What’s new at the Rosalind & Morris Goodman Cancer Institute?

On June 5 and 6, 2025, members of the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute (GCI) community came together to celebrate Professor Nahum Sonenberg’s legacy of mentorship and to announce the creation of a second Sonenberg Postdoctoral Fellowship. The fellowship honours Professor Sonenberg, a scientist recognized for his foundational discoveries in mRNA biology and decades of mentorship.

To mark its 20th anniversary, Cell Metabolism is spotlighting authors whose discoveries have helped define the field of metabolic research. Among the featured contributors is Lawrence Kazak, PhD, Principal Investigator at the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute (GCI), recognized for a study he conducted during his postdoctoral fellowship at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School.

A new study co-led by Morag Park, Ph.D., Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute (GCI) Investigator and Director, and Christopher Moraes, Ph.D., Associate Member at the GCI, in collaboration with Jiannis Ragoussis, Ph.D., reveals important insights into the role of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in the spread of triple-negative breast cancer.

A clear current of passion for cancer research runs through Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute (GCI) alumna Christine Parachoniak's journey, from her days as a graduate student to her current role as Associate Director at Foundation Medicine Inc. 

Professor Nahum Sonenberg’s pioneering mRNA work has transformed molecular medicine, advancing cancer therapies and the COVID-19 vaccine. We proudly honour his legacy by supporting the next generation of researchers.

Professor Guojun Chen, Ph.D., faculty member in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and principal investigator at the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute (GCI), has been awarded the President's Prize for Outstanding Emerging Researchers. This honour is awarded to McGill faculty members who have distinguished themselves early in their careers through exceptional research contributions.

May is Melanoma Awareness Month, a global campaign to raise awareness about the deadliest form of skin cancer. Researchers at the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute (GCI) are turning to the challenges posed by this cancer as an opportunity, using melanoma to pioneer new understandings of cancer genetics, treatment, and immunology.

For the past 28 years, the CURE Foundation has been powering research and the fight against breast cancer. National Denim Day, their annual fundraiser, is held on May 13th, 2025.

A recent study from Hannah Garner, Ph.D. and new member of the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute (GCI), published in Cancer Cell, showed that neutrophil precursors located in the bone marrow receive signals from mammary tumours and promote metastasis.