Recruitment at the
Rosalind & Morris
Goodman Cancer Institute
The Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Instittue (GCI) is dedicated to shaping the future of cancer research by recruiting exceptional graduate students from across Canada and beyond. Our Annual Recruitment Event is a key part of this mission, connecting aspiring researchers with the institute's vibrant academic community.
Through the Annual Graduate Recruitment Event, we offer top applicants a unique chance to visit the institute, meet current graduate students and faculty, and learn about cutting-edge research opporunities.
Applications for 2026
are now open
Are you interested in pursuing graduate studies in cancer research with us?
Apply to attend our annual Graduate Student Recruitment Event for a unique opportunity to explore the GCI and learn about our cutting-edge research and scientific platforms.
Top applicants will be invited to attend the event that aims to be both informative and convivial. We will introduce the GCI’s extensive training program and provide an opportunity to meet with existing graduate students and cancer scientists.
Selected invitees will then be offered a scholarship for Fall 2026 or Winter 2027 admission. Please note that all travel expenses will be covered for invited students unless specified otherwise.
The deadline to apply is December 1st, 2025.
Join us for a live information session on Monday, November 3rd at 5pm EST to ask questions and learn more about the program. More details regarding day and time of the information session will be added soon.
Interested candidates must complete an online registration form HERE.
Within the online registration form, applicants will be asked to upload the following information in 1 single pdf:
- An up-to-date CV with valid contact information
- A letter of intent (maximum 2 pages) and
- A copy of your most recent transcripts (these do not need to be official for the purpose of this event)
Registration is open
Deadline to submit an application
December 1st, 2024
In-person Events
January 23rd - 24th 2025
- Demonstrated interest in biomedical research
- Enrolled in a B.Sc. or M.Sc. program
- GPA of 3.6 out of 4.3 for M.Sc. & Ph.D. candidates; international students will be evaluated on individual basis.
The GCI is committed to equity and diversity in the recruitment of its trainees. We welcome and encourage applications from racialized persons/visible minorities, women, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities as well as others who may contribute to diversification.
The following investigators are recruiting new students. Potential applicants should not contact these investigators directly. Instead, applicants should indicate the names of the investigators they are interested in on their application.
The Roy Laboratory at the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute integrates clinical insights with molecular technologies to advance melanoma diagnosis and treatment. As a clinician-scientist and dermatopathologist at the McGill University Health Centre, Dr. Simon Roy brings a translational perspective to cancer research at the GCI, diagnosing skin cancers while investigating their molecular mechanisms to improve treatment outcomes.
Prof. Roy's research focuses on understanding epigenetic mechanisms of tumor progression, metastasis, and immunotherapy resistance in rare melanoma subtypes, including acral melanoma, through spatial biology and computational approaches. The laboratory addresses health disparities by studying melanomas that disproportionately affect patients with skin of color.
The lab develops bioinformatic pipelines that integrate genome-wide DNA methylation analysis, spatial gene expression mapping, and protein localization studies to establish mechanistic insights and identify biomarkers. These integrated approaches enable the discovery of therapeutic targets for precision oncology in diverse patient populations.
The laboratory also employs precision-cut tumor slice cultures that preserve the native 3D tumor microenvironment to test drug combinations and model therapeutic responses. This ex vivo platform bridges laboratory discoveries with clinical applications by maintaining the complex cellular interactions found in patient tumors.
What we are
currently
working on
- Développement de pipelines computationnels multi-omiques Nous faisons continuellement progresser nos capacités bioinformatiques pour gérer des ensembles de données multi-omiques spatiales de plus en plus complexes. Nos flux de travail computationnels intègrent les données d'expression génique spatiale, les patterns de localisation protéique et les modifications épigénétiques provenant des mêmes sections tissulaires, créant des cartes moléculaires de la biologie tumorale. Notre programme de recherche maintient la flexibilité pour incorporer les technologies émergentes et s'adapter aux nouvelles découvertes dans les domaines en évolution rapide de la biologie spatiale et de l'oncologie de précision. Computational Multiomics Pipeline Development We are continuously advancing our bioinformatic capabilities to handle increasingly complex spatial multi-omics datasets. Our computational workflows integrate spatial gene expression data, protein localization patterns, and epigenetic modifications from the same tissue sections, creating molecular maps of tumor biology. Our research program maintains flexibility to incorporate emerging technologies and adapt to new discoveries in the rapidly evolving fields of spatial biology and precision oncology.
- Modélisation ex vivo 3D de la résistance à l'immunothérapie Nous avons développé une plateforme de culture de tranches tumorales ex vivo qui préserve le microenvironnement tumoral naturel pour étudier la résistance à l'immunothérapie et tester de nouvelles combinaisons de médicaments. Ce système « d'avatar de patient » maintient les interactions cellulaires complexes trouvées dans les tumeurs réelles, nous permettant de mieux prédire comment les patients pourraient répondre aux traitements.
En utilisant cette plateforme, nous testons les réponses aux approches d'immunothérapie actuelles et émergentes, évaluons les thérapies combinées incluant les régulateurs épigénétiques et les conjugués anticorps-médicament, et analysons comment les traitements changent le paysage immunitaire dans les tumeurs. Nos pipelines bioinformatiques traitent les données de transcriptomique spatiale et de protéomique résultantes pour identifier les patterns qui prédisent le succès ou l'échec thérapeutique et identifier et valider de nouveaux biomarqueurs. 3D Ex Vivo Modeling of Immunotherapy Resistance We have developed an ex vivo tumor slice culture platform that preserves the natural tumor microenvironment to study immunotherapy resistance and test novel drug combinations. This "patient avatar" system maintains the complex cellular interactions found in actual tumors, allowing us to better predict how patients might respond to treatments.
Using this platform, we test responses to current and emerging immunotherapy approaches, evaluate combination therapies including epigenetic regulators and antibody-drug conjugates, and analyze how treatments change the immune landscape within tumors. Our bioinformatic pipelines process the resulting spatial transcriptomic and proteomic data to identify patterns that predict treatment success or failure and identify and validate novel biomarkers.
- Épigénétique spatiale et circulante des sous-types rares de mélanome Nous étudions le paysage épigénétique du mélanome acral, un sous-type rare qui représente une des formes les plus communes de mélanome chez les patients ayant une peau de couleur, mais qui demeure critiquement peu étudié. Notre approche combine l'analyse de l'ADN tumoral circulant avec des études tissulaires pour identifier les patterns de méthylation de l'ADN associés aux mauvais résultats de survie.
Notre plateforme de recherche intégrée inclut le profilage de méthylation à l'échelle du génome pour identifier les régions régulatrices clés dans diverses cohortes de patients, jumelé au génotypage spécifique à l'ascendance utilisant la technologie de puces SNP pour caractériser les ascendances génétiques de nos participants d'étude. Cela nous permet de développer des modèles prédictifs véritablement inclusifs qui tiennent compte de la diversité génétique.
Nous utilisons des pipelines bioinformatiques avancés pour intégrer les données de transcriptomique spatiale avec nos découvertes de méthylation, cartographiant comment les voies régulées épigénétiquement fonctionnent dans différentes régions du microenvironnement tumoral. Nos approches computationnelles nous permettent de corréler les signatures de méthylation avec les changements d'expression génique et les résultats de survie et de réponses cliniques, créant des cartes moléculaires multidimensionnelles de la progression de la maladie.
Notre objectif est de développer des biomarqueurs non invasifs pour la détection précoce et le suivi thérapeutique tout en comblant le fossé de recherche critique pour les populations sous-représentées dans les études des sous-types rares de mélanomes. Spatial and Circulating Epigenetics of Rare Melanoma Subtypes We are investigating the epigenetic landscape of acral melanoma, a rare subtype that represents the most common form of melanoma in patients with skin of color yet remains critically understudied. Our approach combines circulating tumor DNA analysis with tissue-based studies to identify DNA methylation patterns associated with poor survival outcomes.
Our integrated research platform includes genome-wide methylation profiling to identify key regulatory regions in diverse patient cohorts, paired with ancestry-specific genotyping using SNP chip technology to characterize the genetic ancestries of our study participants. This allows us to develop truly inclusive predictive models that account for genetic diversity.
We use advanced bioinformatic pipelines to integrate spatial transcriptomics data with our methylation findings, mapping how epigenetically regulated pathways function within different regions of the tumor microenvironment. Our computational approaches allow us to correlate methylation signatures with gene expression changes and clinical outcomes, creating multi-dimensional molecular maps of disease progression.
Our goal is to develop non-invasive biomarkers for early detection and treatment monitoring while addressing the critical research gap for underrepresented populations in melanoma studies.
- Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology
- Principal Investigator, Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute
- Dermatopathologist, Section of Dermatopathology, McGill University Health Centre – Glen Site
- Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network Clinician-Scientist Training Award 2025-2028
- Melanoma Research Alliance Dermatology Fellowship award 2023-2024
- CIHR postdoctoral fellowship award 2023-2025
- FRQS postdoctoral fellowship award 2023-2025
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Contact us for any questions about
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