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Brain Tumour Research Centre
The Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre (BTRC) is where top scientists and clinicians from The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the University Health Network (UHN) collaborate on human brain tumour studies.
We share a virtual laboratory at the University of Toronto with other UHN scientists and clinicians, allowing us to share ideas, resources and equipment as we study the molecular basis of brain tumour progression. This multidisciplinary approach has facilitated outstanding basic and applied molecular neuro-oncology research, scientific publications and translational research.
To stay on the forefront of brain tumour studies, lab staff attends weekly research conferences where progress is evaluated, new models are discussed and research is compared with clinical data. Labatt BTRC members also engage in a weekly seminar series that reviews the latest cancer research.
Current brain tumour research
The BTRC aims to cure children and adults with brain tumours, while progressing towards more predictable clinical control of the condition. By determining how brain tumours form on a molecular level, our team is in a unique position to develop new scientific and clinical therapies.
We’re currently embarking on four specific research goals:
- Investigate the molecular basis of brain tumour progression through an analysis of genes which controls the cell cycle, signal transduction pathways, tumour angiogenesis, and invasion.
- Study the role of cell death (apoptotic) and tumour suppressor gene pathways in human brain tumours.
- Develop new methods to treat patients based on our growing knowledge of human brain tumours. Discoveries from the laboratory are quickly translated to effective clinical trials for patients with intracranial neoplasms.
- Maintain tumour banks for adult and childhood brain tumours, in which specimens can be kept to serve as a University of Toronto and nation-wide resource for investigators in molecular neuro-oncology.
Ongoing research and training of staff, fellows, and students in brain tumour biology and therapy is made possible by the donations from Arthur and Sonia Labatt.
Research labs of the BTRC
The BTRC is home to numerous labs dedicated to brain tumour research, each named for their principal investigator. While each lab's research focus is unique, there is much collaboration between them. Learn more about the labs, their published research and team members by visiting their websites below.
Affiliated groups and organizational resources
The BTRC is proud to collaborate with many stakeholders in the community including affiliated hospitals, philanthropic organizations and other institutions dedicated to brain tumour research. Many of the common organizations affiliated with the BTRC can be found below:
- American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
- American Brain Tumor Association
- Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada
- Canadian Cancer Society
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
- Canadian Medical Association
- Health Canada
- Meagan's HUG
- National Brain Tumor Society
- Society of Neuro-Oncology
- St. Michael's Hospital
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
- University Health Network (UHN)
- University of Toronto
2022–2023 Annual Report
This year's annual report features an interview with Sean Egan, the newest principal investigator at the BTRC. Dr. Egan's research focuses on the role of copy number abberations (CNA) in cancer and the biological response of cells to these mutations.
Read the 2022–2023 Annual Report
Thanks to consistent support from SickKids donors, we've been able to advance impactful research and training for staff, fellows and students in brain tumour biology and therapy.
If you’d like to make a contribution to the Centre, you can donate directly to the Labatt BTRC through the SickKids Foundation.
- Go to the SickKids Foundation website
- Click on the “donate” button
- Select “one-time” donation and enter the amount you wish to donate
- Select method of payment (Credit card, Visa debit, Paypal and Visa checkout)
- On the next page select “For a specific area or purpose” and enter "Arthur & Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre"
We appreciate your support!
Contact us
labatt.btrc@sickkids.ca
416-813-5154