IRIC - Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer

Published on January 26, 2022

The Canadian Society for Molecular Biosciences (CSBM) awarded the prestigious 2022 Canadian Science Publishing Senior Investigator Award to Katherine Borden, Principal Investigator at IRIC and Full Professor in the Department of Pathology and Cell Biology at the Faculty of Medicine of the Université de Montréal.

This award recognizes Canadian scientists who have demonstrated inclusive excellence in a wide range of activities, including research in molecular biosciences, teaching and mentoring next generations of scientists. The prize also highlights the scientific leadership of the laureates, which includes sustained engagement with the community and policymakers.

“This award is a very fine mark of recognition that celebrate inspiring models within our institute. Our General Manager Michel Bouvier also received this award in 2012. The many accomplishments made by Katherine Borden deserve to be highlighted; they are inspiring and fill us with pride,” states Marc Therrien, Scientific Director at IRIC and Full Professor in the Department of Pathology and Cell Biology of the Faculty of Medicine of the Université de Montréal.

Katherine Borden is researcher with an impressive track record. She joined the faculty at IRIC in 2004. Interested in the eIF4E protein for more than twenty years, Katherine Borden is a true pioneer in the study of RNA processing and its impact on cancer. Work from her team was the first to demonstrate the clinical relevance of eIF4E as a therapeutic target. This has resulted in various clinical trials targeting eIF4E in patients, which deepened the molecular understanding of RNA metabolism in the development of cancers and also led to the discovery of new drug resistance mechanisms. Professor Borden recently received a major grant from the National Institutes of Health to continue her work aimed at elucidating the molecular mechanisms of eIF4E-mediated tumor transformation.

In addition to a very impressive publications record (over 140 publications in her career), Katherine Borden has trained more than 50 students and postdocs. She is also actively involved in making academia an equitable, diverse and inclusive work environment. Professor Borden’s career is an inspiring model for the next generation of scientists.

Katherine Borden will receive her award at the 65^th CSBM Annual Conference, planned for April 6-10, 2022 in Banff, Alberta. She will be invited on this occasion to present a lecture about her research.

To read more about the award: https://csmb-scbm.ca/awards/2022-award-winners/