Decades of cancer research history have a new address in Kingston, promising to accelerate the development of personalized treatments for patients across the country.
Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) has officially become the new home for the Canadian Cancer Trials Group’s Tumour Tissue Data Repository — the largest cancer clinical trials tumour bank in Canada.
The move brings nearly 30 years of patient-donated samples under one roof, consolidating a collection that was previously scattered across multiple locations at the hospital and Queen’s University. The repository is now co-located with the Queen’s Laboratory for Molecular Pathology (QLMP), creating a centralized hub designed to bridge the gap between laboratory discoveries and patient care.
“This project demonstrates the long-standing and continually expanding collaboration between KHSC and Queen’s as we align health care, research, and innovation across our many shared spaces,” said Steve Smith, president and CEO of the KHSC Research Institute.
Smith called the facility a fantastic example of Kingston’s national standing in medical research, noting that it houses some of the “most talented researchers in the world.”
Get weekly health news
The consolidated facility houses tissue samples collected from clinical trials around the globe. These samples are critical for researchers working to understand how cancers evolve and why they respond differently to various treatments.
The new space is equipped with advanced digital tools, including artificial intelligence, genomics and computerized image analysis. Dr. David Berman, of the clinical department of pathology and molecular medicine, says these capabilities allow researchers to visualize the fight against cancer at a “molecular scale.”
-
![]()
Colorectal Cancer Canada makes national call to “Screen at 45.” -
![]()
Edmonton team allows lung patient treatment closer to home with rare surgery -
![]()
New Brunswick has found a Fredericton company responsible for recent chemical spill -
![]()
Canadian Cancer Society recommends to lower colon cancer screening age to 45
“Applying these technologies to patients provides a tremendous opportunity to uncover new insights into why some treatments fail in one patient and succeed in another,” Berman said. “This will allow scientists and health care teams to tailor precise therapies that improve and extend the lives of patients with cancer.”
For Shakeel Virk, manager of the repository, the move represents a commitment to the patients who donated samples in hopes of aiding future breakthroughs.
“A sample given at one point could mean changes in treatment well down the road,” Virk said. “We are custodians of samples donated by patients from across the world and it is critical that we use these samples responsibly.”
The project was completed with support from multiple partners, including the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the KHSC Research Institute.
Comments
Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.