The Centre for Oncology and Immunology (COI) recently embarked on a two-week scientific retreat to the University Health Network (UHN) in Toronto, Canada. This visit marks a significant milestone in the ongoing partnership between these two leading institutions. While UHN researchers have made annual visits to COI, this was COI’s first opportunity to appreciate UHN’s cutting-edge facilities in person and gain insights into their clinical trials and commercialization expertise.
During the retreat, COI Principal Investigators had the privilege of engaging with Dr. Keith Stewart, Director of the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre (PMCC) at UHN, and toured the world-class facility, including an in-depth visit of the Cancer Clinical Research Unit (CCRU), which is currently overseeing nearly 350 ongoing clinical trials. The team also met with Dr. Lillian Siu, Director of the Phase I Clinical Trials Program at PMCC, who will soon be joining COI as an overseas PI to collaborate on enhancing COI’s clinical trial capabilities. Additionally, COI met with the expert team from UHN’s Commercialization office to learn more about their strategies and practices for translating research discoveries into impactful patient treatments globally. There were also multiple opportunities for informal networking and camaraderie, with group dinners and a friendly golf game.
A highlight of the retreat was the "40th T-Cell Receptor Anniversary Symposium," held on October 31 at the University of Toronto. This event celebrated the 40th anniversary of the groundbreaking discovery of the T-cell receptor (TCR) in 1984. The seminal work by Professor Tak Mak, co-director of COI, and Dr Mark Davis, who identified the genes encoding TCR for humans and mice, respectively, paved the way for the subsequent development of existing immunotherapies, including CAR-T and TCR-T therapy. Both Prof Mak and Dr Davis spoke at the symposium, sharing their insights and reflecting on the advancements that have transformed cancer treatment over the past four decades. Other esteemed speakers included Nobel laureate Prof James Allison, who discovered immune checkpoint blockade therapies, and Prof Naoto Hirano, Prof Carl June and Dr Michael Sadelain, trailblazers in the design and clinical translation of CAR T-cells.
Reflecting on the retreat, COI chief operating officer Wanda Li remarked, “It was a real privilege for our team to visit UHN and experience their state-of-the-art facilities firsthand. We are incredibly grateful for their warm hospitality and for the opportunity to learn from their expertise in clinical trials and commercialization. This retreat has not only enriched our knowledge, but also strengthened our partnership with UHN. We look forward to leveraging these insights to enhance our own capabilities and continue advancing oncology and immunology research together.”
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