D2R Initiative Awards Over $6 million to Support Research at the GCI

The DNA to RNA Initiative (D2R) has awarded over $6 million in its first funding cycle to support research projects and operations at the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute (GCI). This significant investment aims to drive advancements in genome-guided and RNA-based therapeutics for patients in Canada and worldwide.  

GCI researchers secured funding through five D2R programs:

Translational Impact Research, Centres & Institutions Support, Core Platform Sustainability, Research in Motion, and Foundational Projects.

Advancing Rare Cancer Research

Under the Translational Impact Research program, funding was awarded to The Jerry Pelletier initiative: Diagnostic and therapeutic innovations for rare cancers. Co-led by GCI Director Morag Park, Ph.D., and Mark Lathrop, Ph.D., the initiative brings together investigators and collaborators across McGill University, the MUHC-RI, the Lady Davis Institute (LDI), and partner organizations Oxford Nanopore technologies and 10X Genomics.

Named in honor of the late Jerry Pelletier, Ph.D., a long-time GCI member and biochemistry professor, this initiative will use advanced genomics and tumor modelling to identify therapeutic targets for rare cancers that often lack effective standard treatments. The program will focus on RNA-based therapies and personalized treatment strategies for these patients.

Strengthening Institutional Research Capacity

Through the Centres and Institutes Support program, five McGill Institutions, including the GCI, received funding to enhance research aligned with the D2R’s mission. GCI researchers are leading breakthroughs in precision medicine, immunotherapy, and RNA-therapeutics that drive D2R priorities forward.

Supporting Core Research Platforms

The Core Platform Sustainability program has awarded funding to The McGill Messenger RNA Therapeutic Platform and The McGill Integrated Core for Animal Modeling (MICAM) and Platform for Cellular Perturbation (MPCP).

These platforms provide essential services that are typically ineligible for project-based funding. The McGill Messenger RNA Therapeutic Platform, directed by Scientific Director Thomas Duchaine, Ph.D., is a new mRNA-based therapeutics platform that will leverage D2R funding to advance emerging mRNA technologies and precision medicine applications. MICAM, led by Yojiro Yamanaka, Ph.D., specializes in mouse genetics and transgenesis, while MPCP, directed by Sidong Huang, Ph.D., offers cost-effective, ready-to-use genetic tools. Together, they provide McGill researchers with advanced resources for DNA and RNA manipulation in vivo and in vitro, driving discoveries in genome editing, disease modeling, and therapeutic development.

This investment strengthens GCI’s position at the forefront of RNA-based innovations, driving research with direct translational impact for patients.

Driving Innovation

Several research projects led by GCI members were funded through the Research in Motion and Foundational Projects programs. Research in Motion project grants were awarded to Guojun Chen, Ph.D., and associate member David Juncker, Ph.D., in support of their highly collaborative and interdisciplinary initiatives. Both funded projects aim to optimize the use of lipid nanoparticles, tiny particles which can be used to deliver therapeutic RNAs to target cells.

A remarkable 5 out of the 17 successful Foundational Project awardees were GCI members, including Heather Melichar, Ph.D., William Muller, Ph.D., Nahum Sonenberg, Ph.D., and associate members Raquel Cuella Martin, Ph.D., and Hamed Shateri Najafabadi, Ph.D. These high-risk, early-stage projects include efforts to personalize immunotherapy regimens, target oncogenic proteins in breast cancer, and improve the design of future mRNA vaccines.

A Transformative Investment

The funding awarded through the D2R Initiative is a pivotal investment in the future of genome-guided and RNA-based therapeutics research at the GCI. By supporting both foundational and translational projects, as well as sustaining critical research infrastructure, this support will accelerate discoveries in precision medicine, immunotherapy, and RNA therapeutics. Together with D2R, GCI researchers will continue to leverage newly emerging genomics and RNA-based technology to improve patient outcomes and find the #knowledgetocure.