Ottawa Hospital Research Institute

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Blood cancer

The Ottawa Hospital is conducting cutting-edge research to improve our understanding of blood cancer and develop better treatments. This page includes selected news stories about our blood cancer research, links to researchers working in this area and related resources. Learn more below.

Research News

	Making CAR T Therapies More Accessible January 2, 2024 - “Our study shows there is room for CAR T therapy in the market. We further show that Canadian-made CAR T therapy could be cost-effective and has a much better chance of being funded than existing commercial CAR T therapies.”
	A promising treatment for terminal cancer patients may be just the beginning December 15, 2023 - Researchers in Ottawa and Vancouver are building a made-in-Canada network to treat patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and other cancers
	Meet Dr. Natasha Kekre, The Ottawa Hospital’s new Research Chair in Advanced Stem Cell Therapy September 18, 2023 - The best part of Dr. Natasha Kekre’s workday is when she is able to offer hope to her patients through clinical trials. As The Ottawa Hospital’s new Research Chair in Advanced Stem Cell Therapy, Dr. Kekre is looking forward to many more hopeful conve
Show more news stories
	Examining CAR-T therapy, person by person June 5, 2023 - Who responds better to CAR-T therapy? Men or women? What dose of the therapy works best?
	Meet Dr. Manoj Lalu, the clinician-scientist bringing lab discoveries to patients every day March 16, 2023 - From looking at how we can use stem cells to treat diseases like sepsis to dealing with patients directly in the ICU and OR, Dr. Lalu is making an impact behind the scenes and beyond.
	Dr. Natasha Kekre wins national recognition for early career success March 15, 2023 - Dr. Kekre's early-career work has secured millions in funding and led to numerous peer-reviewed publications as she’s helped advance the immunotherapy field in Canada.
	‘Cord blood cells are priceless for us’ March 1, 2023 - Cord blood donors help fuel Dr. William Stanford’s research and bring hope to leukemia patients
	How patients can improve the way new cancer therapies are assessed January 27, 2023 - Researchers are bringing patient perspectives on new health technologies into the health economic evaluation process.
	Meet Dr. Natasha Kekre January 26, 2023 - A hematologist for our Transplant and Cellular Therapy Program, Dr. Kekre is also an associate scientist in our Clinical Epidemiology Program and an associate professor at the University of Ottawa.
	Made-in-Canada approach enhancing access to groundbreaking CAR-T cancer therapy January 19, 2023 - Researchers at The Ottawa Hospital are partnering with colleagues across the country to expand access to new technology that turns patients’ immune cells into super-charged cancer-killers.
	People with lived experience of cancer are bringing crucial insights to studies January 11, 2023 - The early days after Gary Davis’s leukemia diagnosis were all a blur. Now cancer-free, Gary is advising our researchers on how to navigate difficult conversations about study participation with patients like himself
	CAR-T clinical trial provides ‘one last shot’ for leukemia patient January 11, 2023 - Camille Leahy was out of options. Here's what led her to a Canadian-first CAR T-cell therapy clinical trial at our hospital.
	Canadian-Led Immunotherapies in Cancer (CLIC) program inspires innovative CAR-T trial in Denmark December 8, 2022 - CAR-T therapy is a groundbreaking cancer treatment that involves genetically engineering a patient’s own immune cells to attack their cancer. While this therapy is commercially available in many countries, cancer researchers are also developing their
	Researchers at The Ottawa Hospital awarded 19 CIHR grants worth more than $12 million July 20, 2022 - These projects will advance science and improve health in areas such as cancer, neuroscience, regenerative medicine, autism, Kabuki Syndrome, kidney disease, patient engagement, blood transfusions, sepsis, surgery, anesthesia, plasma donation, muscle
	First made-in-Canada CAR-T cell therapy for cancer shows promise in clinical trial June 17, 2022 - More than a dozen people with cancer who had exhausted all treatment options are alive and cancer-free today thanks to a pioneering Canadian clinical trial of a highly personalized kind of immunotherapy.
	Drilling down to improve CAR T therapy May 4, 2022 - Dr. Dean Fergusson and his team are drilling down into clinical trial data, which is normally reported at an aggregate level, at the individual patient level to get more information about who benefits most from CAR T therapy and under what conditions
	Kiss of sleep: how blood cancer cells put the immune system’s Natural Killer cells to sleep April 13, 2022 - Researchers at The Ottawa Hospital and the University of Ottawa have discovered that a kind of kiss between cells, called trogocytosis, plays a key role in the battle between the immune system and blood cancer cells.
	Researchers at The Ottawa Hospital awarded 18 CIHR grants worth more than $11 million February 5, 2022 - These projects will advance science and improve health in areas such as tuberculosis, blood disease, prostate cancer, heart disease, muscle repair, sleep apnea, brain cancer, medical imaging, virtual care, prehab, intellectual disability, sarcoma, CA
	First made-in-Canada CAR-T therapy gives lymphoma patient a third chance January 10, 2022 - Faced with the return of his lymphoma for the third time in ten years, Owen Snider was running out of options. But there was new hope when he was accepted into a made-in-Canada CAR-T therapy clinical trial.
	How well do COVID-19 vaccines work in people with blood cancer? July 15, 2021 - Blood cancer, and the treatments used to fight it, can weaken the immune system and make patients more susceptible to viruses like COVID-19. A weak immune system can also mean a weaker response to vaccines, but very little research has been done on C
	New Scientist profile: Dr. Miriam Kimpton aims to prevent blood clots in patients with rare blood cancer April 30, 2021 - Dr. Miriam Kimpton’s research centers on myeloproliferative neoplasms, a rare form of chronic blood cancer
	Experts on call: Stem cells, gene therapy and biotherapeutics April 22, 2021 - Could biotherapeutics be the key to the next wave of medical breakthroughs? Join this lively discussion to learn how researchers at The Ottawa Hospital are using biological materials like cells, genes and viruses to heal the body and fight disease.
	Translational research grant could help to develop new immunotherapies for leukemia April 5, 2021 - While CAR-T and other forms of immunotherapy are providing new hope for people with acute B-cell leukemia (B-ALL), much less progress has been made in treating acute T-cell leukemia (T-ALL).
	Cancer team awarded $5M for cell-based immunotherapy research March 3, 2021 - Researchers at The Ottawa Hospital and the University of Ottawa are partnering with colleagues across the country to expand Canada’s capacity to develop new cell-based immunotherapies for cancer with a $5.2 million grant from the Canada Foundation fo
	One small step for blood cancer patients, one giant step for Canadian cancer patients of all stripes February 25, 2021 - The Canadian-Led Immunotherapies in Cancer (CLIC) research program is building Canada’s capacity for innovation in CAR-T therapy, with support from BioCanRx, The Ottawa Hospital, BC Cancer and the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research
	Hold the blood: world-first clinical trial could cut transfusions nearly in half for blood cancer patients September 23, 2020 - Regular red blood cell transfusions are a reality of life for many people with blood cancer. But now, a world-first clinical trial published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology has found that blood cancer patients don’t need nearly as many blood tran
	The Ottawa Hospital and uOttawa launch new cancer immunotherapy research projects with funding from BioCanRx September 22, 2020 - BioCanRx, Canada’s Immunotherapy Network, today announced funding of $10M for 14 cancer immunotherapy research projects and eight core and biomanufacturing facilities across the country. Researchers at The Ottawa Hospital (TOH) and the University of
	Ottawa a “hotbed of patient partnerships in research” September 27, 2019 - The Ontario SPOR Support Unit’s summer newsletter showcases how Ottawa has become a “hotbed of patient partnerships in research.” Three stories demonstrate how researchers at The Ottawa Hospital are partnering with patients and caregivers to improve
	The promise of CAR-T therapy for cancer: meta-analysis shows the big picture August 14, 2019 - CAR-T therapy, which uses a patient’s own genetically modified immune cells, is one of the most exciting advances in cancer treatment. To get a big picture view of the field, Drs. Manoj Lalu and Dean Fergusson led a team that analyzed data from nearl
	The Ottawa Hospital awarded 13 grants worth $11.2 million from Canadian Institutes of Health Research July 26, 2019 - Researchers at The Ottawa Hospital have been awarded 13 grants worth a total of $11.2 million from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). The new projects focus on areas such as cancer immunotherapy, hepatitis C infection, blood clots, ar
	Precision medicine approach for leukemia awarded $1.5M May 1, 2019 - Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is one of the deadliest forms of cancer. A team of researchers from The Ottawa Hospital and uOttawa is hoping to revolutionize treatment for AML by developing a “precision medicine” approach.
	Breakthrough reveals how a stem cell decides between two fates March 29, 2019 - Dr. Marjorie Brand’s team discovered how a blood stem cell decides whether to become a red blood cell or a platelet-forming cell in a new study published in Cell Stem Cell. By using a technique that measures tiny amounts of proteins in individual cel
	Patients and clinical trial experts key to upcoming made-in-Canada CAR-T clinical trial March 1, 2019 - Researchers at The Ottawa Hospital and the University of Ottawa are known around the world for their expertise in designing and leading clinical trials, and they're now applying this knowledge to create a made-in-Canada approach for CAR-T cell cl
	Dr. William Stanford has been named The Ottawa Hospital’s Chrétien Researcher of the Year for his work on blood cancer and other diseases October 23, 2018 - When Dr. William Stanford first became a biological scientist, he simply followed his curiosity and was happy to let others pursue any practical applications of his research. Today, he goes on bedside rounds with clinicians, meets with patients and d
	New drug combination destroys chemo-resistant blood cancer October 22, 2018 - Researchers from The Ottawa Hospital and the University of Ottawa have developed a promising targeted strategy to treat chemotherapy-resistant acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and a diagnostic test to determine which AML patients would most likely benefi
	People with rare blood cancer live longer, healthier lives with new targeted treatment regimen August 1, 2018 - A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, co-authored by Dr. David MacDonald, is providing hope and changing lives for people with Waldenström's macroglobulinemia. This rare form of cancer occurs in white blood cells called B cells, w
	Exosomes open up exciting new avenue of leukemia research April 11, 2018 - When exosomes were first discovered more than 30 years ago, most scientists thought they were useless bags of waste released by our cells. But in recent years, researchers have realized that exosomes may be able to help us understand, diagnose and
	Exploiting the Achilles’ heel of a severe form of childhood leukemia March 19, 2018 - Drs. Marjorie Brand and Jean-François Couture were awarded $588,000 from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to investigate a new treatment approach for one of the most aggressive forms of childhood leukemia. The current treatment for T-cell
	The Ottawa Hospital awarded $12.7M for research, double the national CIHR success rate January 30, 2018 - Sixteen research groups at The Ottawa Hospital, affiliated with the University of Ottawa, have been awarded $12.7 million in the most recent project grant competition from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). This represents a success r
	Ottawa researchers to play lead role in new cancer immunotherapy studies February 15, 2017 - BioCanRx funds research into CAR-T and virus-infected cell therapy Researchers from The Ottawa Hospital and the University of Ottawa will play a lead role in cutting-edge research on cancer immunotherapy, thanks to five new peer-reviewed researc

Researchers

Name	Scientific appointment	Diseases, conditions and populations of interest	Research and clinical approaches
Allan, David MD FRCPC	Associate Scientist (Clinical Epidemiology)	Blood cancer, Vascular, heart and metabolic disease	Cell therapy, Regenerative medicine, Stem cells, Systematic reviews, Transfusions, Translational research, Transplantation
Ardolino, Michele PhD	Senior Scientist (Cancer Therapeutics)	Blood cancer, Brain cancer, Breast cancer, Cancer, Colorectal cancer, Head and neck cancer, Liver cancer, Lung cancer, Ovarian cancer, Pancreatic cancer, Prostate cancer, Skin cancer, Soft tissue sarcoma	Basic research, Cancer immunotherapy, Cell therapy, Clinical research, Disease models, Immunization, Immunotherapy, Model organisms, Molecular and cellular biology, Transgenic/knockout models, Translational research
Atkins, Harold MD, FRCPC	Senior Clinician Investigator (Cancer Therapeutics)	Autoimmune disease, Autoimmune diseases of the nervous system, Blood cancer, Cancer, Multiple sclerosis, Myasthenia gravis, Stiff person syndrome	Basic research, Cancer biotherapeutics, Cancer immunotherapy, Cell therapy, Clinical trials, Immunotherapy, Oncolytic viruses, Regenerative medicine, Stem cells, Translational research, Transplantation, Viral therapy
Berardi, Philip MD, PhD, FRCPC	Clinician Investigator (Cancer Therapeutics)	Aging, Anemia, Bleeding disorders, Blood cancer, Cancer, COVID-19, Health equity, Health in older peoples, Sickle cell anemia, Thalassemia, Thrombosis / thromboembolism	Artificial intelligence and data science, Basic research, Bioinformatics, Biomarkers, Cancer biotherapeutics, Cell therapy, Epigenetics, Gene expression, Genetics, Genomics, Immunotherapy, Molecular and cellular biology, Stem cells, Translational research
Brand, Marjorie PhD	Senior Scientist Affiliate (Regenerative Medicine)	Blood cancer, Sickle cell anemia, Thalassemia, Vascular, heart and metabolic disease	Artificial intelligence and data science, Basic research, Bioinformatics, Disease models, Epigenetics, Gene expression, Genomics, Imaging, Model organisms, Molecular and cellular biology, Proteomics, Stem cells, Systems biology, Transgenic/knockout models
Bredeson, Christopher MD MSc FRCPC	Senior Clinician Investigator (Clinical Epidemiology)	Blood cancer	Clinical research, Stem cells, Transplantation
Coutu, Daniel PhD	Scientist (Regenerative Medicine)	Aging, Arthritis, Autoimmune disease, Bleeding disorders, Blood cancer, Bone and joint degeneration, Bone and joint injuries, Chronic disease, Musculoskeletal conditions, Osteoporosis	3D printing, Basic research, Bioinformatics, Biomaterials, Cell therapy, Gene expression, Gene therapy, Genetics, Genomics, Imaging, Immunotherapy, Molecular and cellular biology, Proteomics, Regenerative medicine, Stem cells, Surgery, Systems biology, Transgenic/knockout models, Translational research
Ito, Caryn PhD	Senior Investigator (Regenerative Medicine)	Blood cancer, Cancer	Basic research, Bioinformatics, Biomarkers, Drug development, Epigenetics, Molecular and cellular biology, Proteomics, Regenerative medicine, Stem cells, Systems biology, Translational research
Kekre, Natasha BSc, MD, MPH, FRCPC	Scientist (Clinical Epidemiology)	Blood cancer, Cancer	Cancer biotherapeutics, Cancer immunotherapy, Cell therapy, Clinical trials, Epidemiology, Immunotherapy, Patient engagement, Stem cells, Translational research, Transplantation, Viral therapy
Lalu, Manoj MD, PhD, FRCPC	Scientist (Clinical Epidemiology)	Blood cancer, COVID-19, Heart disease, Stroke, Vascular, heart and metabolic disease	Anesthesiology, Basic research, Cell therapy, Clinical research, Clinical trials, Disease models, Health research methods, Model organisms, Patient engagement, Regenerative medicine, Stem cells, Translational research
Nair, Vimoj MBBS MD MSc FRCPC	Clinician Investigator (Clinical Epidemiology)	Blood cancer, Brain cancer, Colorectal cancer, Gastric cancer, Liver cancer, Pancreatic cancer	Cancer biotherapeutics, Clinical research, Clinical trials, Health technology, Imaging, Pragmatic trials, Quality Improvement, Translational research
Sabloff, Mitchell MSc, MDCM, FRCPC	Clinician Investigator (Clinical Epidemiology)	Blood cancer	Biomarkers, Clinical research, Clinical trials, Translational research
Santos, Marlise MD (FRCPC), MSc, MPH	Clinician Investigator (Clinical Epidemiology)	Alzheimer's, Anxiety, Ataxia, Autoimmune disease, Autoimmune diseases of the nervous system, Blood cancer, Brain and neuromuscular disease, Brain cancer, Cancer, Chronic disease, Concussion, Dementia, Depression, Global health, Head and neck cancer, Health equity, Health in disadvantaged peoples, Infectious disease, Intellectual disabilities, Multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's, Population health, Sickle cell anemia, Spinal cord injury, Stroke, Subarachnoid hemorrhage, Thrombosis / thromboembolism, Traumatic brain injury, Traumatic injuries, Vascular cognitive impairment, Vascular, heart and metabolic disease	Artificial intelligence and data science, Basic research, Behaviour, Biostatistics, Cancer biotherapeutics, Clinical decision rules, Clinical research, Clinical trials, Cohort studies, Critical care, Epidemiology, Health economics, Health research methods, Health services research, Health technology, Imaging, Patient safety, Pragmatic trials, Prevention, Public health, Qualitative methods, Quality Improvement, Shared decision making, Surgery, Surveys, Systematic reviews
Stanford, William PhD	Senior Scientist (Regenerative Medicine)	Aging, Blood cancer, Cancer, COVID-19, Lung cancer, Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), Vascular, heart and metabolic disease	Artificial intelligence and data science, Molecular and cellular biology, Regenerative medicine, Stem cells, Systems biology

Related Resources

Ottawa Hospital Research Institute Cancer Therapeutics Program

The Ottawa Hospital Hematology-Oncology Program

Search for clinical trials at The Ottawa Hospital related to this disease or condition.