Dr. Christine Williams and Dr. Lincoln Stein will co-lead OICR on an interim basis alongside the Institute’s 350+ staff and province-wide network of partners and researchers
With extensive leadership experience and the support of Ontario’s thriving cancer research community, Dr. Christine Williams and Dr. Lincoln Stein are ready to lead OICR toward even greater impact.
The longtime OICR Executives were appointed the Institute’s Acting President and Acting Scientific Director in October, after Dr. Laszlo Radvanyi moved on from his position as President and Scientific Director.
“Lincoln and I are grateful to OICR’s staff, Board of Directors, and partners in the Government of Ontario for their trust in us, and humbled by the support of OICR’s many collaborators,” says Williams, who assumes the role of President (Interim). “OICR has built a tremendous network across Ontario, and we look forward to working closely with our partners to continue leading groundbreaking research and delivering solutions that improve the lives of people affected by cancer.”
Williams joined OICR in 2016 as Deputy Director and was most recently OICR’s Executive Vice-President and Head of Implementation Science. An immunologist with a special interest in childhood cancers, Williams is also Executive Director of ACCESS – a national research network for pediatric cancer – and has previously held leadership positions at the National Cancer Institute of Canada and the Canadian Cancer Society.
Stein joined OICR in 2007, after establishing himself as a leader in genome informatics at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He has since built and led programs that have made OICR a world leader in informatics, computational biology and data sharing, including several international cancer data sharing initiatives. Stein was most recently OICR’s Deputy Scientific Director and Head, Adaptive Oncology.
Both Williams and Stein were integral to the development of OICR’s current Strategic Plan, and will continue to lead its execution. They will also bring their vision and expertise to finalizing OICR’s Strategic Plan 2026-2031, which is currently being developed in consultation with patients, clinicians, scientists and other stakeholders.
“The technological developments in recent years – including everything from artificial intelligence to liquid biopsies – have made this an exciting time for cancer research,” says Stein, OICR’s new Scientific Director (Interim). “With our tremendous capacity in areas like genomics, bioinformatics and drug discovery, and deepening connections with patients and clinicians, OICR is well positioned to drive even more innovations and continue making Ontario a global leader in cancer research.”
Williams and Stein will remain in their interim positions as OICR recruits a permanent President and Scientific Director. They will also continue in their roles as Head of Implementation Science and Head of Adaptive Oncology, respectively.
“Christine and Lincoln are both highly skilled leaders with deep relationships throughout the Institute and across the Ontario research community,” says Susan Fitzpatrick, Chair of OICR’s Board of Directors. “I am confident they will provide the Institute with strong and steady leadership.”
