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.

Read More

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.

---

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

Read More

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health..CAMH

About CAMH Research

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is the leading mental health and addictions research facility in Canada, and one of the largest in the world. Research at CAMH is an integrated part of the organization. We share CAMH’s vision, mission, and values.

Our research program has three pillars:
• The Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, with a focus on brain science
• Clinical research
• Social and epidemiological research

AffiliationsAs a teaching hospital, all CAMH scientists hold cross-appointments with the University of Toronto. CAMH is a designated WHO/PAHO Collaborating Centre in Addictions and Mental Health.

contact info

Research Services Office​

33 Russell St., T100
Toronto, ON M5S 2S1

research@camh.ca

CAMH RESEARCH STRATEGIC PLAN 2013-2017

​The CAMH Research Strategic Plan​, launched in November 2013, sets out the roadmap for our research program for the future, in alignment with VISION2020, CAMH’s strategic plan. 

 Read the full report ​or view a snapshot of the plan below.

FACILITIES AND RESOURCES

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health houses state-of-the art facilities to conduct research. Some of our core facilites include:

RESEARCH IMAGING CENTRE

Positron Emission Tomography
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Radiochemistry

GENETICS FACILITIES

Genotyping Equipment
Microarray Equipment 

EXPERIMENTAL AND CLINICAL LABS

Mobile Research LabBrain Stimulation
Virtual Reality 

Alcohol and Gambling Lab

COMPUTING

Specialized Computing Cluster 

MICROSCOPY

Confocal Microscope

FACTS AND FUNDING

CAMH by the Numbers​

CAMH is home to the largest mental health and addictions research facility in Canada. We have more than 100 scientists, nearly 500 research staff and more than 150 trainees.

Research grants/contracts awarded in 2011-12: 223
External research funding in 2011-12: $40,006,075
Number of papers published in 2011: 458
Number of patents issued in 2011: 4

FUNDING SOURCES

We gratefully acknowledge the support of our major funders:
​

• Canadian Institutes of Health Research ​
• CAMH donors and the CAMH Foundation, with special thanks to: Campbell Family, Temerty Family, Fidani Family, Raymond Chang, Tanenbaum Family
• U.S. National Institutes of Health
• Health Canada
• Ministry of Health and Long-term Care
• Canada Foundation for Innovation
• Ministry of Economic Development and Innovation
• Public Health Agency of Canada

Some of the other partners we currently receive support from include:

Citizenship and Immigration Canada  ​
NARSAD: The Brain and Behaviour FundAmerican Foundation for Suicide Prevention
Ontario Mental Health Foundation
AFP Innovation Fund (Alternative Funding Program)
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
Bristol-Meyers Squibb
Ontario Problem Gambling Research Centre
Parkinson Society of Canada
Janssen-Ortho Inc.
Pfizer Canada Inc.
Mental Health Commission of Canada
Network of Centres of Excellence Research Awards – AUTO 21
Social and Enterprise Development Innovations (SEDI)
Schizophrenia Society of Ontario
Ontario Lung Association
Ontario Power Generation
Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada
American Psychiatric Association
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
American Psychiatric Foundation
Ontario Tobacco Research Unit
Canadian Child Health Clinician Scientist Program
Scottish Rite Charitable Foundation of Canada
University of Minnesota
ECHO – Improving Women’s Health in Ontario
InterVivo Solutions Inc.
International Rett Syndrome Foundation
Office for Disability Issues
Ministry of Children and Youth Services
Rotman School of Management
Canadian Health Services Research Foundation
Dempster Family Foundation
TEVA Pharma
Ontario Brain Institute
St. Stephen’s Community House ​
Toronto Public Health
World Health Organization
American Psychology Law Society Division 41 ​

MILESTONES AND HISTORY

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) was founded in 1998 as a result of the merger of the Clarke Institute of Psychiatry, the Addiction Research Foundation, the Donwood Institute, and the Queen Street Mental Health Centre.

Some research milestones by CAMH and its founding organizations include:

1974
Dr. Philip Seeman discovers that the effectiveness of antipsychotic drugs is directly related to their ability to block the dopamine D2 receptor. This opens the way to a scientific explanation for the drugs’ reactions. His papers are among the most highly cited in the schizophrenia literature.

1977
The Addiction Research Foundation (now part of CAMH) is named the first World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre in the field of drugs and alcohol. This international collaborative role continues today; in 2008, CAMH research underlies WHO’s adoption of the Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol.

Addiction Research Foundation develops RIDE (Reduce Impaired Driving in Etobicoke) as a pilot project beginning Oct. 1, 1977. Today RIDE (now Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere) is used by police across the country.

1992 
Opening of Canada’s first PET Centre (medical imaging) dedicated to research into mental illness. Over the following decade, CAMH’s PET Centre develops 12 of the 25 ligands (illuminating radiotracer agents) most commonly used in human neuroscience.

1998
Merger of four organizations to form the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH): Queen Street Mental Health Centre, Clarke Institute of Psychiatry, Donwood Institute, and Addiction Research Foundation – a pioneering move recognizing the interconnected nature of mental illness and addiction.

2005
CAMH scientists identify a new variant of the gene that causes Rett syndrome, a serious neurodevelopmental disorder that affects almost exclusively females. The discovery is translated into a licensed diagnostic tool for the disease that is currently available to the public.

2006
CAMH PET studies reveal that most antidepressants miss the key target – serotonin receptors – for treating clinical depression. The discovery establishes a standard that anti-depressants being developed for the market be 80 per cent effective in hitting this target.

Opening of the Krembil Family Epigenetics Laboratory at CAMH – the first psychiatric epigenetics lab in the world. Epigenetics explores the “switches” that turn genes on or off, for example, the impact of nutrition and stress.

2008 
CAMH opens Canada’s first pharmacogenetics clinic, dedicated to understanding the genetics of people’s response to psychiatric medication and the side-effects they experience. Its vision is a new era of personalized medicine for people living with all forms of mental illness and addiction.

CAMH researchers discover the first concrete genetic linkage to schizophrenia via a subtype of the disease called Deletion Syndrome (22qDS).

2010
CAMH scientists demonstrate that mindfulness-based cognitive therapy provides equivalent protection against depressive relapse as traditional antidepressant medication.

CAMH scientists discover higher levels of a brain protein called monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) in women after childbirth. This provides a possible explanation why post-partum blues and clinical depression occur, as MAO-A removes chemicals like serotonin that help maintain normal moods. Using this knowledge, scientists begin developing supplements to target this loss of nutrients, and lower the risk of post-partum depression.

2011
Using brain imaging and genetics, CAMH scientists identify a variation of a gene that may play a role in late-onset Alzheimer’s disease.

CAMH launches first mobile research laboratory to study mental health and addictions in communities across Ontario. With a goal of improving prevention and treatment services, the mobile lab will visit and partner with local agencies in rural, remote and First Nations communities.

2012

The Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute at CAMH officially opens. The institute is dedicated to understanding brain structure and function to identify the causes and best treatments for mental illness and addictions.

CAMH opens the Temerty Centre for Therapeutic Brain Intervention. The centre aims to research innovative non-invasive brain stimulation treatments including: Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and Magnetic Stimulation Therapy.

CAMH opens the Tanenbaum Centre for Pharmacogenetics, a research collaborative focused on identifying genetic predictors to personalize the prescription of psychiatric drugs. This approach could help to determine which clients are more likely to respond to a given medication, who will experience side-effects, and if dose adjustments need to be considered.

RESEARCH ETHIC BOARD

The Research Ethics Board (REB) at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) reviews research involving human participants, conducted under CAMH’s auspices, to ensure that it meets the highest ethical and scientific standards.
The REB has a diverse and experienced membership that includes scientists, clinicians, community members and those with specialized knowledge of law and ethics. The REB meets the requirements of the Tri Council Policy Statement and the International Committee on Harmonization of Good Clinical Practice. The Research Ethics Office provides support to the REB, ensures that initial and continuing review of human research is undertaken and provides educational programs for the research community.

For information on submitting protocols for review, see our Protocol Forms & Guidelinessection.

 CODE OF RESEARCH INTEGRITY

View CAMH’s Code of Research Integrity, approved by CAMH”s Research Executive Committee (updated Sept. 4, 2012).

RESEARCH ETHICS BOARD GENERAL INFORMATION

Effective May 3, 2004, all applications for approval by the CAMH Research Ethics Board of protocols, amendments or renewals must be accompanied by evidence of successful completion of the Tri-Council Policy Statement (TCPS-2) tutorial which can be accessed through http://www.pre.ethics.gc.ca/eng/education/tutorial-didacticiel/ Researchers who have already completed the NIH course may also wish to take the new TCPS-2 course but this is not mandatory.

EACH member of the research team must complete the course and supply Research Ethics Office. of CAMH Research Ethics Office with a copy of their certificate of completion. This requirement applies independent of source of study funding, although applicants for NIH funds must, in addition, take the NIH course.

Investigators must fill out the CAMH “Final Report for the Research Ethics Board” form and provide it to the CAMH Research Ethics Office upon completion of each study approved by the CAMH REB. If the study has NOT been completed or terminated, and needs to be renewed, please fill out the CAMH Annual Renewal of Ethics Approval form.

If a study is to be conducted only with external grant funding, the protocol will not be reviewed until the investigator indicates that the funding application has been successful and funds have been awarded. Investigators are free to submit their protocols prior to notice of funding but they will not be reviewed until funding has been confirmed.

If your study will be externally funded, please submit three (3) copies of your contract OR grant, including the budget, with this protocol form.

If your study will be internally funded, please submit three (3) copies of the budget with this protocol form.​

Investigators are reminded that it is THEIR responsibility to renew Research Ethics Board approval on a regular basis.  Approvals are given for at most 12 months and must then be renewed.  If a study has finished recruitment and data analysis has been completed then a Final Report Form must be completed.  Please refer to link for forms.

Investigators are reminded that approvals from the Research Ethics Board (REB) for studies/amendments which involve application to Health Canada are conditional upon approval by Health Canada.  Therefore the study/amendment cannot be initiated until both approval from the REB and Health Canada have been obtained.

NEW:

Effective immediately,scientists who wish to conduct PET Studies which involve a Clinical Trials Application to Health Canada must first obtain a completed form fromIrina Vitcu, PET Centre, prior to any REB submission.  This rule applies to both new protocols and study amendments.

CONSENT FORM CLINIC:

• Are you having trouble drafting a consent form for your research study?
• Do you want to learn more about CAMH, Research Ethics Board consent requirements?

If so, please contact Susan Pilon (Susan.Pilon@camh.ca) to arrange to meet with her for consent form advice.

NEW:  Additional consent form information.  Please include in all consent forms the following information:

“As part of the Research Services Quality Assurance Program, this study may be monitored and/or audited by a member of the Quality Assurance Team.  Your research records and CAMH records may be reviewed during which confidentiality will be maintained as per CAMH policies and extent permitted by law”.

Please verify if your consent forms reflect recent changes in the phone extension of the REB Chair, Dr. Padraig Darby.  The new extension is 36876.

PHIPPA

Please refer to this link for PHIPA Research Plan – Rev. June 2012

NEW:  REB UPDATE:  REMINDER AND CHANGES IN REB REQUIREMENTS FOR ADVERTISING FOR RESEARCH SUBJECTS.

Please refer to link for this information.

NEW:  GCP TRAINING

As an academic health science center, it is essential that CAMH and researcher and research personnel ensure that research is conducted in compliance with federal, provincial, local and institutional regulations in order to ensure the safety of research participants.  Compliance with Good Clinical Practice (GCP), which currently is the only international standard for conducting research, is important in ensuring the validity and credibility of research data by encompassing the design, conduct, performance, monitoring, auditing, recording, analysis and reporting of human subject research studies.  GCP also provides assurance that the rights, safety, confidentiality and well-being of research participants are protected.

GCP training is a CAMH requirement and must be completed prior to REB submission.  Please contact the Research Training Coordinator for more information regarding CP training. Kindly send GCP certificates directly to the Training Coordinator and not to Research Ethics Office.

Read More