The Cause
In just two years, Ride the Rideau has raised an incredible $2.7M for cancer research at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI). This funding has helped us build the new Centre for Innovative Cancer Research, a unique, world-class laboratory that is enabling our researchers to rapidly move their discoveries into the clinic to benefit patients. Ride the Rideau has also helped our researchers develop and test promising new therapies, such as cancer-fighting viruses that target tumours without harming normal tissues. Support for clinical trials has also increased, ensuring that patients in Ottawa will continue to have access to the newest cancer treatments. You can be sure, however, that the benefits of this research are felt not only in Ottawa, but also around the world.
Ride the Rideau 2012 will continue to support cancer research at OHRI, with examples of specific research areas listed below:
- Development of more personalized approaches to treat cancer, so that patients receive the best treatment with the fewest side effects right from the start.
- Harnessing stem cell research to study cancer and develop new treatments.
- Investigating how certain cancer therapies can work together in "synergy", to increase tumour destruction.
- Maximizing the potential of cancer clinical trials, so that one trial can provide answers to multiple questions.
- Development and testing of cancer-fighting viruses, including clinical trials.
- Studying the basic biology of cancer cells, so that we can develop new treatments that target cancer cells without harming normal cells.
- Evaluation of new screening strategies that may be able to detect cancer earlier, when treatments are more likely to work.
- Evaluation of novel therapies that may be able to prevent cancer from recurring or spreading.
- Testing innovative new approaches for radiation therapy and surgery.
- Studying genetic and environmental factors that can increase the risk of cancer, so that new prevention strategies can be developed.
- Developing strategies to ensure that the results of cancer research studies are being appropriately applied in the clinic.
For more information about cancer research at OHRI, including news on our latest discoveries, see http://www.ohri.ca/Programs/cancer_therapeutics/default.asp.
