EDI

PATIENTS

The Learning Institute

The BioCanRx–Cancer Community Partnership Learning Institute connects oncology patient leaders and immunotherapy researchers for collaborative knowledge exchange at the annual Summit for Cancer Immunotherapy.

Shared Understanding

Connecting Patients and Researchers

Academic scholars are exposed to the realities of the cancer patient experience and patient leaders are familiarized with research concepts in immuno-oncology. Both develop their networking knowledge and translation skills. Partnerships are also created and strengthened as a result.

They also work together on a Dissemination Report that captures their key take-away messages and reflections from the Summit for Cancer Immunotherapy, and serves as a way to share this information with BioCanRx, the oncology communities, and the general public.

Group of clinicians and researchers meeting to discuss CAR T immunotherapy and cell therapy manufacturing strategies for advancing cancer treatment in Canada.

Goals

Engaging Patients and Making Research Accessible

The Learning Institute objectives are:

Patient Integration

To create a model of learning that encourages, supports and creates the integration of patient leaders into the scientific conference.

Research Access

To ensure that scientific research presented at the conference is translated to patient participants in an understandable way so that it can be shared with interested partners.

At a Glance

Core Program Activities

The Learning Institute consists of four main components:

Pre-Summit training to learn about basic cancer biology and immunotherapy

A series of high-energy knowledge exchange sessions

A “buddy system” where patient leaders are paired with academic scholars

Patient Perspective in the creation of the Dissemination Report.

Participants are given a workbook and assigned notetaking for the various plenaries, talks and events at the Summit for Cancer Immunotherapy.

Then & Now

Upcoming and Past Institutes

We will be launching the next Learning Institute once we announce our next Summit for Cancer Immunotherapy. Please stay tuned for details.

See the links below for more information about past institutes:

2022 Learning Institute

November, in Montreal, Quebec

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2019 Learning Institute

October, in Victoria, British Columbia

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2018 Learning Institute

October, in Banff, Alberta

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2017 Learning Institute

June, in Gatineau, Quebec

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Development

Where It Started

In 2016, the Cancer Community Partnership and BioCanRx identified the Learning Institute as a joint priority, and made it part of the BioCanRx-Cancer Community Partnership Joint Action Plan.

In response to the Joint Action Plan, the following members of the 2017 Cancer Community Partnership Working Group, BioCanRx Highly Qualified Personnel community and BioCanRx staff came together and developed the BioCanRx-Cancer Stakeholder Alliance Learning Institute:

A group of doctors and researchers meet around a table reviewing data and treatment plans for cancer immunotherapy.

Louise Binder

Health Policy Consultant, Save Your Skin Foundation

Kathy Brodeur-Robb

Executive Director, C17 – Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders

Linda Eagen

President & CEO, Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation

Nicole Forbes

Postdoctoral Fellow, Jean-Simon Diallo Lab, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute

Renée Leduc

Manager, Knowledge Mobilization, BioCanRx

Patrick Sullivan

President, Team Finn and a Founder & Chairman of Ac2orn

Jovian Tsang

(former) Manager of Highly Qualified Personnel Training Programs, BioCanRx

Brittany Umer

PhD Candidate, David Evans Lab, University of Alberta

f you would like to learn more about the BioCanRx-Cancer Community Partnership Learning Institute, please contact Anu Shukla-Jones, by email (Ashukla-jones@biocanrx.com).