News
The Oncopole announces the appointment of its Executive Director, Ms. Stéphanie Lord-Fontaine
Published on May 8, 2017
Montréal, May 8, 2017- The Oncopole, a research, development and investment hub designed to accelerate the fight against cancer, announced today the appointment of Ms. Stéphanie Lord-Fontaine as Executive Director of the organization.
Launched in February 2017 through a co-creation partnership of the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Santé (FRQS) and Merck & Co, inc., the Oncopole brings together different partners of the life sciences field to collaborate on a structuring project to fight cancer, strengthening as a result our research and innovation ecosystem, including the resources, infrastructures and researchers here in Quebec, to the patient’s benefit.
The Oncopole benefits from a 15‑million dollar funding commitment over three year from Merck and looks forward to welcoming the contribution of other partners.
Initiators of this forward-looking project, the FRQS and Merck are delighted by the nomination of Ms. Lord-Fontaine as Executive Director. Following Friday’s announcement, Oncopole’s partners welcome the Quebec Life Sciences Strategy and are confident that Ms. Lord-Fontaine will seize the opportunity it represents. She will work to put forward the Oncopole’s four priorities: research, entrepreneurship and promotion of innovation, integration of innovation and clinical relevance, training and awareness.
Ms. Lord-Fontaine has more than 15 years of experience in the academic and biopharmaceutical sectors as well as in the field of research funding agencies. Prior to accepting the Executive Director position at the Oncopole, Ms. Lord-Fontaine was Senior Director, Scientific Affairs at Génome Québec and Director, Preclinical research at BioAxone Therapeutic. She holds a PhD in biochemistry and continued with a Post-Doctorate degree in neuroscience.
Ms. Lord-Fontaine will be able to rely on the operational support of the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) of the Université de Montréal which was selected as the establishment to host the Oncopole’s coordinating offices.