Summary:
Precision medicine is a framework for cancer care that targets the unique genetic characteristics of each cancer patient’s tumour. It provides the best opportunity to personalize therapies, making sure each patient gets the precise treatment they need at the right time. This will not only make individual treatments more effective, it will also aim to reduce side-effects associated with current therapies. Targeted therapies are not available today to most cancer patients because of a lack of access to the data required to support precision medicine interventions. To make precision medicine a reality, the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network is allowing leading researchers, oncologists and institutions to work together with cancer patients to find new ways to collect and share clinical and genomic data.
This data will then be analyzed using artificial intelligence and other state-of-the-art technologies and methods to allow researchers to pinpoint the Achilles’ heel of each person’s cancer and find the best treatment options for thousands of patients across the country. This bold vision hopes to revolutionize cancer treatment for Canadians, establishing our country as a world leader in precision medicine and bringing us closer to achieving Terry’s dream of finding new cures for cancer through research.
Presenter:
Natalie Szudy is the Interim Executive Director for the Digital Health and Discovery Platform. She has extensive experience in building and managing pan-Canadian health networks that span research and community initiatives. Natalie has expertise in developing strategic partnerships with stakeholders including patient partners and decision-makers within translational research and health care ecosystems.
Natalie holds a PhD from Western University and certifications in ethics, design thinking, change management and knowledge translation.
Speaker
Natalie Szudy
Interim Executive Director, DHDP