Decades of cancer research — and thousands of patient tumour samples — now have a new home at Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) and this state-of-the-art space will change how researchers study cancer in the future.
The Canadian Cancer Trials Group’s (CCTG) Tumour Tissue Data Repository (TTDR) has officially moved into its new home at KHSC, bringing nearly 30 years of cancer research together in consolidated space, alongside the Queen’s Laboratory for Molecular Pathology (QLMP).
“This beautiful new facility is the result of years of work. With one-in-two Canadians expected to be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, there is still much work to be done,” says Dr. Annette Hay, a clinician scientist with KHSC and the CCTG. “This dedicated space will allow for the expansion of this internationally renowned research for years to come.”
The TTDR is the largest cancer clinical trials tumour bank in Canada. Previously both the TTDR and QLMP spaces were distributed across multiple locations at KHSC and Queen’s University. They have now been co-located at KHSC, creating a singular space that supports clinical trials and research, bridging the gap between lab-based discoveries and patient care. The combined space is now readily accessible to researchers based in the hospital, at the university, and in the broader research community.
“The underlying question we look to answer is why certain cancers respond the way they do. This repository provides extraordinary long-term data that helps us better understand cancer as a disease,” says Dr. Lois Shepherd, Operational Director of the TTDR and Professor emeritus at Queen’s University.
The tumour bank houses tissue samples collected through cancer clinical trials from around the world, including those conducted at KHSC through the CCTG. These samples help researchers better understand how cancers evolve and respond to treatment – knowledge that is shaping more personalized treatments going forward. The QLMP meanwhile is the lead tissue and genomic analysis site for the hundreds of KHSC patients who participate in research through the Terry Fox Marathon of Hope Cancer Network.
“The new facility combines tremendous technological capabilities and scientific expertise that enables our researchers to visualize the fight against cancer at a molecular scale,” says Dr. David Berman, Clinical Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine at KHSC and Queen’s. Applying these technologies to patients provides a tremendous opportunity to uncover new insights into why treatments fail in one patient and succeed in another. This will allow scientists and health care teams to tailor precise therapies that improve and extend the lives of patients with cancer.”
The new facility will process and analyze samples using advanced digital tools spanning the areas of histopathology, immuno-profiling, computerized image analysis, genomics, and artificial intelligence.
This project was made possible with the support of many partners, including the Canadian Cancer Trials Group, Queen’s University, KHSC, KHSC Research Institute, Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, and the Canada Foundation for Innovation.
“This project demonstrates the long-standing and continually expanding collaboration between KHSC and Queen’s as we align health care, research, and innovation across our many shared spaces,” says Dr. Steven Smith, President and CEO of the KHSC Research Institute and Deputy Vice-Principal of research at Queen’s.
“This is a fantastic example of where Kingston stands out nationally, home to the largest research tumour bank in Canada, and also to some of the most talented researchers in the world, who are focused on improving the lives of patients with cancer.”
To learn more about the TTDR, please visit the KHSC website.