A Year in Review: Sixty years of discovery—and the next generation of scientific excellence at the GCI

In 2025, the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute marked a defining milestone in its scientific legacy—60 years since the discovery of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) by its founding Director, Dr. Phil Gold, and the induction of Morag Park, PhD. into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame. Discovered in 1965, CEA was the first cancer biomarker identified in human blood and remains a cornerstone of cancer care worldwide, exemplifying how fundamental discovery can deliver lasting clinical impact.

Professor Park’s induction in 2025 makes her the third member of the GCI community to receive this national honour, following Dr. Gold and Nahum Sonenberg, PhD., who was inducted in 2023 for pioneering discoveries in RNA biology that helped lay the foundations for modern mRNA technologies. Together, these recognitions reflect an enduring culture of scientific excellence rooted in discovery, leadership, and mentorship.

As the GCI reflects on six decades of discovery, it is also looking forward, investing in the next generation of scientific leaders whose work is already shaping the future of cancer research and care. Recruited in 2024, Hannah Garner, PhD. brings a strong record of high-impact discovery in cancer biology and was named a 2025 V Foundation Scholar, recognizing exceptional early-career investigators. Her research focuses on how cancer cells interact with their microenvironment to drive metastasis, particularly in breast cancer.

In 2025, the GCI also welcomed Simon Roy, MD, MHS, through a joint appointment with McGill’s Department of Pathology. A clinician-scientist bridging laboratory research and patient care, Dr. Roy was named a recipient of the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network Clinician Scientist Award for his work on acral melanoma, a rare and aggressive cancer.

Together, these milestones—from foundational discoveries to the recruitment and recognition of emerging leaders—demonstrate how the GCI’s legacy of scientific excellence continues to grow through the next generation.