Genome Canada and CIHR team up to fund research into childhood cancers, rare diseases

New pilot project

Two research teams have received $5.6 million in funding to launch the world's first large-scale projects focused on the genetic causes of childhood cancers and rare disorders. The funding from Genome Canada, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the regional genome centres of Quebec and British Columbia will support pan-Canadian research consortia that will utilize the rapid advances in genomic sequencing which have accelerated the identification of disease genes while dramatically driving down the cost.

The funding was made available through the Advancing Technology Innovation Through Discovery Program, a new joint initiative between Genome Canada and CIHR. Each agency is committing an initial $2 million to the venture with childhood diseases research the first to be funded. Currently viewed as a pilot project, the two successful consortia had to pass peer review and their proposals had to include geneticists and clinicians as well as at least two of the three Genome Canada-funded S&T Innovation Centres that offer genomic sequencing.

Canada is the first country to launch research projects with this scope and focus and their launch puts Canadian researchers nearly one year ahead of the US. The NIH has just announced a similar program and is now seeking proposals with approximately $20 million in funding available.

"We're leading the field. These are the first projects funded at this scale where genome sequences are going to be developed and performed on such a range of patients," says Dr Pierre Meulien, president and CEO of Genome Canada. "We have better access to patients and we're better organized."

One project — Finding of Rare Disease Genes in Canada (FORGE Canada) — will examine more than 70 childhood genetic disorders using new Canadian sequencing technology to discover the genes that are causing the disease. The project is led by Dr Kym Boycott, a neurogeneticist at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) Research Institute.

The second project — The Canadian Pediatric Cancer Genome Consortium (CPCGC) — will use new genome sequencing technologies to examine six childhood cancers, scanning the DNA of the entire human genome contained within tumour cells. The project is led by Dr Paul Sorensen, principal investigator for the Univ of British Columbia's Children's Oncology Group.

"This puts us on the map and will actually impact the families with these disorders," says Meulien. "There will be clinical management decisions made based on the new knowledge. It will get rid of the empirical stuff and use evidence-based medicine which is a real priority for Genome Canada."

It's estimated that approximately 10,000 Canadian children have cancer, while another 50,000 suffer from rare genetic disorders, the majority of which are of unknown origin. The aim of the projects is to shed light on the nature of these diseases so that precise genetic tests can be developed and tailored treatments can be prescribed.

"CIHR and genome cancer research has identified cancer survivorship as a strategic research priority. We're particularly interested in the biological affect of pediatric cancer treatment and in supporting research to explore ways to prevent it at the time of treatment," says CIHR VP research and chief scientific officer.

consortia seek additional financing

While scientists have welcomed the opportunity to use genomic sequencing to explore these childhood diseases, the funding announced February 22 does not cover the full cost of the research. In the case of the CPCGC, the shortfall is about $700,000, prompting administrators to explore other funding including cancer agencies, foundations and other government sources. For FORGE, 70 disorders out of 140 will initially be examined, with others brought on stream once other funding is secured. One potential source is the NIH.

"It (the funding shortfall) affects the number of cases the researchers can put into the pipeline at any one time," says Meulien. "If there's more money, the projects will expand."

Genome Canada has requested new funding in the forthcoming federal Budget.

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