Our Cancer Research Investment Portfolio

Discovery Research

The Terry Fox Foundation ("TFF") funded cure-oriented, biomedical cancer research for close to three decades through its partnership with the National Cancer Institute of Canada ("NCIC"). With the demise of the NCIC in January 2009, TFF has forged new relationships with partners who manage its research programs. In November 2009, TFF gave TFRI the responsibility to oversee its entire cancer research portfolio, working in collaboration with provincial and national agencies, including the Canadian Institutes for Health Research ("CIHR").

TFF's discovery Research program consists of:

A) New Frontiers Program Project Grants at CIHR ("PPG's") These prestigious team grants provide funding for groups of researchers working together in a concerted fashion. Each PPG provides up to approximately $1.5 million per year for research. Annual funding for the PPG program is approximately $14.5 million.

B) Young Cancer Investigators:

TFF invests in promising new researchers through the following:

1. New Investigator Grants (NIs): These grants provide funding specifically to assist new investigators who are beginning a career in cancer research. Each grant provides up to $150,000 per year for research. TFRI is managing this program for TFF, which will grow to a planned annual funding level of $1.5 million.

Please click here to meet our latest NI grant recipients

2. Research Trainee Support: TFF has partnered with CIHR's Institute of Cancer Research to co-fund the Terry Fox strategic training Initiatives in Health Research (STIHRs). This initiative, managed by CIHR, supports multiple scholarships in four programs, each program supporting up to 15 trainees' scholarships. TFF is providing $1 million/year for 6 years through March 2015. In addition, TFF is funding training programs through TFRI, which is partnering with regional health research foundations to offer top-ranked graduate studentships and postdoctoral fellowships.

Translational Research

The Terry Fox Research Institute is a pan-Canadian virtual institute supporting translational cancer research with the potential to significantly improve the health of cancer patients. With an initial $50 million committment from TFF, TFRI has:

• Committed over $40 million to 23 translational cancer research projects
• Leveraged an additional $65 million in partnership with provincial and national agencies
• Established partnerships with 50 universities, cancer research institutions, hospitals and agencies across Canada.

For more information about TFRI and its research programs, visit www.tfri.ca.