Molecular oncology focuses on the molecular-level changes which take place in cancerous or pre-cancerous cells. Tumours develop from normal cells through a complex process with multiple stages, and molecular oncology identifies and characterizes the molecular changes that occur leading to tumour formation. Molecular oncology defines the mechanisms by which tumours are generated.
The Molecular Oncology Group was originally established in 1993 with the support of a Terry Fox Development Grant awarded by the National Cancer Institute of Canada to Jewish General Hospital. In the ensuing years, a research team of principal investigators was assembled with a strong focus on the molecular mechanisms underlying oncogenic development. The team includes internationally recognized expertise in epigenetics, transcriptional regulation, DNA damage signalling, mRNA translation, RNA metabolism, and signal transduction.
Investigators
Dr. Blank, Volker - Professor, Department of Medicine, McGill University
Role of MAF and CNC transcription factors in mammalian gene regulation, oncogenesis and differentiation.
Dr. del Rincon, Sonia - Assistant Professor, Department of Oncology, McGill University
MNK1/2 signaling, tumor microenvironment, and peroxisome biology in metastatic disease.
Dr. Fabian, Marc - Assistant Professor, Department of Oncology, McGill University
Post-transcriptional gene silencing mechanisms in cancer.
Dr. Jahani-Asl, Arezu - Assistant Professor, Department of Oncology and Integrated Program For Neuroscience, McGill University
Glioblastoma Pathogenesis: Molecular Targets and Therapies
Dr. Koromilas, Antonis - Professor, Departments of Medicine and Oncology, McGill University
Molecular mechanisms of cancer development and treatment by regulation of protein synthesis and transcription factor Stat1.
Dr. Lin, Rongtuan - Associate Professor, Department of Medicine
Molecular mechanism of innate immune response to RNA virus infection.
Dr. Miller Jr., Wilson H. - Professor, Departments of Medicine and Oncology, McGill University
Molecular mechanism of response and resistance of cancer cells to novel therapeutics.
Dr. Orthwein, Alexandre - Assistant Professor, Department of Oncology, Microbiology & Immunology, McGill University
DNA damage signalling and repair in B-cells and in hematological malignancies.
Dr. Richard, Stéphane - Professor, Departments of Medicine and Oncology, McGill University
Epigenetics, DNA damage signaling and RNA metabolism in cancer and neurodiseases.
Dr. Topisirovic, Ivan - Assistant Professor, Department of Oncology, McGill University
Post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression in normal and cancer cells.
Dr. Ursini-Siegel, Josie - Assistant Professor, Department of Oncology, McGill University
Molecular mechanisms that govern receptor tyrosine kinase-driven breast cancer progression.
Dr. Witcher, Michael - Assistant Professor, Departments of Medicine and Oncology, McGill University
Epigenetic regulation of oncogenesis and gene expression.