Dr. Mathieu Lupien and Dr. Trevor Pugh received the prestigious honour for their significant achievements in cancer research.
Two OICR scientists have been honoured as leaders in their fields by the Royal Society of Canada (RSC).
In a ceremony on Nov. 8 in Vancouver, the RSC inducted Dr. Mathieu Lupien as a Fellow of the Society, while Dr. Trevor Pugh was named a College Member.
The RSC recognizes leaders from across the country for their accomplishments to help build a better world. RSC Fellows are elected by their peers for outstanding scholarly achievements, while College Members are mid-career leaders appointed for addressing major challenges in their field.
Pugh is an OICR Senior Investigator and Director of the Institute’s Genomics program, as well as Senior Scientist at Princess Margaret, Professor in UofT’s Department of Medical Biophysics and Canada Research Chair in Translational Genomics. He is world-renowned cancer researcher and clinical molecular geneticist using genome sequencing to understand the causes of cancer, guide patient treatment, and detect early disease using blood tests.
“I am grateful for this recognition, and for the many brilliant people who have supported my work and helped push it forward,” Pugh said. “Together, we are harnessing the power of genome sequencing to detect, diagnose and treat cancer in new ways that will impact patients at all stages of their cancer journey. I look forward to continued collaboration with patients, clinicians, scientists, and new colleagues in the RSC to ensure everyone confronting cancer benefits from Canada’s investment in research.”
Lupien is an OICR Investigator, Senior Scientist at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and Professor of Medical Biophysics at the University of Toronto (UofT). His pioneering research into epigenomics and genome indexing has led to the discovery of new classes of non-coding DNA elements and associated epigenetic variations to reveal their role in disease etiology. His work has also led to the adoption of epigenomics technology in clinical settings to benefit cancer patients.
“I am deeply honoured and humbled to be a newly elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada,” Lupien said. “This recognition is a testament to the exceptional support and engagement of my colleagues, mentors, trainees and friends, who have joined me in exploring the fundamental nature of cancer. With their support, my research has aimed to challenge the traditional view of cancer as a purely genetic disease, proposing instead an epigenetic perspective that regards cancer as a disease of the chromatin, where epigenetic-based therapy is key to managing the disease.”
Read more about the 2024 inductees in RSC’s news release.
