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Cancer biotherapeutics

Biologically based therapeutics, which include oncolytic viruses and immune cell therapies, are among the most promising cancer treatments to emerge over the last decade. While different biotherapeutics function in different ways, one thing they have in common is the ability to mobilize and activate the body's natural defence mechanisms (the immune system) to attack cancer cells. Researchers at The Ottawa Hospital are leading the way in this area of research, with a number of world-first clinical trials and projects.

Research News


Potential colorectal cancer treatment combines immunotherapy and viral therapy in a powerful new way
February 16, 2023 - Immunotherapy is revolutionizing the treatment of many kinds of cancer, but for colorectal cancer, success has been limited to patients with rare genetic mutations. To tackle this challenge, researchers at The Ottawa Hospital engineered a new kind of
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.
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Researchers


Name Scientific appointment Diseases, conditions and populations of interest Research and clinical approaches
Atkins, Harold
MD, FRCPC
Scientist
(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
Auer, Rebecca
MD, MSc, FRCSC
Senior Scientist
(Cancer Therapeutics)
Cancer, Colorectal cancer, Ovarian cancer, Pancreatic cancer Basic research, Cancer biotherapeutics, Cancer immunotherapy, Cell therapy, Clinical research, Clinical trials, Immunotherapy, Molecular and cellular biology, Oncolytic viruses, Peri-operative medicine, Quality Improvement, Surgery, Translational research, Viral therapy
Bell, John
PhD
Senior Scientist
(Cancer Therapeutics)
Cancer, COVID-19 Basic research, Cancer biotherapeutics, Cancer immunotherapy, Cell therapy, Immunization, Immunotherapy, Oncolytic viruses, Translational research, 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
Diallo, Jean-Simon
PhD
Senior Scientist
(Cancer Therapeutics)
Cancer, COVID-19, Infectious disease Artificial intelligence and data science, Basic research, Cancer biotherapeutics, Cancer immunotherapy, Drug development, Gene therapy, Immunization, Immunotherapy, Molecular and cellular biology, Oncolytic viruses, Translational research, Viral therapy
Ilkow, Carolina
PhD
Senior Scientist
(Cancer Therapeutics)
Breast cancer, COVID-19, Ovarian cancer, Pancreatic cancer Basic research, Cancer biotherapeutics, Cancer immunotherapy, Extracellular vesicles / exosomes, Gene therapy, Immunization, Immunotherapy, Molecular and cellular biology, Oncolytic viruses, Translational research, Viral therapy
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
Lorimer, Ian
PhD
Senior Scientist
(Cancer Therapeutics)
Brain and neuromuscular disease, Brain cancer, Cancer Basic research, Cancer biotherapeutics, Cell therapy, Disease models, Molecular and cellular biology, Translational research
Nair, Vimoj
MBBS MD 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
Quizi, Jennifer
PhD
Investigator
(Cancer Therapeutics)
Cancer, Infectious disease Cancer biotherapeutics, Cancer immunotherapy, Cell therapy, Drug development, Gene therapy, Immunization, Immunotherapy, Molecular and cellular biology, Oncolytic viruses, Translational research, Viral therapy
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
Vanderhyden, Barbara
PhD
Senior Scientist
(Cancer Therapeutics)
Cancer, Infertility, Ovarian cancer, Women's health Basic research, Bioinformatics, Biomarkers, Cancer biotherapeutics, Disease models, Drug development, Epigenetics, Gene expression, Genomics, Immunotherapy, Model organisms, Molecular and cellular biology, Oncolytic viruses, Stem cells, Transgenic/knockout models, Translational research, Viral therapy