Montreal, October 30, 2002-The Université de Montréal, Hôpital Sainte-Justine and the Fondation des Gouverneurs de l'espoir pour la recherche sur le cancer pédiatrique, a foundation for pediatric cancer research, today announced the establishment of the François-Karl Viau Chair in Pediatric Oncogenomics. The Université de Montréal-affiliated chair is the only one in Canada dedicated to research into genetic factors affecting childhood cancers. The Foundation is committed to raising $1.5 million over the next three years, and will be organizing benefit activities for the general public-a masterful initiative for a community-based foundation.
Mr. Robert Lacroix, Rector, Université de Montréal, Dr. Patrick Vinay, Dean, Faculty of Medicine, Mr. Khiem Dao, Managing Director, Hôpital Sainte-Justine, Dr. Emile Lévy, director of research center and Dr. Daniel Sinnett, Chairholder, took part in the announcement, accompanied by Ms. Francine Laplante and Mr. François Chenail, respectively Chair and Governor of the Fondation des Gouverneurs de l'espoir pour la recherche sur le cancer pédiatrique.
"These chair establishments attract top-flight researchers to Université de Montréal, and help to develop highly scientifically concentrated research spheres at the school. These world-class concentrations allow the University to attract the best students and in turn provide the Quebec biomedical sector with the quality resources it needs to develop properly. The François-Karl Viau Chair will drive the development of original strategies for childhood cancer prevention, treatment and, eventually, cures. This is an excellent example of the kinds of achievements made possible by the University's World of Projects campaign", Mr. Lacroix said.
"This chair could not have arrived at a better time for us", Dean Vinay added. "Pediatric oncogenomics is a burgeoning field at Hôpital Sainte-Justine-a new and very promising field of research. The Faculty of Medicine salutes this venture, which will contribute to a better understanding of multifactorial diseases and lead to the development of new treatments."
Partnership with Hôpital Sainte-Justine
The new chair will be housed at the Research Centre of the Mother-Child University Hospital Centre, Hôpital Sainte-Justine. Sainte-Justine Managing Director Khiem Dao says that "the academic mission of the University Hospital Centre, with its focus on research and teaching, can only be enriched by this partnership with Université de Montréal. We are convinced that the leading-edge expertise of our researchers, along with new research perspectives in the field of pediatric oncogenomics, will help us to better understand the origins of health problems in Québec mothers and children, to develop adaptive solutions, and to share those solutions. This is how we intend to create and share knowledge."
Background
The Chair's namesake, François-Karl Viau, is a young boy who was diagnosed with lymph node cancer at the age of five. His cancer has now been in remission for two years. The Fondation des Gouverneurs de l'espoir pour la recherche sur le cancer pédiatrique was initiated by Chenail Fruits et Légumes, a small-business leader in the wholesaler sector. Ms. Francine Laplante, mother of young François-Karl, is Chair of the Foundation, and is seconded by several Governors and Ambassadors. "We're lucky enough to be supported by over 70 Governors and some 300 Ambassadors, most of whom were recruited within industry ranks. They are all quite actively involved in the Foundation and play a front-line role in its fund-raising operations. Without their support, the Foundation could not achieve its mission", Ms. Laplante said.
What is the state of research?
François-Karl's remission status demonstrates that current treatments enable achievement of a 70% remission rate for all types of pediatric cancers. Dr. Daniel Sinnett's oncogenomics research program covers the full spectrum of the issue, from detection of susceptibility genes to the search for treatments. "Few drugs are developed specifically for childhood cancers", he says. "Therapies tend to be adaptations of adult treatments. This is why we are studying the variables in genetic combinations associated with cancer risks, and then comparing data distributions in the general population versus the diseased population. This way, we expect to come up with new strategies that will help reduce the incidence of cancer cases", Dr. Sinnett concluded.
The Chair will also fuel development of the bioinformatics aspect of the research program, through the formulation of multivariate mathematical and statistical models. This will fill a void, as bioinformatics is currently considered one of the weaker points of Québec oncology research programs.
- 30 -
Sources:
Sophie Langlois
Press agent
Université de Montréal
(514) 343-7704
sophie.langlois@umontreal.ca
Mélanie Robichaud
Press agent
Agence Sonia Gagnon for The Governors' Foundation of Hope (514) 768-6743
asg@videotron.ca
