Facilitating the research of numerous nationally and internationally recognized scientists, in over sixty labs across British Columbia, to improve cancer care.

BC Cancer Research strives to improve the lives of patients through the integration of basic biomedical research, genomics, clinical trials, health services research, cancer surveillance, population health, and the development of innovative new technology, programs, and interventions. Organized through departments and programs with various themes, BC Cancer supports groundbreaking cancer research and personalized care approaches through world-class facilities and platforms including genomics, bioinformatics, imaging, drug development and tissue banking.

Our Research

The success of BC Cancer is driven by the people and their passion to reduce the impact of cancer on people and society. Our 2022 Research Report showcases how BC Cancer continues to be internationally recognized for our excellence in cancer research and its integrated model of cancer planning and care. 

Read the 2022 BC Cancer Research Report. 

News & Events

BC Cancer researchers awarded in Michael Smith Health Research BC 2024 Scholar and Health Professional-Investigator competition

Five BC Cancer researchers are 2024 recipients of the Michael Smith Health Research BC’s Scholar and Health Professional-Investigator competition, receiving new funding to conduct critical research, develop innovative treatments, and translate their findings into practices that benefit people across BC.

Two BC Cancer research teams awarded in 2024 competition for prestigious Terry Fox New Frontiers Program Project Grants

Two BC Cancer research teams are 2024 recipients of the Terry Fox New Frontiers Program Project Grants (PPG), receiving new and renewal funding to advance cancer research and improve treatments. 

Project: Integrated Immunotherapy for Ovarian Cancer

One of this year’s newly funded teams is based in Victoria and led by Dr. Brad Nelson. 

Dr. Ryan Morin receives Canadian Cancer Society Bernard and Francine Dorval Prize

Dr. Ryan Morin (Centre for Lymphoid Cancer) is the co-recipient of the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) Bernard and Francine Dorval Prize. 

Dr. Morin is a national and international leader in his field of studying how changes to our genes lead to cancer. He has conducted cutting-edge research that has directly helped doctors understand, diagnose and better treat lymphomas. 

Drug discovery could prevent spread of childhood bone cancer

Despite decades of advancement in treatment, cancer spreading to multiple parts of the body remains one of the biggest challenges facing patients and their health care teams.

This is particularly true for osteosarcoma, the most common bone cancer in children and teenagers. While survival rates are approximately 70 per cent for people with localized disease, there is a high risk of metastatic spread to the lungs, after which the odds of survival fall dramatically to 20 per cent or less.

Save the date! Inaugural GSC Collaborator Forum October 22

Save the date – on October 22nd the GSC will be hosting our first-ever collaborator forum! Please join us for this one-day conference, hear exciting talks from genomics researchers, and engage with the local scientific community and our technology sponsors: Illumina, Oxford Nanopore and PacBio. Registration opening early September!

Save the date! Inaugural GSC Collaborator Forum October 22

Save the date – on October 22nd the GSC will be hosting our first-ever collaborator forum! Please join us for this one-day conference, hear exciting talks from genomics researchers, and engage with the local scientific community and our technology sponsors: Illumina, Oxford Nanopore and PacBio. Registration opening early September!

Congratulations to Tabea Stephan (Hoodless Lab) on receiving a Stem Cell Network 2019 Till & McCulloch Meetings travel award.

Tabea has been awarded this competitive Stem Cell Network travel award to attend the 2019 Till & McCulloch Meetings (TMM2019) and present her work on deciphering epigenetic dynamics during in vitro hepatocyte differentiation. TMM2019 will be held in Montréal, Québec, November 4-6, 2019.
 

Research Recovery Resources

BC Cancer Research is taking a gradual and careful approach to re-opening research activities to protect our staff, patients and communities.

Access our COVID-19 recovery resources.

Our Strategic Plan

Our Strategic Plan outlines our direction to strengthen our research capabilities and collaboration with departments and partners to improve our ability to generate knowledge, enhance the impact of our research, and support innovation in clinical care.  

Read the BC Cancer Research Strategic Plan.

Facilitating research excellence through management of day-to-day operations.

Office of Research Administration

Conducting research to improve the prevention, detection and treatment of cancer.

Cancer Control Research

Developing and deploying genomics technologies and services in support of cancer and life sciences research.

Genome Sciences Centre

Making novel discoveries in the biology underlying normal development and cancer progression.

Terry Fox Laboratory

Characterising the molecular changes that underpin the progression and pathogenesis of cancer.

Molecular Oncology

Researching the optical, radiobiological and genetic properties of cancer.

Integrative Oncology

Improving patient outcomes by gaining a deeper understanding of lymphoma biology and progression, for use in clinical applications.

Lymphoid Cancer Research

Defining better intervention strategies for individuals diagnosed with aggressive cancers.

Experimental Therapeutics

Clinical Research

Harnessing the immune system to detect and treat cancer.

Deeley Research Centre

The Nursing and Allied Health Research and Knowledge Translation department promotes innovation and excellence in interprofessional research and knowledge mobilization to drive evidence-informed improvements in care, better patient outcomes and increased system performance.

Nursing and Allied Health Research and Knowledge Translation

Publications

Whole genome and transcriptome integrated analyses guide clinical care of pediatric poor prognosis cancers

Nature Communications
Rebecca J Deyell, Yaoqing Shen, Emma Titmuss, Katherine Dixon, Laura M Williamson, Erin Pleasance, Jessica M T Nelson, Sanna Abbasi, Martin Krzywinski, Linlea Armstrong, Melika Bonakdar, Carolyn Ch'ng, Eric Chuah, Chris Dunham, Alexandra Fok, Martin Jones, Anna F Lee, Yussanne Ma, Richard A Moore, Andrew J Mungall, Karen L Mungall, Paul C Rogers, Kasmintan A Schrader, Alice Virani, Kathleen Wee, Sean S Young, Yongjun Zhao, Steven J M Jone, Janessa Laskin, Marco A Marra, Shahrad R Rassekh
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