What’s new at the Rosalind & Morris Goodman Cancer Institute?

On June 18, the atrium of the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute (GCI) transformed into a vibrant, welcoming space for the GCI “Community Café”, a new event organized by the GCI's Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Committee. More than 150 members of the GCI community gathered for this special moment of connection, designed to place community voices at the center of the GCI’s evolving EDI strategy.

Graduate student Ekkanat (Web) Jiramongkolsiri has been named the 2025 recipient of the Jerry Pelletier Studentship in Cancer Research, awarded by the Department of Biochemistry. This award recognizes a student whose work embodies the late Professor Jerry Pelletier’s dedication to cancer research, scientific excellence, and community engagement.

To mark its 20th anniversary, Cell Metabolism is spotlighting authors whose discoveries have helped define the field of metabolic research. Among the featured contributors is Lawrence Kazak, PhD, Principal Investigator at the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute (GCI), recognized for a study he conducted during his postdoctoral fellowship at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School.

On June 5 and 6, 2025, members of the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute (GCI) community came together to celebrate Professor Nahum Sonenberg’s legacy of mentorship and to announce the creation of a second Sonenberg Postdoctoral Fellowship. The fellowship honours Professor Sonenberg, a scientist recognized for his foundational discoveries in mRNA biology and decades of mentorship.

A new study co-led by Morag Park, Ph.D., Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute (GCI) Investigator and Director, and Christopher Moraes, Ph.D., Associate Member at the GCI, in collaboration with Jiannis Ragoussis, Ph.D., reveals important insights into the role of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in the spread of triple-negative breast cancer.

A clear current of passion for cancer research runs through Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute (GCI) alumna Christine Parachoniak's journey, from her days as a graduate student to her current role as Associate Director at Foundation Medicine Inc. 

Professor Nahum Sonenberg’s pioneering mRNA work has transformed molecular medicine, advancing cancer therapies and the COVID-19 vaccine. We proudly honour his legacy by supporting the next generation of researchers.

Professor Guojun Chen, Ph.D., faculty member in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and principal investigator at the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute (GCI), has been awarded the President's Prize for Outstanding Emerging Researchers. This honour is awarded to McGill faculty members who have distinguished themselves early in their careers through exceptional research contributions.

May is Melanoma Awareness Month, a global campaign to raise awareness about the deadliest form of skin cancer. Researchers at the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute (GCI) are turning to the challenges posed by this cancer as an opportunity, using melanoma to pioneer new understandings of cancer genetics, treatment, and immunology.