Ontario Institute for Cancer Research

The Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR) is dedicated to research on the prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment of cancer. The institute was established by the Government of Ontario in 2005 to create tangible health benefits for cancer patients worldwide as well as economic benefits for the people of Ontario.

The Institute’s research activities build on Ontario’s existing global strengths: medical imaging, clinical trials, cancer stem cells and bio-therapeutics. OICR has complemented these strengths with world-leading programs and facilities in genomics, bio-informatics and high-throughput screening.

The Institute’s four main objectives for 2010 to 2015 are:

• Support the development and adoption of personalized medicine for cancer;
• Seek solutions that could benefit patients in the next five years;
• Promote the digitization and interpretation of cancer data;
• Accelerate OICR’s Patents to Products (Commercialization) Program.

The Institute’s current projects range from early stage research to Phase III clinical trials. OICR’s commercialization team works directly with scientists to move their inventions to clinical application. OICR also actively seeks industry partners and private investors to participate in bringing discoveries to market.

Quick facts

The Ontario Institute for Cancer Research:

• Is an independent, not-for-profit corporation
• Focuses on turning ideas into products, services and improved clinical practice
• Is headquartered in the MaRS Centre in the heart of Toronto’s Discovery District
• Along with its collaborators and partners, supports more than 1,400 researchers, clinician scientists, research staff and trainees at MaRS and at Ontario’s leading universities and hospital-based research institutes
• Has made more than 16 investments through its Commercialization Program and has supported and/or assisted in the creation of 12 spinoff companies
• Has established partnerships and collaborations with national and international organizations, including the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, Cancer Care Ontario, GE Healthcare, International Cancer Genome Consortium, MaRS Innovation, Pfizer Global and Terry Fox Research Institute.

For more information please visit the website at www.oicr.on.ca .