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Breast Cancer Canada invests donations into life-saving research that directly impacts Canadian patients.
That means better answers, bigger breakthroughs – and more personalized treatment for every breast cancer diagnosis.
Breast Cancer Research Pillars
Breast Cancer Canada funds research initiatives that surround precision oncology. This is broken down into our four research pillars:
Basic Science
Basic Science research delves into the fundamental biological processes underlying breast cancer development and progression.
The information uncovered by basic science projects lay the groundwork for all other research that follows.
Screening & Detection
Screening and Detection focuses on developing new, less invasive technologies that offer higher quality results for early cancer detection.
New personalized technology like genomic blood tests that identify breast cancer during screening or machine learning that assists a clinician for more accurate breast cancer detection.
Treatment
Research explores treatments tailored to the over 50 different types of breast cancer.
We seek projects that are developing targeted therapies that address the unique characteristics of each subtype and optimize patient outcomes.
Novel drug targets, exploring combination therapies, immunotherapy and other precision medicine approaches.
Patient Reported Outcomes
This pillar emphasizes gathering and analyzing data directly from patients to better understand their experiences and needs throughout the cancer care journey.
This shapes treatment and surgical interventions that impact many aspects of a patient’s life.
Scientific Advisory Board
Breast Cancer Canada’s Scientific Advisory Board brings together leading experts to advance excellence in breast cancer research across Canada. They help guide our mission by identifying, collaborating with, and funding research teams that support our four pillars in precision oncology research. The pillars that bring us closer to earlier detection and better management.
Our research focuses on precision oncology that deliver individualized treatment models. The projects we fund across Canada accelerate the transition from standard approaches for breast cancer treatment, to the new age of personalized medicine.
Breast Cancer Canada Researchers
We fund innovative breast cancer research projects across Canada, supporting scientists working towards earlier detection, better treatment, and personalized care.
Dr. Alison Allan
Signature Research Project
London Health Sciences — Breast Cancer Canada Translational Research Unit (BCC-TRU)
Dr. Melanie Spears
Signature Research Project
Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR) — Diagnostic Development Program
Dr. Paola Marignani
Signature Research Project
Dalhousie University — Precision Oncology Research
Dr. Rama Khokha
Signature Research Project
Princess Margaret Cancer Centre — 3P Precision Prevention Progress Project
McPeak-Sirois Group
Signature Research Project
Programme Accès-recherche — Making clinical research more accessible to patients living outside major urban areas
Dr. Saima Hassan
Precision Oncology Research Grant Recipient
Centre de Recherche de Centre — Hospitalier de l’Universite de Montreal Immunotherapy & PARP Inhibition
Dr. Katarzyna Jerzak
Precision Oncology Research Grant Recipient
Sunnybrook Odette Cancer Centre — MicroRNA Predictive Biomarkers
Dr. Joanne Kotsopoulos
Precision Oncology Research Grant Recipient
Women’s College Hospital, University of Toronto — Long-term outcomes of BRACA1
Dr. Hermann Nabi
Precision Oncology Research Grant Recipient
Quebec City University Hospital Research Centre — Personalized risk-stratified follow-up care
Dr. Luc Sabourin
Precision Oncology Research Grant Recipient
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute — Sox10 genetic activity in HER2+ breast cancer
Dr. Mohammad Reza Akbari
Precision Oncology Research Grant Recipient
Women’s College Hospital, University of Toronto — Young-onset patients with ER+/HER2-
Anand Krishnan
Precision Oncology Research Grant Recipient
University of Saskatchewan — Novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of breast cancer
Carrie Shemanko
Precision Oncology Research Grant Recipient
University of Calgary — Exploring the role of prolactin in Metastatic breast cancer cells and the bone
Mousumi Majumder
Precision Oncology Research Grant Recipient
Brandon University — Precision Genomics Research - development of a simple blood test to detect breast cancer
Melba D’Souza
Precision Oncology Research Grant Recipient
Thompson Rivers University — Patient Reported Outcomes - Experiences of Indigenous breast cancer patients in rural B.C.
Jim Xiang
Precision Oncology Research Grant Recipient
University of Saskatchewan — Developing novel HER2- targeted T cell vaccines for HER2+ breast cancer
Lisa Porter
Precision Oncology Research Grant Recipient
University of Windsor — Targeted alternative therapies for patients with Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC)
Lianghong Chen
2024-2025 Scholarship Recipient
Western University — Leveraging AI to generic realistic MRI scans of breast cancer patients based on genomic data
Nitara Fernando
2024-2025 Scholarship Recipient
Western University — Developing more precise imaging technique to detect early spread of breast cancer using Magnetic Particle Imaging
Jared Wooten
2024-2025 Scholarship Recipient
Western University — Investigating the link between antipsychotic medications and breast cancer risk
Dr. Samir Fasih
2024-2025 Scholarship Recipient
Western University — Studying the impact of body composition on immunotherapy response in breast cancer
Zachary Freeman
2024-2025 Scholarship Recipient
Western University — Inform interventions that improve patient outcomes
Noor Rizvi
2024-2025 Scholarship Recipient
Western University — Genetics of ductal carcinoma in-situ (DCIS) to personalize treatment and improve care
Jeri Spilberg
2024-2025 Scholarship Recipient
Western University — Focusing on integrins: proteins that influence how and where cancer spreads, offering insights into metastasis
George Xie
2024-2025 Scholarship Recipient
Western University — Targeting Pin1 to overcome drug resistance in triple negative breast cancer
Matched Grant Recipients
We fund innovative breast cancer research projects across Canada, supporting scientists working towards earlier detection, better treatment, and personalized care.
Dr. Elijah Van Houten
Screening and Detection Research Grant Recipient
Université de Sherbrooke, QC — Developing a sensor bra that monitors suspicious breast lumps during daily activities—aiming to revolutionize screening and detection
Dr. Luke McCaffrey
Screening and Detection Research Grant Recipient
Goodman Cancer Research Centre, McGill University — Creating a machine-learning model to differentiate between early-stage breast cancers, potentially reducing unnecessary treatments
Dr. Stephen Chia
Neo-Adjuvant Equity and Outcomes Research Matching Grant Recipient
BC Cancer — Equity in Neoadjuvant Therapy
Dr. Tulin Cil
Neo-Adjuvant Equity and Outcomes Research Matching Grant Recipient
Women’s College Hospital — The PATHWAY Study
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Canadian Breast Cancer Clinical Scientist Fellowship Program
Breast Cancer Canada was proud to launch the Canadian Breast Cancer Clinical Scientist Fellowship Program in 2025—a $1 million investment to advance breast cancer research, training, and care across the country.
With breast cancer diagnoses rising among younger individuals and a growing demand for specialized oncology expertise, this program supports the next generation of clinical leaders in medical, surgical, and radiation oncology.
In partnership with the Canadian Association of Medical Oncologists (CAMO), the Canadian Society of Surgical Oncologists (CSSO), and the Canadian Association of Radiation Oncology (CARO), the program ensures that future care is driven by research, innovation, and highly trained clinical scientists.
Breast Cancer Canada Initiatives
PROgress Tracker Breast Cancer Registry is a knowledge-based research study collecting Patient Reported Outcomes (PRO) from breast cancer patients across the country.
The goal is to lead us to more directed research, updates in health care policies and treatment advances.
Progress CONNECT is an online tool designed that provides patients with information specific to their type of breast cancer.
The goal is to help patients have thoughtful discussions with their treating oncologist by providing up to date evidence-based information.
Latest Research Articles
Meet the Researcher: Anayra Goncalves
Anayra Goncalves is a PhD student in the Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology at Western University. She is conducting BCC-funded breast cancer research under the mentorship of Dr. Armen
