From Discovery to Patient Impact: How Princess Margaret Cancer Centre is Transforming Cancer Care

Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Researchers at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre are working to change that through advances in cancer treatment and new approaches to early detection.

Through the Peter Gilgan Chair in Bladder Cancer Research and the recently announced Peter Gilgan Centre for Early Cancer Detection Research, scientists are pursuing ambitious research that spans prevention, detection, treatment, and survivorship. Together, these initiatives reflect a shared commitment to accelerating discoveries and translating them into real-world impact for patients.

Accelerating Progress in Bladder Cancer Research

Bladder cancer remains one of the most common cancers worldwide, yet significant challenges persist in improving outcomes and quality of life for patients.

Established in 2023 through a $5 million commitment from the Peter Gilgan Foundation, the Peter Gilgan Chair in Bladder Cancer Research is held by Dr. Girish Kulkarni, whose work is improving how bladder cancer is understood, managed, and treated.

Over the last year, research supported through the Chair contributed to:

• Nine research projects advancing bladder cancer detection, treatment, survivorship, and drug access, for example:
  • an AI tool that has enrolled nearly 13,000 patients and been validated internationally to help predict disease progression
  • machine learning approaches that can detect signs of cancer on CT scans that may not be visible to the human eye
• Three innovations progressing toward clinical application or commercialization, helping move promising discoveries from the laboratory toward patient care
• A growing community of researchers, clinicians, trainees, and students collaborating to advance the field

These efforts are helping translate scientific discoveries into new tools, treatments, and approaches to improve outcomes for patients with bladder cancer.

Building the Future of Early Cancer Detection

While advances in treatment remain critical, one of the greatest opportunities in cancer care lies in detecting disease earlier.

In late 2025, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre announced the creation of the Peter Gilgan Centre for Early Cancer Detection Research, supported by a $50 million commitment from the Peter Gilgan Foundation.

The Centre will bring together experts from across disciplines to tackle one of the most important challenges in cancer care: detecting and intercepting cancer at its earliest stages.

Led by five world-leading scientists, the Centre’s ambitious five-year vision includes a range of research, clinical, and innovation initiatives, such as:

• Conducting numerous research projects spanning discovery, implementation, and clinical application
• Launching two world-leading research initiatives:
  • Canada’s first and the world’s largest Molecular Residual Disease Program, which aims to stop cancer before it progresses or returns and will collect 41,100 blood samples from 6,850 patients to identify the earliest signs of cancer recurrence
  • a first-of-its-kind interception trial, featuring a targeted therapeutic cancer vaccine, that aims to enroll 137 patients
  • Supporting five Peter Gilgan Family Technology Innovation & Discovery Award recipients pursuing high-risk, high-reward research
• Building a shared biobank and data platform to accelerate research and future discoveries across The Princess Margaret and UHN

Together, these initiatives aim to generate new tools, technologies, and therapies that can identify cancer sooner, personalize treatment, and improve long-term outcomes for patients.

Why This Matters

The path from scientific discovery to patient impact is rarely straightforward. It requires years of research, collaboration, clinical testing, and a willingness to pursue ambitious ideas.

At Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, researchers are advancing work across that entire spectrum—from improving care for people living with cancer today to developing the tools that could detect cancer earlier tomorrow.

While the outcomes of this research will unfold over many years, the momentum is already clear: discoveries are moving closer to clinical application, new research programs are being established, and scientists are pursuing bold questions with the potential to transform cancer care for future generations.

To learn more and support The Princess Margaret, visit this link.

Photo: Dr. Keith Lawson’s lab, supported by PGF through the Peter Gilgan Chair in Bladder Cancer Research