The McGill Centre for Translational Research in Cancer (MCTRC) interconnects Québec’s innovation ecosystem to advance cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
Led by Doctors Gerald Batist and Mark Basik, the MCTRC unites a diverse team of clinical and fundamental scientists from across Québec, all committed to advancing cancer care to enhance patient outcomes.
Based at the Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research and the Segal Cancer Centre of the Jewish General Hospital (JGH), the MCTRC brings together over 60 multidisciplinary experts. Their work spans innovative cancer diagnostics, novel therapeutics, and translational research, bridging the gap between laboratory discoveries and real-world clinical applications.
At the MCTRC, we focus on the downstream phase of translational research – where discoveries are tested, validated, and implemented in clinical settings. By working at the interface of research and patient care, we also provide feedback to fundamental discovery platforms, driving continuous innovation and refinement.
The three pillars of our research programme
Pillar 1: Developing a province-wide AI-enabled multimodal data platform
In partnership with Axis Experimental Therapies from the Cancer Research Network in Quebec, we are transforming the Personalize My Treatment (PMT) registry from Exactis – a Pan-Canadian, longitudinal oncology real-world database with over 11,000 patients – into a multimodal, AI-powered data platform. This system integrates clinical, molecular, imaging, and digital pathology data to enable predictive modelling, clinical decision support, and federated learning collaborations.
Through partnerships with industry, AI start-ups, and research clusters in North America and Europe, this resource constitutes a testbed for innovation, co-developing AI-powered tools, predictive biomarkers, and digital therapeutics to accelerate translational breakthroughs in cancer care.
Pillar 2: Innovating multi-omics and liquid biopsy diagnostics for patient care
The MCTRC is advancing precision oncology through the development of clinically validated diagnostic platforms that bridge laboratory discoveries to real-world patient care. Our hospital-based Liquid Biopsy Programme provides a non-invasive alternative to tissue biopsies, using digital droplet PCR (ddPCR) and whole exome sequencing to detect circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA).
This programme supports real-time disease monitoring, minimal residual disease detection, and patient selection for precision cancer therapies. Through partnerships with Illumina, MCTRC now offers TrueSight Oncology 500 assays for comprehensive in-house genomic profiling. Complementing these genomic efforts, the Warren Y. Soper Clinical Proteomics Centre, under the leadership of Dr Christoph Borchers, enables quantitative protein and metabolite profiling, addressing the critical gap between genomic mutations and functional protein activity.
Pillar 3: Training the next generation of cancer research innovators
The MCTRC serves as a unique training hub for graduate, postdoctoral, and medical students. Through several specialised training programmes, trainees are immersed in a multidisciplinary environment, gaining hands-on experience alongside scientists and clinicians from diverse specialties.
This exposure to translational research and innovation develops their ability to collaborate across disciplines and prepares them to become the next generation of scientific and clinical leaders in cancer care innovation.
Upcoming event: CTR Horizons
CTR Horizons is the annual meeting dedicated to innovators, investigators, clinicians, and entrepreneurs working at the forefront of cancer translational research in Québec and across Canada.
Event Dates: December 3-4, 2025
Event Location: EVO Hotel, Montreal
