging Translation Co-leaders: Drs. Martin Yaffe and Aaron Fenster Developing new imaging probes and techniques for early detection, diagnosis and prognosis of cancer, from cell lines towards early human trials

5-Genome Technologies Leader: Dr. John McPherson

6-Genome Technologies – ICGC Leader: Dr. John McPherson

7-International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC)

8-Informatics and Bio-computing Leader: Dr. Lincoln Stein 17 Developing expertise and tools to enable clinically-relevant discoveries through characterization of high-throughput cancer data

9-Transformative Pathology Leader: Dr. John Bartlett 18 Developing validated biomarker assays for clinical us

10-Ontario Tumour Bank Director: Monique Albert 19 Enabling better research through access to quality-controlled biospecimens and corresponding highly annotated clinical data

11-Immuno- and Bio-Therapies Leader: Dr. John Bell Identifying new bio-therapeutic approaches for the treatment of cancer through the execution of high impact clinical trials

12-Health Services Research Leader: Dr. Craig Earle 21 Using data to inform cancer service innovations, evaluate technologies and optimize patient care

13-Ontario Health Study Leader: Dr. Mark Purdue 22 Already one of the largest longitudinal cohort studies ever conducted

14-Canadian Cancer Clinical Trials Network Scientific Director: Dr. Janet Dancey

OVERVIEW

Research and clinical scientists at the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR) are making a significant contribution to the prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

OICR has a number of programs that facilitate knowledge exchange to ensure that the research it conducts has a great impact on the understanding of cancer, on future cancer research and on the provision of oncology services to patients.

We are committed to cancer research education and outreach to:

• Generate public awareness about cancer research in Ontario;
• Engage youth in cancer research activities;
• Support and develop young basic and clinical scientists in their cancer research careers in order to help build the next generation of cancer researchers.

The goal of OICR’s cancer career training and support program is to provide continued support and learning opportunities to the next generation of cancer researchers to further their own research and their careers.

OICR is an innovative cancer research institute located in the MaRS Centre in the Discovery District in downtown Toronto. OICR is addressing significant challenges in cancer research with multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional teams. New discoveries to prevent, detect and treat cancer will be moved from the bench to practical applications in patients. The OICR team is growing quickly. We are innovative, dedicated professionals who bring expertise to each of our roles. We are looking for individuals interested in being part of a culture of excellence that will result in Ontario being recognized internationally as a leading jurisdiction for cancer research.

OICR has a diverse workforce and is an equal opportunity employer.

• View positions available with OICR

The Ontario Institute for Cancer Research conducts research but does not provide medical advice or treatment.

If you are looking for a clinical trial for cancer, please visit the following websites:

Clinical trials in Canada are listed at http://portfolio.3ctn.ca/ andhttp://www.canadiancancertrials.ca/.

Stand Up to Cancer has information about clinical trials and a link to clinical trials in Canada and the United States.

Clinical trials in the United States are listed at: http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/search. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) in the United States lists NCI-sponsored cancer clinical trials.

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Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network

The Princess Margaret Cancer Centre has achieved an international reputation as a global leader in the fight against cancer and delivering personalized cancer medicine. The Princess Margaret, one of the top five international cancer research centres, is a member of the University Health Network, which also includes Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital and Toronto Rehabilitation Institute. All are research hospitals affiliated with the University of Toronto.

At Princess Margaret, over 160 researchers, 370 trainees and 460 technical support staff collaborate to gain a better understanding of cancer and to develop strategies to prevent, treat and cure cancer.

See all Scientists >

ONTARIO CANCER INSTITUTE

The Ontario Cancer Institute, the research arm of the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, is one of the top 5 cancer research centres in the world. Our team of internationally recognized scientists is housed in a 385,000 square foot cutting-edge research facility equipped with state-of-the-art tools. Our researchers study stem cells, cell signaling, cell biology, structural biology, immunology and immune therapy, molecular imaging, guided therapeutics, psychosocial oncology, palliative care, genomics, proteomics, bioinformatics and other innovations that are moving findings from the ‘bench to the bedside and back to the bench.’

The Ontario Cancer Institute is comprised of The Campbell Family Cancer Research Instituteand The Campbell Family Institute for Breast Cancer Research.

CANCER CLINICAL RESEARCH UNIT​

Improving the quality and productivity of clinical research at Princess Margaret and encouraging a culture of innovation, responsibility and accountability within the clinical research community.

s one of the largest clinical research centres dedicated to improving treatment for people with cancer, the Princess Margaret Cancer Clinical Research Unit (CCRU) provides leadership, oversight and infrastructure for researchers within the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. Every year Princess Margaret initiates upwards of 100 new clinical trials – at any one time we have close to 300 trials underway.

The CCRU is the central point of contact for any questions about the conduct of clinical research at Princess Margaret. Our team of dedicated internationally recognized experts helps guide investigators and study teams to achieve the highest quality research. The CCRU will be moving to a new location in the summer of 2012, and this new state-of-the-art facility will bring our clinical research staff together and facilitate collaboration, as well as provide space for meetings, monitoring visits and storage.

Our departments and programs are:

• Biostatistics
• Cancer Registry
• Clinical Trial Support Unit
• Clinical Trial Nursing
• Correlative Studies Program
• Education
• Metrics & Process Improvement
• Quality Assurance

Find out more about clinical trials at Princess Margaret.

RESEARCH PROGRAMS

Our research programs cover a wide range of cutting edge innovation and discovery.

See all research programs >

 OPERATIONALIZING CLINICAL RESEARCH

The CCRU is committed to ensuring that Princess Margaret’s research is operationally efficient and of high quality. To achieve this goal we have initiated the following:

• Standardized practices, including standard operating procedures, regulatory binders and study charts
• A comprehensive education program, including sessions targeting the needs of clinical trial nurses and study coordinators
• Quality and metrics reporting, which includes routine reporting and review of program-wide performance and constant engagement of Princess Margaret Cancer Centre constituents about program metrics, best practices and fiscal responsibility
• Training and support for highly skilled clinical research professionals, including clinical study coordinators for study management and clinical trial nurses who practice patient-centred care

To enhance the quality of investigator-initiated trials, the CCRU supports the use of our Electronic Data Capture System, Medidata Rave, at Princess Margaret. Medidata Rave is a dependable, high-quality clinical data management system that captures and stores clinical research data, which is critical to the validity and reliability of the data.

DEPARTMENTS & PROGRAMS

As one of the largest clinical research centres dedicated to improving treatment for people with cancer, the Princess Margaret Cancer Clinical Research Unit’s departments and programs are:

• Biostatistics
• Cancer Registry
• Clinical Trial Support Unit
• Clinical Trial Nursing
• Correlative Studies Program
• Education
• Metrics & Process Improvement
• Quality Assurance

BIOSTATISTICS

The Biostatistics Department at Princess Margaret Hospital/Ontario Cancer Institute (OCI) is a research-support department within the Cancer Clinical Research Unit that collaborates with Princess Margaret/OCI clinical and basic researchers in a broad spectrum of oncology studies to provide statistical design and analysis expertise.

Supporting approximately 150 biostatistical requests per year, our services include the design of trials and analysis of retrospective and prospective clinical research studies and trials. We also provide Princess Margaret residents and fellows with courses in statistics.

We are closely affiliated with the Division of Biostatistics at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto, where our staff teach statistics courses and sit on several key committees, such as the Admissions
Committee. We also participate in an internship program through which we train biostatisticians.

For additional information about our services, please contact Tony Panzarella, atpanzar@uhnresearch.ca.

WHAT IS A CANCER REGISTRY?

A cancer registry collects, interprets and stores specific types of information that is abstracted from the clinical records of individuals who have been diagnosed with cancer. Cancer registries are valuable sources of information for cancer researchers who are trying to understand the causes, diagnosis, treatment and outcomes of treatment for people with cancer.

The Princess Margaret Cancer Registry has been in operation since the opening of the Princess Margaret in 1958. It is the only hospital-based cancer registry in Ontario and the largest in Canada. The registry provides high quality information on all University Health Network (UHN) oncology patients treated at Princess Margaret, Toronto General Hospital and Toronto Western Hospital. This data can then be used for administrative, quality control and research purposes. This registry has a standardized process and database for the collection of information on diagnosis, disease, staging, treatment, follow-up and outcomes of UHN patients treated for cancer.

OPERATIONS

Functionally, the Cancer Registry is part of the Cancer Clinical Research Unit within Research at UHN. The Cancer Registry and Data Access Committee (CRDAC) advise on the operational issues relating to data collection and cancer staging. The Committee is co-chaired by both the Medical Director and the Head of the Cancer Registry and is comprised of physician representatives from the departments of Medical Oncology & Hematology, Pathology,Radiation Oncology and Surgical Oncology. In addition, there is a representative from theBiostatistics department and the Committee’s Secretariat oversees the processing of the data requests.

DATA AND AUTHORIZATION

While Research Ethics Board approval is a mandatory prerequisite for data collected for research purposes, the results are devoid of patient identifying information. All submissions for data undergo a stringent review process covering the aspects of collection and statistical interpretation of the data, the scientific method and feasibility prior to receiving a UHN Institutional Authorization (IA). The granting of IA is mandatory before the research can commence.

The cancer registry produces a report of the data every two years.

For additional information about our services or to request data, please contact Darlene Dale atdarlene.dale@uhn.ca.

CLINICAL TRIAL SUPPORT UNIT

The Clinical Trial Support Unit (CTSU) within the CCRU provides expert study management services for the Princess Margaret Cancer Program. The CTSU has expertise in managing industry, intergroup and investigator-initiated studies and can perform all regulatory and data management requirements for successfully conducting a study, from site initiation to study closure and archiving.

The CTSU conducts all studies as indicated by the International Conference on HarmonisationGuideline for Good Clinical Practice (ICH GCP) and has highly trained and dedicated staff with expertise in managing trials regulated by Health Canada and US Food and Drug Administration.

The CCRU also manages and acts as the database administrator for the Medidata Rave electronic data capture system. Princess Margaret implemented this database in 2010 to support investigator-sponsored, prospective, interventional clinical studies data management and reporting to ensure the validity and reliability of study data.

The CTSU’s services include:

• Health Canada Clinical Trial Application preparation and submission
• Research Ethics Board submission and approval
• Budget review and negotiation
• Study start-up
• Regulatory reporting of serious adverse events
• Preparation for Data Safety Monitoring Board study review
• Data management, including data entry, query resolution, monitoring visit coordination and follow-up
• MediData eCRF design and development, user maintenance and database monitoring
• Ongoing regulatory support
• Audit preparation
• Archiving of study documents

For additional information about our services, please contact Vanessa Speers atVanessa.Speers@uhn.ca.

CLINICAL TRIAL NURSING

There are more than 45 clinical research nurse coordinators at Princess Margaret. These specialized oncology nurses provide patient-centred care for the duration of a clinical trial. This challenging and innovative role continues to evolve.

Competencies include:

• Collaborating with the study team and with patients and their families to implement protocol-specific procedures, from screening to study completion
• Ongoing education of patients, families and ancillary departments to facilitate compliance with the study protocol
• Assessing patient adverse events, using knowledge, skill and judgement to determine dose-limiting toxicity, maximum tolerated dose and disease response in collaboration with the Principal Investigator
• Documenting assessments, interventions and evaluations in adherence to ICH GCP, UHN  research documentation standards and College of Nurse of Ontario documentation standards
• Advocating for the ethical care of clinical trial patients
• Participating in professional development activities to ensure ongoing competency in clinical trials and nursing practice

For more information about clinical research nurses, please contact Marcia Flynn-Post atMarcia.Flynn-Post@uhn.ca.

CORRELATIVE STUDIES PROGRAM

The CCRU Correlative Studies Program provides services and expertise to facilitate all aspects of biospecimen management for clinical trials, such as bio-specimen collection, processing, handling, storage, shipping, tracking and documentation.

The Correlative Studies Program provides services to an average of 80 new clinical trials each year, as well as continuing services for up to 200 ongoing clinical studies. We annually collect and process approximately 75 fresh tumour biopsies, 100 skin biopsies, 650 archival tissue specimens, 20 bone marrow specimens and 8,000 blood samples for pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, pharmacogenomic and biomarker evaluation studies.

The program draws on highly skilled correlative research technicians, who provide consistency in the procurement process to ensure high-integrity, high-quality biospecimens for correlative studies, and a correlative research coordinator, who facilitates pre-screening procedures for patients who require mutational analysis of their archived tumour tissue prior to registration.

All staff are trained on study-specific protocol procedures, institutional laboratory guidelines, Good Clinical Practices, Good Laboratory Practices and departmental Standard Operating Procedures.

We maintain a Level II laboratory available to all other clinical research personnel processing blood specimens.

For additional information about our services, please contact us atCCRUcorrelativestudies@uhn.ca.

EDUCATION & TRAINING

CCRU has a collaborative team that includes a clinical trials nurse educator and a study coordinator education specialist. This team focuses on training, standardization of processes and communication to enhance the quality and productivity of the clinical trials enterprise at Princess Margaret.

Our training program consists of instructor-led presentations, mentoring of new staff and an e-Learning program. Our communication plan involves presentations of CCRU metrics and initiatives delivered across departments to raise awareness of our clinical trial productivity and operational efficiency.

Since 2010, we have been hosting a program-wide Education Day for all clinical research staff. This full-day event highlights practice-changing clinical trial work across the centre.

Well-organized record keeping promotes both accountability and integrity in research and allows for accurate reporting, interpretation and verification of clinical study information. Standardization of the research chart ensures continuity among all studies in regard to source document organization, improvement of the monitoring/auditing and data collection processes, and facilitation of cross-coverage of studies by clinical study teams.

We regularly keep the Princess Margaret community informed of current events and release a quarterly newsletter, the CCRU Times.

For additional information about our services, please contact Jasmine Brown atjasmine.brown@uhnresearch.ca. –

METRICS & PROCESS IMPROVEMENT

The Metrics and Process Improvement program reports on clinical research performance metrics and oversees the conduct of various clinical research processes within the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre.

Princess Margaret metrics:

• Twenty per cent of all patients treated at Princess Margaret participate in a clinical trial, compared with the provincial level of 8%.
• The rate of zero-accruing studies is 8.5%, compared with 28.6% at North American cancer centres (Dilts et al, Clin Cancer Res. 2010;16(22)).
• The time to open new studies was reduced by 32% from 2008 to 2010.
• Princess Margaret operates 300 open trials per year and opens 100 new trials per year.
• Quarterly and annual reports on performance are shared at the management, principal investigator and division head levels.

Clinical research processes supported:

• Data Safety Monitoring Board for investigator-initiated studies (single and multi-site)
• Public posting of active clinical trials for investigator-initiated studies (www.clinicaltrials.gov)
• Central listing of all studies within the program
• Patient education and communication about available studies

For additional information about our services, please contact ClinicalTrials-PMH@uhn.ca.

QUALITY ASSURANCE

The Quality Assurance Department of the CCRU supports a structure to ensure high-quality research at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. The ICH Guideline for Good Clinical Practiceis the standard for conducting all Princess Margaret clinical trials.

The health and safety of our study participants is paramount. As part of the quality system, Quality Assurance is responsible for developing, reviewing and approving standard operating procedures. Compliance with these procedures ensures that clinical research studies are conducted and data are generated, documented and recorded in compliance with the protocol, Guideline for Good Clinical Practice and applicable regulations.

The CCRU assesses quality through Quality Assurance Reviews, which verify that research studies are conducted in compliance with the study protocol, applicable regulations, standards operating procedures and institutional policies. Reports from audits conducted by external parties are also collected and tracked centrally.

In conjunction with the Education and Training component of the CCRU, the Quality Assurance team develops standard tools and processes for the Princess Margaret clinical research community and reviews the efficiency of these processes as they are incorporated into workflow.

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For more information, go to www.theprincessmargaret.ca or www.uhn.ca .

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