ON TARIO IN STIT U T E FOR C A N C E R RE S Ontario Institute for E ARC H ANNU Cancer Research A L REP ANNUAL REPORT 2010/11 ORT 2010/11 MaRS Centre, South Tower 101 College Street Suite 800 Toronto, Ontario Canada M5G 0A3 Telephone 416.977.7599 Toll-free 1.866.678.6427 info@oicr.on.ca www.oicr.on.ca Funding for the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research is provided by the Government of Ontario. CJ23389 Cover.indd 1 11-07-07 6:56 PM Message from the Minister of Research and Innovation It is my pleasure to thank the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR) for the outstanding work it has done over For information about the the past year to improve the health and wellbeing of the people of Ontario. Ontario Institute for Cancer Research please contact: T he work you do has a direct impact on the lives of everyone in the province. It offers hope to the nearly 70,000 Ontarians Rhea Cohen who will be diagnosed with cancer in 2011 and to many millions more around the world. T he survival rate for most types Director of Communications rhea.cohen@oicr.on.ca of cancer is constantly improving – and your work is helping to make that happen. 416-673-6642 OICR is recognized around the world for its leadership in cancer research. T he Institute’s high profile role – and that of its President and Scientific Director, Dr. Tom Hudson – in the International Cancer Genome Consortium is just one example of that leadership. T his could not happen without your strong commitment, not only to research, but to moving the resulting discoveries quickly from the lab through clinical trials and into the commercial marketplace where doctors around the world can use them to save lives. Your work also contributes greatly to Ontario’s economic prosperity. Over the past year you have helped to commercialize Ontario technologies that promise to advance the field of personalized cancer medicine. T he payback for Ontario goes well beyond the obvious health benefits. T hese investments strengthen our innovation-based economy and create skilled jobs for Ontarians. On behalf of both the government and people of Ontario, congratulations on your achievements over the past year, and my best wishes for your continued success in the years ahead. Sincerely, Glen Murray Minister of Research and Innovation 22 trees 5 million BTU’s 1,291 lbs. 5,820 gallons 369 lbs. preserved net energy greenhouse wastewater solid waste (2 tons of wood) not consumed gases prevented flow saved not generated T his annual report is printed on FSC® certified paper. CJ23389 Cover.indd 2 7/12/11 3:21 PM T he Ontario Institute for Cancer Research T HE ONTARIO INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RESEARCH IS AN INNOVATIVE TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO RESEARCH ON THE PREVENTION, EARLY DETECTION, DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF CANCER. IT IS CREATING TANGIBLE HEALTH BENEFITS FOR CANCER PATIENTS WORLDWIDE AS WELL AS ECONOMIC BENEFITS FOR THE PEOPLE OF ONTARIO. T he Institute: potential impact on patients. T hey build on Ontario’s • Is an independent, not-for-profit corporation; existing global strengths – medical imaging, clinical • Focuses on the translation of ideas into products, services trials, cancer stem cells and bio-therapeutics. OICR and improved clinical practice; has complemented these strengths with world-leading • With its collaborators and partners has an annual budget programs and facilities in genomics, bioinformatics of more than $160 million; and high-throughput screening (see page 5). • Is headquartered in the MaRS Centre in the heart of In addition to supporting research OICR maintains Toronto’s Discovery District; its translational pipeline through shared infrastructure, • Along with its collaborators and partners, supports more resources and world-class expertise along with sufficient than 1,400 researchers, clinician scientists, research staff funding for these activities. Staff on OICR’s commercialization and trainees at MaRS and at Ontario’s leading universities team engages directly with scientists to advance their and hospital-based research institutes. inventions to clinical application. OICR also actively seeks industry partners and private investors to participate in T he Institute’s clinical and translational research activities bringing discoveries to market (see page 9 for a description are strategically chosen to focus on areas of the highest of OICR’s commercialization resources and activities). • OICR ANNUAL REPORT 2010/11 1 CJ23389 Text.indd 1 11-07-11 6:53 PM Message from the Chair of the Board of Directors and the President and Scientific Director THIS HAS BEEN A MILESTONE YEAR. THE INSTITUTE CELEBRATED ITS FIFTH ANNIVERSARY AND LAUNCHED ITS SECOND FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN. OICR was established with a mandate to act as a catalyst, OICR is a new model of translational medicine that sits working with cancer research institutions across the between academic institutions and receptors of scientific province, to undertake a strategic approach in Ontario and innovation in the private sector. to focus on translation, development and commercialization T hrough its program and platforms, OICR has effectively of cancer research findings resulting in health and economic established a therapeutic target through to drug pipeline. benefits for the province. T hrough the first five years, the Its drug development program, staffed with 30 scientists, Institute has been a strategic enabler and played a significant is unique in Canada outside of pharmaceutical companies. role in raising the international profile of Ontario. OICR plays an international leadership role in genomics and OICR has enriched the cancer research community the Genome Technologies Platform is a critical element of in the province by supporting the recruitment of leading the Institute’s translational program. It is a fundamental tool international scientists and the retention of a significant in evolving our understanding of cancer and the basis of number of bright, accomplished young investigators in personalized medicine in the clinic. Ontario. T he Program and Platform leaders are an OICR has been instrumental in the support of important outstanding team of internationally recognized scientists. national and international collaborations. T he International Most recently, we have welcomed Dr. John Bartlett, who Cancer Genome Consortium, now has 40 projects underway joined OICR this year as the leader of the Transformative around the world (see page 20) hosted by 13 countries. Pathology Platform. He is developing a multi-disciplinary, OICR’s informatics team is already disseminating cancer multi-institutional plan to make Ontario a world leader genome data for over 3,000 tumours to researchers around in molecular pathology of cancer. He was Professor of the world using web-based tools. Molecular Pathology in the Department of Pathology at T hrough its Commercialization program OICR is the University of Edinburgh’s School of Molecular and supporting the development of promising research applications Veterinary Medicine and has played key roles in the design to ensure that the discoveries of Ontario’s cancer researchers and analysis of multi-centre clinical trials, several of which move out of the lab and into the clinic. T he 15 investments played pivotal roles in establishing new therapeutic regimens made by the Commercialization program’s Intellectual for breast cancer in the U.K. and Europe. Property Development and Commercialization Fund over In total, OICR, with its partners and collaborators, now a period of three years have resulted in: supports 1,400 investigators, clinician-scientists, research • 8 new start-up companies; staff and trainees located at our headquarters and in research • 6 industry co-development deals; institutes and academia across the province of Ontario, in • 6 projects with manufactured prototypes; Hamilton, Kingston, London, Ottawa, Sudbury, T hunder Bay, • 3 private capital (VC) investments; Toronto and Waterloo. 2 CJ23389 Text.indd 2 11-07-11 6:53 PM LEFT TO RIGHT Dr. Tom Hudson President and Scientific Director Dr. Calvin Stiller Chair, Board of Directors • 3 technologies licensed or partnered; As we close the year, we wish to thank Dr. Joseph Pater, • 4 projects with sales revenues; who stepped down as a member of the Board of Directors for • 3 projects started first-in-man studies (devices). his wise advice and counsel. We welcome Mr. Allan Rock, Dr. Ben Neel, Dr. Michael Sherar, Ms. Susan T hompson A major event this year was the launch of the Ontario and Dr. David Williams, who joined the Board this past year. Health Study, which will grow over the next decades to We also wish to thank Drs. Tony Pawson and John be one of the largest population-based health studies ever Potter, who completed their terms on the Scientific Advisory conducted. Close to 40,000 Ontarians over the age of 18 Board (SAB) for their valuable contribution and welcome have already registered with the Study to help researchers Drs. Karen Gelmon and David Mankoff to the SAB. investigate the complex interplay of environmental, lifestyle We gratefully acknowledge the continuing excellent and genetic components that increase the risk of developing support of the Government of Ontario through the Ministry cancer and other chronic diseases such as diabetes. of Research and Innovation. As champions of research and T he Ontario Health Study will be supported by the newly development in Ontario, they are helping to establish created Genetic Epidemiology and Biostatistics Platform, Ontario as a world leader in cancer research and innovation. which will develop the tools to analyze data for new knowledge Our success would not be possible without the talent, about the causes and progression of cancer and related dedication and hard work of the staff of the Institute. conditions. It will also assist in the translation of this new T heir engagement and commitment to excellence drive knowledge into prevention and health promotion strategies.
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