Giving Tuesday Now: Support IRIC’s Emergency Fund

Exceptionally, May 5, 2020, is devoted to a global day of Giving Tuesday Now. In a show of solidarity towards organizations that are suffering from the repercussions of the pandemic caused by COVID-19, the Giving Tuesday Now day was set up to create a surge of generosity and civic commitment.

Proud partner of this initiative, IRIC is joining the movement and making an appeal to its community!

Support our Emergency Fund

The pandemic caused by COVID-19 has created upheaval in our lives and has impacted our activities as well as those of the entire country.

Our Institute is not immune to the situation. We too are deeply affected by the forced stoppage of part of our activities. Many of our laboratories are on hold and the future of our young investigators, along with the completion of several promising projects, are therefore greatly jeopardized.

Cancellation of Audacious: IRIC’s annual flagship benefit event

Out of respect for the policies implemented by our governments related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in order to help eradicate the crisis, IRIC made the difficult decision to cancel the event. Nonetheless, the Institute would like to take the time to thank all those who worked so hard, before the crisis, to make the Audacious 2020 event a success.

COVID-19: The IRIC community comes together thanks to IVADO’s support

IRIC proudly announces the commitment of several of its team in this health crisis, as a result of a spontaneous call for proposals initiated by IVADO, aimed at supporting digital intelligence data science initiatives. The projects retained will be able to rely on funding, scientific support and access to various resources.

Michael Tyers’ team and collaborators contribute to COVID-19 research

We are excited to underscore the commitment made by the team headed by Michael Tyers, Principal Investigator in IRIC’s Systems Biology and Synthetic Biology Research Unit. In collaboration with the teams led by Gerard Wright and Matthew Miller, both of whom are Principal Investigators at McMaster University, the mandate of Michael Tyers’ lab is to identify new therapeutic targets in order to provide better treatment for patients suffering from COVID-19.

Collection of medical supplies for the healthcare system

Several Université de Montréal units came together recently, following an appeal from the government, to collect medical supplies. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the purpose of the initiative is to reduce the risk of shortages in the healthcare system.

Thomas Milan, recipient of a Merit and Social Engagement Award from the Faculty of Medicine

IRIC is proud to announce that Thomas Milan has received the Merit and Social Engagement Award for international students of the Faculty of Medicine of the Université de Montréal.

Context COVID-19: IRIC puts its research expertise to good use

In this context of an exceptional crisis, IRIC wishes to advise its community that we are carefully monitoring the latest developments related to the COVID-19 pandemic and complying with all of the policies that our governments have implemented to stop the virus from spreading. Because our priority is the health of our students, employees and of course our partners and collaborators, we are systematically applying each one of the measures indicated for the good of our entire society.

COVID-19: IRIC adapts its activities and salutes all of the research efforts made

Given the exceptional circumstances currently surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and out of respect for the policies implemented by our governments, which have declared a state of health emergency, all IRIC staff members are continuing with their activities remotely whenever possible. In this context of a major crisis…

Vimentin, SUMO’s new friend; together they have an impact on the motility of cancer cells

The research teams of Pierre Thibault and Gregory Emery from IRIC have just opened up a new avenue to better understand how cancer cells migrate and move. They published an article in Nature Communications detailing their discovery, where they leveraged mass spectrometry and cell motility assays.

The double life of Kif2C

Among the arsenal of drugs used in chemotherapy, those that damage DNA or disrupt the formation of microtubules, a major cellular protein filament, prove to be among the most effective, especially if they are used in combination. Why? This is a question that has remained unclear until now…But IRIC researchers and collaborators believe they have identified part of the answer.

Marie-Josée Coutu appointed honorary member of IRIC’s Board of Directors

IRIC is pleased to announce the appointment of Mrs. Marie-Josée Coutu as an honorary member of its Board of Directors. The appointment underscores Mrs. Coutu’s unwavering commitment, exceptional support to the cause and longstanding contribution to the success of IRIC’s activities. It is the first acknowledgement of its kind bestowed by the Institute. Mrs. Coutu’s last mandate as an IRIC Board member ended in December of 2019.

Appointment of Sylvain Fortier to the Board of Directors of IRIC

IRIC is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Sylvain Fortier as a new member of its Board of Directors following a session of the Executive Committee of the Université de Montréal held on November 12, 2019. Mr. Fortier’s first mandate became effective December 1, 2019, for a period of three years.

World Cancer Day

February 4 is World Cancer Day. Every year, it’s a day that is celebrated all over the world to highlight the incredible advances in cancer research that help save more and more lives and create undeniable hope. In memory of those we love who have left us too soon or in honour of those who are currently fighting the disease, let’s all emphasize this Day, the progress that we have made and the progress left to be made.

Renewal of the Richard and Edith Strauss Foundation’s commitment

IRIC is extremely grateful for the second donation, this time of $ 50,000, from Richard and Edith Strauss Foundation, specifically dedicated to the Pediatric Leukemia Project of IRIC Principal Investigator, Brian Wilhelm, and Dr. Sonia Cellot, Pediatric Hematologist at CHU Saint-Justine.

Appointment of Mr. Richard Martin as Assistant General Director – Operations and Finance

IRIC is proud to announce the appointment of Mr. Richard Martin, Director of Administration of the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) of the Université de Montréal since 2011, to the position of Assistant General Director – Operations and Finance.

Launch of the brand new « Fonds vaccin thérapeutique contre le cancer »

A few weeks ago, Dr. Robert Patenaude, who has been a chronic myeloid leukemia survivor for almost 40 years thanks to the great care and determination of Dr. Claude Perreault, announced the creation of the brand new Fonds vaccin thérapeutique contre le cancer, along with his generous $25,000 donation. The fund is intended to support the investigators involved in the project, namely the team led by Dr. Claude Perreault, in collaboration with the teams led by Sébastien Lemieux and Pierre Thibault, who work tirelessly and with conviction to change the life of people affected by cancer.

The testimonial of Robert Patenaude

In 1980, near 100% of patients suffering from leukemias would die within two years. At that time, bone marrow transplants were just beginning on an experimental basis and were only being offered to young leukemia patients who had compatible donors. The cure rate was somewhere around 20%, with most patients dying from relapses, severe rejection reactions, infections or hemorrhaging.
During that same time, while I was a second year medical student, during a routine physical, it was discovered that I was severely anemic…