A Rich History of Discovery and Innovation
Dr. Vera Peters’
groundbreaking
work shows that
patients with
early Hodgkin
disease,
then considered
incurable, could
be cured if given
extended field
radiotherapy.
Dr. Tak Mak
discovers the
T-cell receptor,
considered the
‘Holy Grail’of
immunology.
Dr. Malcolm
Moore receives
first Phase II
clinical trials
funding from
the U.S. National
Cancer Institute,
the only cancer
centre with this
funding outside
of the U.S.
Dr. John Dick
identifies
colon cancer
stem cells.
First site in
Canada to use
a robot to
produce
chemotherapy
doses for
patients.
Dr. Rama
Khokha
uncovers
hormonal
factors that
impact adult
mammary stem
cells and cancer
development.
Dr. Lillian Siu
receives first
Phase I clinical
trials funding
from the U.S.
National Cancer
Institute, the
only cancer
centre with this
funding outside
of the U.S.
Dr. Rodger
Tiedemann
discovers
mechanisms of
Velcade
resistance in
multiple
myeloma,
illuminating the
root cause of
multiple
myeloma
relapse.
Dr. David Jaffray
pioneers the
integration of
cone-beam
computed
tomography
(CT) imaging
into radiation
treatment.
First North
American
installation of
full-field digital
mammography
enabling earlier
diagnosis of
breast cancer
with less
radiation.
Researchers
identify a gene
that, when
mutated,
results in
medulloblastoma,
the most common
brain tumour in
children.
Dr. Norman Boyd
identifies breast
density as a
major risk factor
for breast
cancer, and later
demonstrates
that it is highly
inheritable.
Dr. John Dick
isolates a human
blood stem cell
in its purest form
– as a single
stem cell
capable of
regenerating the
entire blood
system.
Dr. Gordon
Keller and his
team
successfully
develop
strategies to
produce heart
cells, blood cells,
pancreatic cells,
liver cells and
cartilage
producing cells
from pluripotent
stem cells.
Drs. Frances
Shepherd, Ming
Tsao, and Igor
Jurisica identify
gene ‘signature’
that predicts
lung cancer
patients’
response to
chemotherapy
in combination
with surgery.
Dr. Tak Mak
identifies a new
anticancer target
called PLK4,
which plays a
crucial role in the
process of cancer
cell division.
Health Canada
and U.S. FDA
provide clearance
to advance a
first-in-class
cancer drug to a
Phase I
clinical trial.
Dr. Harold Johns
develops the
“cobalt bomb”
for focused
high dose
radiotherapy,
making it
possible to treat
deep-seated
tissues with
radiation
therapy.
Dr. Victor Ling
discovers the
role of
P-glycoprotein
in the
development of
multidrug
resistance in
cancer cells.
Drs. James Till
and Ernest
McCulloch
discover stem
cells and how
they function,
which changed
the course of
cancer research.
Bone marrow
transplant unit
performs first
allogeneic
transplant —
transplants
between
unrelated
donors.
Drs. John Cho
and Marc de
Perrot discover
that radiation
therapy prior to
surgery can
double survival
rates in
mesothelioma
patients.
The Princess
Margaret
designs and
builds the
Hemitron, a
machine that
delivers full and
half-body
radiation.
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1950s 1961 1970s 1971
2014
