Thanks to a landmark $18 million gift to the Montreal Cancer Institute (ICM), affiliated with the Centre de recherche du CHUM (CRCHUM), three cancer research projects will receive support.

“The Montreal Cancer Institute is deeply grateful to be able to count on this initial exceptional show of support,” said Naomi Huck Ananou, President and CEO of the ICM. “This transformative gift is a vote of confidence in our researchers and in their ability to change the outlook for patients today and in the future. [...]”

Three cutting-edge research projects 

The first project being funded with $1.5m over three years is Dr. Moishe Liberman’s project focused on new approaches to robotic surgery (endoscopic cryoablation) for patients with lung cancer previously considered inoperable.

A researcher in the CRCHUM’s Cancer axis and a thoracic surgeon at CHUM, Dr. Liberman has developed an innovative robotic endoscopic cryoablation approach that makes it possible to reach and treat lung tumours through a non-surgical approach, using robotic and videoscopic guidance. This technique makes it possible to treat patients who would otherwise have no curative option. The second project, led by Dr. Antoine Désilets and Alexandre Pellan Cheng, focuses on the development of blood-based biopsy tests to detect smoking-related cancers earlier and will receive $7.5 million over three years.

These two researchers in the CRCHUM’s Cancer axis—respectively a hematologist-oncologist at CHUM and an associate professor in Systems Engineering at the École de technologie supérieure—aim to improve the detection and management of smoking-related cancers by integrating advanced genomic technologies into clinical practice. In particular, they will use liquid biopsy and whole-genome sequencing to detect minimal residual disease through a simple blood draw and identify tumour alterations without relying on invasive biopsies.

The third project supported through this unique gift explores innovative therapies based on the study of the gut microbiome and is led by Drs. Arielle Elkrief and Bertrand Routy, co-directors of the CHUM Microbiome Centre. These two researchers in the CRCHUM’s Cancer axis will receive more than $7.5 million over three years.

Their project aims to improve immunotherapy outcomes in lung cancer through the study of the gut microbiome, identified as a key factor influencing treatment response. Building on already promising clinical results, the program now seeks to develop innovative and accessible therapeutic approaches, including live biotherapeutic products, prebiotics, and nutritional interventions, to optimize patients’ response to immunotherapy.

A historic gift

This gift was made possible by the group of lawyers behind the class action against tobacco companies. After securing a landmark legal victory in the fight against cancer, based on scientific evidence generated in part by CRCHUM researchers, four plaintiff law firms decided to turn that courtroom success into a philanthropic gesture.

“[...] When justice helps move society forward, science must be able to do the same,” said lawyer André Lespérance, speaking on behalf of the donor group in a news release. “We wanted to turn the success of this class action into a concrete contribution for patients, families and future generations. Research is one of the most powerful drivers of collective change, and we hope this gesture will inspire others to rally behind this cause.”

The gift originated with four Montreal law firms that chose to turn their legal victory into a lasting legacy: Trudel Johnston Lespérance, De Grandpré Chait, Kugler Kandestin, and Fishman Flanz Meland Paquin.