Research Programs

In 2024, the Ron Wigham Memorial Initiative for Myeloid Cancers launched, thanks to a generous gift from local philanthropists. This initiative supports research into acute myeloid leukemia (AML) — a fast-growing blood cancer that affects the bone marrow and immune system. 

Currently, the only curative treatment for AML is stem cell transplantation, which harnesses donor immune cells to target and eliminate cancer cells. Although this approach highlights the curative potential of immune cell-based strategies, it is associated with significant toxicity and is therefore restricted to a limited patient population — typically younger, healthier individuals with compatible donors. Consequently, most older patients, who constitute the majority of AML cases, are ineligible due to the increased risk of severe complications.

To address these challenges, our researchers are pursuing three innovative strategies:

• Finding better targets for treatment: Dr. Sorana Morrissy’s team is identifying unique markers on AML cells to help design therapies that attack cancer cells while sparing healthy ones.
• Creating off-the-shelf immune cell therapies: Dr. Jongbok Lee is developing engineered immune cells that can be stored and used for many patients, offering a safer and more accessible treatment option.
• Combining stem cell and CAR T therapies: Dr. Douglas Mahoney’s team is working on a dual approach that protects healthy cells while using CAR T cells to fight leukemia — potentially offering a personalized, curative option for more patients.

The Ron Wigham Memorial Initiative is accelerating the development of innovative and impactful immune cell therapies for AML, with the goal of making treatments safer, more effective and accessible for more patients. 

Multiple myeloma is the second most common blood cancer in North America. It affects plasma cells – a type of immune cell – and can lead to serious complications in the bone marrow and immune system. While treatments have improved, the disease remains incurable and often relapses. 

The Multiple Myeloma Research Program at the Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute is working to change that. For over 15 years, the program has built a strong foundation for discovery, including:

• A specialized research unit that studies the genetics of myeloma.
• A tissue bank with over 4,500 bone marrow and blood samples, supporting national and international collaborations. 

One of the program’s key goals is to improve immunotherapy — treatments that use the body’s own immune system to fight cancer. Therapies like CAR T cells and T-cell engagers have shown exciting results, especially for patients whose cancer has returned or stopped responding to other treatments. These therapies work by helping immune cells find and destroy cancer cells.

However, some myeloma cells can change or hide the proteins that these therapies target, making it harder for the immune system to recognize and attack them. Researchers within the Multiple Myeloma program, including Drs. Nizar Bahlis, Paola Neri, and Holly Lee — have led important studies to understand why this happens and how to prevent it.

Their work is helping develop smarter treatment strategies, such as:

• Targeting multiple proteins at once to reduce the chance of cancer escape.
• Combining immunotherapies with other drugs that boost the immune system or help it work more effectively.

Together, these efforts are paving the way for more personalized and powerful treatments — offering new hope to patients and helping redefine what’s possible in the fight against multiple myeloma.