Research chair in cancer control the first in Canada

Halifax, NS – Dr Eva Grunfeld has been appointed to the position of Cameron Chair in Cancer Control Research at Dalhousie University. As Canada’s first chair in cancer control research, Dr Grunfeld will provide policy makers, health professionals and managers with information to help them improve access to quality cancer screening, treatment and care.

Dalhousie Medical Research Foundation’s ‘Cameron Endowment’ is providing $125,000 per year, in perpetuity, to support the research chair. Dr Grunfeld will conduct her research from her office at Capital Health.

Cancer control is the comprehensive effort to fight cancer on all fronts, from prevention and early detection, to prompt and accurate diagnosis, the best possible treatment, and effective survivorship and end-of-life care. Cancer control research studies every aspect of this continuum, to find where changes must be made to improve services and patient outcomes.

“The Dalhousie Cancer Research Program has been visionary to identify the value of a chair in cancer control research,” said Dr Grunfeld, who was selected for the position through an international competition. “This places Nova Scotia at the forefront of a worldwide trend to focus on research that can be immediately applied to health services and patient care.”

A global leader in health services and outcomes research, Dr Grunfeld examines the quality and accessibility of cancer services across the cancer control continuum. As Cameron Chair in Cancer Control Research, she will strengthen the research program she has built over the past four years as professor in the division of medical oncology at Dalhousie University and Capital Health, and director of Cancer Care Nova Scotia’s Cancer Outcomes Research Program.

“We are fortunate to have someone with Dr Grunfeld’s track record and expertise in our community to take the lead in cancer control research,” said Dr Gerry Johnston, associate dean of research, Dalhousie Medical School. “She has already created a network of 20 collaborators and secured $2.5 million in outside funding. Additional funding through the Cameron Chair will accelerate her progress.”

The Cameron Endowment, established through a major bequest to the Dalhousie Medical Research Foundation, provides more than $500,000 to the Dalhousie Cancer Research Program every year. This includes the Cameron Chair in Basic Cancer Research, held by renowned scientist Dr Patrick Lee.

Dr Grunfeld has already embarked on a five-year study of colorectal cancer services in Nova Scotia, with $1.5 million from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and local sources, Dalhousie Medical Research Foundation, Cancer Care Nova Scotia, Dalhousie Medical School, Capital Health and the Nova Scotia Department of Health.