Chair in prostate cancer created at Universit de Montral

Montreal, QC – Universit de Montral is inaugurating the first chair exclusively devoted to research into prostate cancer. The creation of the chair is aimed at improving the prognostic tools vital to the detection of this form of cancer and at continuously developing innovative therapeutic solutions.

Around 60 donors – businesses, foundations and individuals – have rallied around the cause to make creation of the chair possible. Among them are the CHUM Foundation, which is donating $500,000, Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services, which is contributing $175,000, and the J-A Bombardier Foundation and Hydro-Qubec, each of which are providing $100,000.

Research work will be carried out at the Universit de Montral hospital centre (CHUM). The strong synergy between the clinicians of the urology department and the researchers of the CHUM research centre, in particular the members of the Institut du Cancer de Montral, strengthens their expertise in clinical and basic research in this field.

The chair’s incumbent, Dr Fred Saad, believes it is “vitally important to properly understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the development of prostate cancer and to combine them with observed clinical results. Bolstered by sufficient long-term financial resources, we can work permanently on developing new therapeutic alternatives that will meet patient needs more adequately.”