ICR Newsletter - December 2009

Table of Contents

  1. Message from the Scientific Director
  2. Funding Opportunities
  3. Funding Decisions
  4. ICR Supported Research: The use of cyclotrons to produce technetium radioisotopes
  5. CIHR-NSERC Workshop on Medical Imaging
  6. ICR’s Advisory Board Members
  7. Canadian Health Research Awards
  8. Meetings of interest to the cancer community
  9. ICR Events
  10. Contact us

1. Message from the Scientific Director

Dr. Morag ParkWelcome to the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR)’s newsletter where we are pleased to update you on the highlights of ICR’s activities, researchers and funding. We have made important progress in the last year both at ICR, where we are pleased to welcome new members to our Institute Advisory Board, and within the cancer research community.

Two ICR researchers were recently recognized at this year’s Canadian Health Research Awards. Dr. Nahum Sonenberg was named Canada's Health Researcher of the Year in Biomedical and Clinical Research and Dr. Lynne-Marie Postovit received Canada's Premier Young Researcher Award. The ICR research community congratulates Dr. Sonenberg and acknowledges his significant contributions to cancer research, and Dr. Postovit as an upcoming new investigator.

This last year has seen challenges as a result of the closedown of the Chalk River reactor causing shortages of Technetium-99m, which is used in more than 1.7 million clinical tests per year in Canada. ICR, together with NSERC and other CIHR Institutes, addressed these challenges by launching an RFA for Alternative Radiopharmaceuticals for Medical Imaging and by holding a workshop to position Canada’s medical imaging community.

Many of you will have participated in the forums and discussions held around the country towards building a strategic plan for cancer research in Canada, championed by the Canadian Cancer Research Alliance (CCRA). CIHR is a member of CCRA and contributed to the recent release of CCRA’s 3rd survey on Cancer Research Investment in Canada.

We at ICR look forward to continue working with the cancer research community in 2010 to further ICR’s mission of supporting research throughout the cancer care continuum, which will ultimately improve the health and quality of life of Canadians.

Morag Park, PhD
Scientific Director
Institute of Cancer Research

2. Funding Opportunities

The CIHR Institute of Cancer Research is dedicated to supporting research that reduces the burden of cancer on individuals and families through prevention strategies, screening, diagnosis, effective treatment, psycho-social support systems, and palliation. For more information about the full list of current funding opportunities offered by ICR, visit the ICR home page and click on the "ICR Funding Opportunities" link on the top right menu. Most opportunities are released in June and December of each year.

3. Funding Decisions

The most recent funding decision notification is the Operating Grant: Alternative Radiopharmaceuticals for Medical Imaging (September 2009 Competition: 200909MIS). ICR partnered with NSERC and five other CIHR Institutes to fund research into alternative radiopharmaceuticals for medical imaging. The temporary shutdown of the National Research Universal (NRU) nuclear reactor at Chalk River has resulted in a shortage of technetium-99m (Tc99m), a radioactive isotope used in medical imaging. Notably, Tc99m based-imaging is used for diagnosis of certain cancers and for pre-surgical evaluation of cancer patients. In order to identify possible strategies to deal with the shortage of radioisotopes, CIHR in partnership with the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council (NSERC) launched the Alternative Radiopharmaceuticals for Medical Imaging funding opportunity in June 2009. The objective of the RFA was to provide funds to accelerate the development of clinically useful alternatives to the Tc99m radiopharmaceuticals that are currently produced using molybdenum generators derived from nuclear reactors. This objective included alternative sources of Technetium production and alternative radionuclide labels for clinical radiopharmaceuticals. Projects that could bring a new radiopharmaceutical to the clinic within a few months were strongly encouraged.

ICR is pleased to announce that seven applications have received funding through this initiative:

  • Drs. François Bénard and Thomas Ruth, University of British Columbia, Cyclotron-based production of technetium radioisotopes
  • Drs. Robert A. De Kemp, Rob Beanlands, George A. Wells, Ottawa Heart Institute Research Corporation (Ontario), Rubidium-82 - An Alternative Radiopharmaceutical for Myocardial Imaging (Rb-ARMI)
  • Dr. Urs O. Hafeli, University of British Columbia, Replacement of 99mTc-Macroaggregated Albumin with Biodegradable 68Ga-Labelled Microspheres for Lung Perfusion Imaging
  • Dr. Urs O Hafeli, University of British Columbia, Substitution of 99mTc-labelled Red Blood Cells with a 68Ga-Labelled Polyglycerol for Cardiac Blood Pool Imaging
  • Dr. Terrence D. Ruddy, Ottawa Heart Institute Research Corporation (Ontario), Iodine-123 labeled Rotenone for Myocardial SPECT Perfusion Imaging
  • Dr. John F. Valliant, McMaster University, The formulation and clinical testing of I-123 Iodohippuran as an alternative to Tc-99m MAG3 for assessment of renal function in patients with kidney disease
  • Drs. Pamela L. Zabel and Muriel Brackstone, London Health Sciences Centre Res. Inc. (Ont.), Seventy-to-Ninety % Reduction of Tc-99m Required for Breast Cancer Lymphoscintigraphy

For more information on any of these projects, please visit our website.

This funding opportunity demonstrates how CIHR can deliver quickly on the research enterprise related to pressing issues affecting Canadians, and we will strive to do this more frequently in the future to address immediate health care concerns.

Related link: NSERC, CIHR support medical isotope research (Canadian Healthcare Technology)

All ICR funding decisions can be found on our home page by clicking on the ICR Funding Decisions link on the top right menu.

4. ICR Supported Research: The use of cyclotrons to produce technetium radioisotopes

In response to the challenge of the shortage of the most widely used radionuclide, Technetium-99m (Tc99m), presented by the shutdown of the National Research Universal (NRU) reactor at Chalk River and the opportunity provided by ICR and its partners through the Alternative Radiopharmaceuticals for Medical Imaging Request for Applications (RFA), a team led by Dr. François Bénard from the University of British Columbia and Dr. Thomas Ruth from TRIUMF is developing an alternative method for producing Technetium-99m (Tc99m) and Technetium-94m (Tc94m) through the use of cyclotrons. A cyclotron is a particle accelerator that accelerates protons in a spiral. Tc99m is conventionally produced through a generator where the parent radionuclide (Mo-99) is produced in a reactor, such as the NRU.

Although it was previously known that it is possible to use cylcotrons to produce these isotopes, Dr. Bénard and Dr. Ruth’s project, Cyclotron-based production of technetium radioisotopes, will look for the first time at the feasibility of producing large quantities of Tc99m and Tc94m on a regular basis for clinical diagnostic studies.

An important outcome of all of the research grants funded through this initiative will be to have a clinical application of the research within two years of receiving funding. Dr. Ruth explained that “because we are producing the same isotope that is currently in short supply in Canada, all current diagnostic studies that use Tc99m will be explored through our research.” The expectation is that isotopes produced through the cyclotrons will be available for use in patients within a year and a half, after the safety and efficacy of their use has been clearly demonstrated.

“The Alternative Radiopharmaceuticals for Medical Imaging RFA enabled our team to begin research on an alternative model of developing isotopes that will lead to clinical application in a way that may not have been possible through other research funding opportunities. This initiative recognized that although the use of cyclotrons to produce Tc99m had already been demonstrated it had never been taken all the way to the patient. Funding by CIHR and NSERC has allowed us to begin developing a viable alternative to the isotopes produced by reactors that are currently in short supply,” explained Dr. Ruth.

In addition to this major outcome, the research grant will also explore basic cyclotron targetry for different metals which may lead to a better understanding of the design of high power cyclotron targets.

5. CIHR-NSERC Workshop on Medical Imaging

Molecular and functional imaging is one of the fastest growing fields in medicine. The first biomedical images were taken with X-rays over 100 years ago and since then the development of innovative new imaging modalities, contrast agents, molecular probes and radiopharmaceuticals has significantly improved our ability to study biological structures and functions in health and disease, and continues to contribute to the evolution of medical care. Imaging technologies are increasingly used to probe biological function, identify early precursors of disease, guide surgical interventions and monitor treatment responses. Medical imaging is a field that spans both the physical and life sciences and is thus an ideal landscape for collaboration between two of Canada’s research granting councils – the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council (NSERC) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

In October 2009, CIHR and NSERC combined their efforts in the organization of a two day Medical Imaging Workshop which was held in Vancouver, BC.

The workshop brought together over 40 researchers from different environments and areas of expertise, ranging from technology development to clinical trials and delivery of care, to explore opportunities to create a Canadian strategy for medical imaging and a national imaging clinical trials network. The objectives of the workshop were:

  • To obtain an overview of the current state of imaging research in Canada
  • To identify important national and international trends in imaging research and provide international comparators and benchmarks
  • To identify future Canadian needs for imaging research, such as device development, clinical trials networks, a national imaging network
  • To develop strategies for identifying strategic priority areas in imaging research
  • To explore mechanisms for promoting sustainable collaborations and integration between life and physical sciences that would facilitate the translation of research findings to clinical practice

A workshop report will be available in the New Year on the ICR website.

6. ICR’s Advisory Board Members

The CIHR Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) represents a wide range of researchers and stakeholders including policy advisors and members of the lay community. Members of our Institute Advisory Board (IAB) provide support and guidance to the Scientific Director in aligning Institute activities with the Institute’s strategic priorities and the Institute’s goals of supporting outstanding research, enhancing research capacity, and building national and international partnerships in order to reduce the burden of cancer in Canada and worldwide. ICR’s IAB acts in an advisory capacity to the Scientific Director and the CIHR Governing Council, with respect to the full range of Institute activity.

Our IAB consists of 16 members who have been appointed by the Governing Council. They serve in a personal capacity and reflect the diversity of Canada’s health research community and society. Our IAB includes researchers who represent the highest standards of excellence across the four CIHR research themes and lay people who represent the vital role of volunteerism within the cancer community.

Our IAB Members, as of September 1, 2009, are: Drs. William Mackillop (Chair), Marcel Bally, Ronald Barr, François Bénard, Jacques Corbeil, Elizabeth A. Eisenhauer, Margaret I. Fitch, Ronald James Heslegrave, Scott Leatherdale, Anne-Marie Mes-Masson, Mark Nachtigal, Benjamin G. Neel, Louise Parker, Barbara Rotter, Mr. Steve Pillipow and Ms. Cheryl Robertson. Their biographies can be viewed on our website. (Please note that Dr. Barbara Rotter was recruited on December 1st, 2009 and her biography will be posted shortly).

If you would like more information regarding the Institute Advisory Board recruitment process, please see How to Apply to Become an IAB Member.

7. CIHR Canadian Health Research Awards

ICR would like to congratulate Dr. Lynne-Marie Postovit and Dr. Nahum Sonenberg, two outstanding cancer researchers recently honoured at the CIHR 8th annual Canadian Health Research Awards held in Ottawa on November 17, 2009 at the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa. Please visit the above links to learn about their exciting research.

8. Meetings of interest to the cancer community

9. ICR Events

Visit our web page for the full list of ICR events.

10. Contact us

Montreal

Scientific Director
Morag Park, PhD
Tel: 514-398-2895
mpark.ic-icr@mcgill.ca

Assistant Director
Benoît Lussier, PhD
Tel: 514-398-4964
benoit.lussier@mcgill.ca

Institute Administrator
Diana Sarai
Tel: 514-398-5611
diana.sarai@mcgill.ca

Accounts Administrator
Claudia Mongeon
Tel: 514-398-2147
claudia.mongeon@mcgill.ca

Secretary to the Director
Stephanie Pineda
Tel: 514-398-8792
stephanie.pineda@mcgill.ca

Mailing Address:
CIHR Institute of Cancer Research
3655 Promenade Sir-William-Osler, Room 701
Montreal, QC H3G 1Y6

Ottawa

Assistant Director, Ottawa
Judith Bray, PhD
Tel: 613-954-7223
judith.bray@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

Institute Project Officer
Diane Christin
Tel: 613-941-0997
diane.christin@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

Associate, Institute Strategic Initiatives
Kimberly Banks Hart
Tel: 613-954-1965
kimberly.hart@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

Associate, Institute Strategic Initiatives
Christian Brochu, PhD
Tel: 613-941-4329
christian.brochu@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

Mailing Address:
CIHR Corporate Headquarters
Room 97, 160 Elgin Street
Address locator: 4809A
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0W9