Princess Margaret Cancer Centre Research

Porphysomes—a groundbreaking light-activated nanoparticle technology—has reached a pivotal milestone: Health Canada has approved the start of clinical trials.

For over a decade, researchers at UHN’s Princess Margaret Cancer Centre have been pioneering this revolutionary approach to cancer imaging and therapy.

“Porphysomes were a game-changer from the moment we discovered them,” says Dr. Gang Zheng. “Their unique ability to accumulate in tumours and respond to light makes them an incredibly powerful tool.”

Read more in our link in bio.

Congratulations to our Senior Scientists Drs. John Dick and Jean Wang, and Dr. Jayne Danska from Sick Children’s Hospital Research Institute on receiving the Inventor of the Year Award, a part of the inaugural UHN Mission Excellence Awards!

They were recognized for their research in cancer immunotherapy, specifically for identifying a novel way that cancer cells evade destruction. Their research led to development of TTI-621, a SIRPα fusion protein that specifically targets the signal receptor CD47, responsible for activating the “Don’t Eat Me” biological message that cancer cells give to the immune system as they attempt to spread, grow and avoid destruction.

This work partially underpinned the platform for UHN start-up Trillium Therapeutics, created in 2004. In 2022, Pfizer Inc. acquired Trillium Therapeutics in a US$2.22 billion deal to further develop the TTI-621 asset, re-naming the drug to Maplirpacept. As of February 2025, Maplirpacept is undergoing global Phase II clinical trials for multiple hematological malignancies and remains competitive in the immunotherapy market. All of this was possible because of a discovery made decades ago by Drs. Jean Wang, John Dick and Jayne Danska at UHN’s Princess Margaret Cancer Centre & Sick Children’s Hospital.

Photo L to R: Dr. Brad Wouters (EVP, UHN Research), Dr. John Dick (Senior Scientist, PM), Dr. Jayne Danska (Senior Scientist, Sick Children’s Hospital Research Institute), Dr. Jean Wang (Senior Scientist, PM), Mark Taylor (Director, UHN Commercialization) and Kevin Smith (President & CEO, UHN)

Full story link in bio.
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Research at UHN, University Health Network, UHN Commercialization

Breast Cancer Canada is excited to see PROgress Tracker being featured on the national stage at Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology (CAPO) conference in Calgary today.

Presented by Dr. Doris Howell from Princess Margaret Cancer Centre Research, today’s presentation discussed how a breast cancer diagnosis has a profound impact on a patient's emotional and physical well-being, as well as their overall quality of life.

Dr. Howell is a one of the Principal Investigators on Breast Cancer Canada’s national PROgress Tracker study. This registry aims to capture and amplify the voices of individuals living with breast cancer through their own reported experiences and outcomes. The ultimate goal is to use this data to improve breast cancer care for future Canadian patients. The information collected through this registry lifts up patient voices and is helping us understand the real-life experiences of those who are living with breast cancer.

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the patients and survivors who have joined PROgress Tracker to date. Your participation is invaluable in helping us understand and improve the experiences of individuals with breast cancer.

For those who want to learn more or are interested in participating, please visit: PROgressTracker.ca