2025-2026 Highlights

Evolving Cancer Research in Atlantic Canada: 2025-2026 Highlights

An Integrated Patient Partner Workshop & Research Conference

In Spring 2026, BHCRI delivered a comprehensive, multi-day oncology program designed to advance regional research, training, and care:

  • The Framework: A full-day Patient Partners Workshop running contiguously into our flagship 1.5-day Cancer Research Conference.

  • The Scope: A high-level scientific agenda spanning cutting-edge oncology fronts, clinical applications, and advanced trainee showcases.

  • The Impact: Brought clinicians, basic scientists, trainees, and patient advocates into the same room—reinforcing BHCRI as the premier interdisciplinary convenor in Atlantic Canada.

Cutting-Edge Scientific "Hot Topics"

Our interactive, roundtable-backed presentations explored high-impact frontiers in modern oncology. Led by regional experts, these collaborative sessions pushed past traditional lecture formats to spark deep dialogue on critical emerging areas, including:

  • Metabolism as the Master Regulator of Cancer Immunotherapy: Unlocking how cellular energy pathways influence immune responses.

  • Habilitation: Optimizing patient physical readiness and resilience throughout the treatment pipeline.

  • Cannabis in Cancer: Evaluating clinical applications, patient-reported outcomes, and current research gaps.

An Integrated Patient-Partner Panel

Bringing authentic community perspectives directly to the main stage. This 90-minute panel discussion advanced the work from the previous day's workshop to explore what meaningful collaboration looks like in practice.

  • The Panelists: Featured individuals with lived experience, national advocacy leaders, such as from the Canadian Cancer Survivor Network and Ovarian Cancer Canada, and our co-program facilitators.

  • The Outcome: Successfully mapped out robust, equitable research partnerships between the clinical research community and the patients they serve.

Trainee Excellence & Clinical Application

Spotlighting the region’s top emerging scientific talent. This dedicated focus highlighted the direct clinical promise of next-generation research through three high-visibility platforms:

  • The Competitions: A dedicated Cancer Research Training Program (CRTP) Poster Presentation session alongside highly competitive Trainee Oral Presentations.

  • The Highlight: An inspiring award lecture delivered by the prestigious 2025 Jen Johnston Research Award Winner.

Through these showcases, BHCRI actively accelerates how discovery moves from the laboratory bench to the clinic.

Keynote Speakers

Our flagship program was anchored by two premier, 50-minute keynote presentations and interactive Q&A sessions:

Keynote 1: Breast Cancer Frontiers

  • Speaker: Catherine Tomasetto, PhD

  • Topic: StAR-related lipid transfer domain-3 (STARD3), a vulnerability for HER2-amplified breast cancers

Keynote 2: Clinical Application & Habilitation

  • Speaker: Kristin Campbell, PT, PhD

  • Topic: Exercise: Is it time to implement in cancer care?

Top 3 achievements

While our annual conference showcased the immediate power of bringing our community together, BHCRI’s impact extends far beyond a single event. Throughout 2025–2026, we have actively channeled this collaborative energy into sustained regional advancements. Here is a look at our top three achievements reshaping the landscape of cancer research across Atlantic Canada:

Gairdner Connect Atlantic Hub

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Establishing the Gairdner Connect Atlantic Hub

BHCRI has successfully positioned itself as the regional lead for Gairdner Foundation programming in Atlantic Canada. This positioning builds directly on the success of our June 2025 pilot initiative featuring Dr. Lynne E. Maquat, Ph.D. (University of Rochester), an internationally renowned RNA biologist and 2015 Canada Gairdner International Award winner.

Plans are now actively underway for our first major two-part science outreach and lecture series in November 2026.

Pictured Here: 2015 Canada Gairdner International Award Winner Dr. Lynne E. Maquat, Ph.D., presenting at the June 2025 BHCRI-hosted Gairdner Connects regional lecture.

 

Integrated Learning Sessions

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Delivery of Integrated Learning Sessions Across the Cancer Continuum

BHCRI successfully delivered three Integrated Learning Sessions (ILSs) across 2025–2026.

Key frontiers across the oncology spectrum: May 2025 (Ovarian Cancer): Integrated clinical expertise with lived patient experiences to demonstrate how patient perspectives actively shape modern care design. |January 2026 (Thyroid Cancer): Explored recent clinical breakthroughs and structural advances in thyroid cancer care. |March 2026 (Prostate Cancer): Highlighted the emergence of precision medicine and targeted therapies in prostate oncology.

Pictured Here: From left to right: Dr. Jeanette Boudreau, BHCRI Scientific Director; Dr. Laura Hopkins, Presenter; Teresa Arthur, Patient Partner; Dr. Kathy Cho, Presenter; Dr. Jun Wang, ILS Collaborator; Dr. Scott Grandy, co-Chair BHCRI Research & Training Committee at May's ILS

Advanced Bioinformatics Training

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Advancement of Precision Oncology Training Through the Canadian Bioinformatics Hub Workshop

In November 2025, BHCRI partnered with Bioinformatics.ca to co-host a 1.5-day, hands-on training program: Genomics for Precision Oncology. The workshop focused on clinical cancer bioinformatics workflows, giving participants practical experience manipulating genomic data and analyzing variant strategies using real-world oncology datasets.

Advanced, Interdisciplinary Reach: Attracting a highly advanced cohort of MSc, PhD, and postdoctoral trainees (over 90% of participants), spanning fields from Community Health & Epidemiology to Biomedical Engineering and Pathology.

Pictured Here: Instructors, Participants and Teaching Assistants at the November 2025 Workshop

 

Investing in the Next Generation of Cancer Researchers

In total, our 2025–2026 trainee awards provided $207,500 in direct research funding, strengthening cancer research capacity across Atlantic Canada.

Our stipend award programs supported a strong cohort of emerging cancer researchers!

We awarded 3 Summer Studentships ($5,000 each; $15,000 total) to undergraduate trainees advancing projects in areas such as lymphoma therapeutics and CRISPR‑based gene regulation.

We also recognized 11 CRTP Graduate Trainees Across the Spring and Fall 2026 competitions, each receiving $17,500, for a total of $192,500 in advanced research support. Their work spanned tumour‑targeted therapeutics, cancer‑related health inequities, neurocognitive effects of chemotherapy, immune profiling, and environmental carcinogenesis.

Explore the full list of our 2025–2026 award recipients

With Gratitude to Our Donors & Partners

1 1 2025 EH Penguins Jr. B Hockey Club  (2)

We are deeply grateful to the funding partners and donor organizations whose generosity strengthens every part of our cancer research ecosystem. Together, these contributions build capacity, expand opportunities, and accelerate cancer research across Atlantic Canada.

To learn more about the organizations behind our awards and professional development opportunities, visit our funding partners page.
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Pictured Here: Members of the East Hants Penguins Jr. B Hockey Club join BHCRI trainees and researchers as they present a cheque to BHCRI from the proceeds of their Pink in the Rink jersey auction.