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Adam Huras
Telegraph-Journal

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MONCTON - For the first time in its history, the Canadian Cancer Society has made a direct investment in cancer research in New Brunswick.

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Adam Huras/Telegraph-Journal

Adèlaïde La Plante, New Brunswick president of the Canadian Cancer Society, announces Wednesday that the society will provide $3 million to fund two new cancer research chairs, one at the University of New Brunswick and the other at the Université de Moncton.

The society pledged $3 million in Moncton on Wednesday to fund two new research chairs at the University of New Brunswick and the Université de Moncton.

The search will begin immediately to find two experts in the cancer research field to serve four-year terms. The agreement may be renewed for an additional 10 years.

The announcement should help attract more funds for the growing field of health research in the province, said Adélaïde La Plante, the New Brunswick president of the society.

"We believe the cancer research community in New Brunswick has tremendous potential to contribute an exciting momentum in the advancement of cancer research," La Plante said.

"It is our expectation that this investment will leverage additional funds to further enhance a health research culture."

The work of the two researchers will be in cancer biology. Partnerships will also be sought with existing research bodies, such as the Atlantic Cancer Research Institute.

The research will include the use of molecular imaging, among other things.

"Ultimately this is about making inroads on our vision to eradicate cancer," said Anne McTiernan-Gamble, executive director for the society in New Brunswick.

"Really, we want to see these choices benefiting patient care in the end."

McTiernan-Gamble said New Brunswick is slowly improving its research funding.

"Historically New Brunswick has not attracted as much funds for cancer research as other provinces have, but there is a lot of momentum now in New Brunswick," she said. "We expect this injection of funds will attract more funds from government and private sources."

This week, a Moncton group announced a plan for a new $20-million health and medical research centre.

Health Minister Mike Murphy also said the province is in the process of establishing a body to procure greater sums of funding for health care research in New Brunswick.

And U de M is about to build a medical research campus.

"Hopefully, by the end of the year we will have identified the candidate for our chair," U de M president Yvon Fontaine said. "We are very optimistic that we will recruit top-notch people and this will build the momentum for a longer relationship between the Canadian Cancer Society and our institutions."

Dr. Rodney Ouellette, CEO of the Atlantic Cancer Research Institute, said the province's increasing collaboration on health research can lead to results.

"Research is becoming increasingly interdisciplinary and the breadth and scope of the questions addressed requires talents of individuals from many different backgrounds," he said.

"(Collaboration) is highly conducive to advancement because it fosters a cross-pollination of different ideas and perspectives that can lead to important discovery."