New classification system for childhood brain cancer

In 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) adopted a new classification system for medulloblastoma, partially based on work by TFRI-funded researcher Dr. Michael Taylor.

Learn more about Dr. Taylor's project

An early detection protocol for people with Li-Fraumeni Syndrome

A TFRI-funded team led by Dr. David Malkin has developed a universally adopted screening protocol for patients with a rare cancer-causing genetic disorder, improving their chances of survival.

Learn more about Dr. Malkin's project

A test that helps determine if patients with leukemia will respond to standard treatment

Dr. John Dick’s team has found a way to predict if leukemia patients will respond to standard treatment or not with the development of a novel, 17-gene signature test from leukemia stem cells. 

Learn more about Dr. Dicks's project

Predictive model for early detection of lung cancer

TFRI's pan-Canadian lung study team led by Dr. Stephen Lam developed a predictive model for detecting lung cancer in early stages when the disease has a greater potential to be curable. 

Learn more about Dr. Lam's project

Study provides new hope for young people who are out of treatment options

As of October 2019, over 320 patients from every province in Canada were enrolled in Terry Fox PROFYLE, which sequences each child’s tumour with the goal of identifying new treatment options.

Learn more about Terry Fox PROFYLE

2007

• TFRI Launches in October
• National Biomarker Workshop is held (leads to several funded studies)

2008-09

• Lung, Ovarian, Oral, Prostate Translational Programs Launch
• TFRI’s mission expands to include discovery research on dissolution of National Cancer Institute of Canada (NCIC)
• TFF co-invests in Strategic Research Training Program with Canadian Institute of Cancer Research

2010

• TFRI launches New Investigator Program; holds Biomarker Validation Workshop
• TFRI holds public dialogues across Canada to build awareness of translational research and precision/personalized medicine

2011

• TFRI launches pediatric brain cancer study (MAGIC) with Genome Canada
• TFRI partners with Saskatchewan, Manitoba and New Brunswick for trainee programs

2012

• TFRI launches GBM and colorectal studies (C4) in partnership with others

2013

• Canada-Taiwan project launches in partnership with NSC in Taiwan
• Lung Lesion Nodule Calculator is published by Lung Study
• TFRI takes over administration of PPGs (from CIHR and CCS)

2014

• TFRI expands international peer review to PPG programs;
• New TFRI web site launches

2015

• TFRI holds Annual Scientific Meeting in St. John’s;
• Partnerships with RubanRose allowed TFRI to fund a record number of PPGs (4); and with FRQS and BCCR to fund 6 NIs
• Institute begins work on Cancer Centres Network

2016

• Translational programs for pediatric cancer (PROFYLE) and immunotherapy (Immunotherapy Network) are launched
• TFRI launches its Links newsletter to highlight scientific advances

2017

• TFRI celebrates its 10th Anniversary at ASM
• TFRI launches BC-ON Cancer Centres pilot
• Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network brand is created

2018

• TFRI launches translational program in pancreatic cancer (EPPIC)
• TFRI launches Montreal Cancer Consortium (MCC) pilot

2019

• Federal Government announces that it will invest up to $150M over five years to help create the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network

• TFRI Refreshes its visual identity with new logo and website.

• TFRI and its national and regional partners launch of the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network in St. John's, N.L., at the same place and on the same date as Terry Fox began his Marathon of Hope 39 years earlier.

• Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada announces an investment of $49M to the Terry Fox Research Institute and Imagia to help create the Digital Health and Discovery Platform, the artificial intelligence platform that will empower the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network