Pictured above is Dr. Huntsman in St. Johns Newfoundland, near the place where Terry Fox began his run.
The Doctors of BC Terry Fox Medal is awarded to outstanding individuals who have a track record of making a difference in cancer care. We are proud to share that Dr. David Huntsman, distinguished scientist at the BC Cancer Research Institute and professor in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of British Columbia, is the recipient of this year’s prestigious award.
Dr. Huntsman is internationally recognized for transforming the understanding and management of gynecologic cancers. His groundbreaking research revealed that ovarian cancer is not a single disease but five distinct molecular subtypes – a discovery that redefined global standards for diagnosis and treatment. He has also identified key mutations in rare ovarian cancers, such as FOXL2 and SMARCA4, leading to new diagnostic tools and targeted therapies. Earlier in his career, his work on hereditary gastric cancer enabled genetic testing and preventive strategies that have saved lives across Canada and worldwide.
Beyond research, Dr. Huntsman’s leadership has been instrumental in shaping cancer care and research in Canada and beyond. He co-founded and leads OVCARE, BC’s multidisciplinary ovarian cancer research team, and helped establish national and international consortia that have advanced biomarker discovery and clinical trials. His vision also drove the creation of MAPcore, a cutting-edge molecular pathology platform, and he has served in key roles with the Canadian Cancer Society.
A dedicated mentor, Dr. Huntsman has guided over 100 trainees, many of whom are now leaders in cancer pathology, oncology, genomics and computational medicine. His commitment to translating research into patient benefit extends to entrepreneurship: he co-founded Contextual Genomics, now Avitia Bio, to make personalized cancer diagnostics accessible across Canada and internationally.
“Doing research as a career is a great privilege. I was fortunate that I started my career at a moment when BC Cancer had great institutional ambition, and as a young researcher I felt obliged to try to change the world from BC, for BC first,” shared Dr. Huntsman.
“With my mentors Dr. Dianne Miller and Dr. Blake Gilks, both past Terry Fox Medal winners, I built OVCARE, a great team, that enabled my work and through mentorship is ready to keep growing in impact in gynecologic cancer beyond our careers. OVCARE’s team approach along with clinical and patient engagement in our work – which kept us focused on key challenges in gynecologic cancer care – increased the impact and expedited translation of our research into practice.”
“Being awarded the Terry Fox Medal connects me to Terry Fox’s heroic legacy and to the tremendous legacy of past awardees; this is a profound honour, and I am very grateful.”
Celebrating Dr. Huntsman
Dr. Huntsman will be presented with the Terry Fox Medal during an awards ceremony at the BC Cancer Summit on Friday, Nov. 21. His career exemplifies the spirit of the Terry Fox Medal: advancing cancer research and care through innovation, collaboration and unwavering dedication to improving patient outcomes.
About the Doctors of BC Terry Fox Medal
The Terry Fox Medal recognizes individuals conducting clinical practice, research, or teaching/education who have achieved national or international recognition based on the following:
- a distinguished career of achievement in their area of focus;
- a seminal advance through the conduct of their endeavors;
- advancement in the conduct of cancer medicine and cancer control.