The Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research: A Catalyst for Groundbreaking Medical Discoveries

As one of the top hospitals in Quebec, the Jewish General Hospital (JGH) excels at pushing the boundaries of medicine and offering exceptional patient care. None of it would be possible without donations to the JGH Foundation, which are needed to supplement public funding. Donors give the Hospital the agility to approach modern challenges from new perspectives by supporting the Foundation’s ongoing Tomorrows Are Made Here $400M philanthropic campaign. This month, we are putting the spotlight on research at the JGH’s Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research (LDI), which is supported in part by generous donors.

Over the years, the Jewish General Hospital’s Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research (LDI) has been home to many pioneering projects and breakthroughs. Its research initiatives are structured around four main axes: cancer, clinical epidemiology, molecular and regenerative medicine, and the psychosocial aspects of disease.

These axes cover a wide range of specialties, from cardiology and neurology to infectious diseases and many different cancers – and much more.

The impact of donors on medical research

The JGH has invested significantly in medical research at the LDI to address some of the most pressing healthcare challenges facing society today. Donors to the Jewish General Hospital (JGH) Foundation have been a crucial part of making that investment possible.

“JGH Foundation donors are essential in accelerating our discoveries,” said Donna Senger, PhD, a Principal Investigator at the LDI who is advancing our understanding of brain tumours and metastatic cancer by examining the interactions between immune cells and cancer cells. “Their support enables us to pursue ambitious projects and impactful innovation.”

Dr. Philippe Lefrançois, another Principal Investigator at the LDI, aims to find new ways to treat a prevalent skin cancer called basal cell carcinoma by first characterizing tumours at the molecular level and then determining how to better target them. Lefrançois credits JGH Foundation donors for expediting his team’s work. “Our work wouldn’t be progressing as quickly, and we wouldn’t be able to take on risky projects, without the support of donors,” he said.

A focus on the patient

One of the LDI’s notable areas of focus is precision medicine, in which targeted treatments are customized to a subgroup of patients, often based on diagnostic testing involving genetics or other molecular or cellular analysis. It enables physicians to be more precise in determining which drugs patients should receive without resorting to one-size-fits-all treatments.

What are the results of this personalized approach? Improved outcomes, reduced side effects – and a revolution in the way we think of medical care.

“Personalized precision oncology is one of the best areas where we’ve been able to demonstrate which cancer patients, based on the genetics of their tumours, will respond to different therapies,” said Stephen Robbins, PhD, the LDI’s Executive Director.

At the LDI, the integration of innovative medical research with daily clinical practice allows patients to benefit from the latest advances in treatment as soon as they become available. This emphasis on translating research into real-world applications is one of the hallmarks of the JGH’s approach to healthcare.

As the LDI continues to lead the way in medical research and innovation, it is helping to shape the future of healthcare in Canada. With a focus on innovation, collaboration, and patient care, the LDI remains a powerful beneficiary of the JGH Foundation’s Tomorrows Are Made Here campaign, creating brighter tomorrows for patients at the JGH and beyond.

To make a donation to the Jewish General Hospital Foundation, please go to jghfoundation.org