Our greater knowledge of the human genome is helping health professionals better understand a growing number of diseases leading to more effective treatments. Progress made in the field of precision medicine will transform patient care through better prevention, more accurate diagnoses and improved therapies. The changes will be beneficial for the health of all Quebecers and for the Québec health system as a whole.
To leverage this progress, Dominique Anglade, Deputy Premier, Minister of Economy, Science and Innovation and Minister responsible for the Digital Strategy, announced this April 25, on DNA Day, an investment of nearly $21 million for Québec. The funding, which will be directed to the Genomics and Precision Health competition of Genome Canada and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, represents a sum of nearly $58 million for Québec, when combined with the share from the federal government and private partners. A sum of $4.5 million from the provincial contribution will go toward supporting Génome Québec in the pursuit of its mission.
The four Québec researchers who have been awarded funding for the excellence of their research projects are:
- Dr. Nada Jabado, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, who is receiving
$13 million for her research project into pediatric brain cancer;
- Dr. François Rousseau, CHU de Québec-Université Laval research centre, who is receiving $12.2 million for his research project into prenatal screening of chromosome anomalies in maternal blood;
- Dr. Guy Sauvageau, Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer of Université de Montréal, who is receiving $12.8 million for his research project into a precision therapy for acute myeloid leukemia;
- Professor Jacques Simard, CHU de Québec-Université Laval research centre, who is receiving $15.5 million for his research project into the prevention and early detection of breast cancer.
Two other Québec researchers join the pan-Canadian roster of award recipients:
- Professor Bartha Knoppers,McGill University, principal co-investigator on a research project dealing with optimizing genetic counselling;
- Dr. Ruth Sapir-Pichhadze, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, principal co-investigator on a research project dealing with kidney transplants.
“We applaud the provincial government’s decision to support the exceptional work of our researchers through major investments that will help Québec excel in precision health for the benefit of Québec patients. This funding, combined with federal investments, represent an outstanding financial lever for Québec. Congratulations to the winning research teams, whose efforts, now more than ever, will put genomics to work for individuals and society,” said Daniel Coderre, President and CEO of Génome Québec.
At a Glance
The research teams working on the genomics and precision health projects mentioned here were awarded funding under the 2017 Large-Scale Applied Research Project Competition – Genomics and Precision Health, in partnership with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. To learn more about the competition.
- Listen to Minister Dominique Anglade commending Québec’s expertise in genomics (in French only).
- Read the press release from the ministère de la Science, de l’Économie et de l’Innovation.
- The research teams working on the genomics and precision health projects mentioned here were awarded funding under the 2017 Large-Scale Applied Research Project Competition – Genomics and Precision Health, in partnership with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. To learn more about the competition.
- The Québec government has invested a sum of nearly $21 million.
- Watch a video produced by Génome Québec presenting the four researchers and award recipients.
- April 25 is DNA Day. It commemorates the April 1953 discovery of DNA’s double helix by James Watson and Francis Crick.