A distinguished team of cancer researchers has joined forces to create the Escarpment
Cancer Research Institute (ECRI). Composed of 16 scientists from McMaster University
and Hamilton Health Sciences, they include some of the most distinguished cancer
researchers in Canada.

“Our commitment is to generate results that will have a meaningful impact in a timely
fashion,” said Dr. Mark Levine, founding scientific director of the ECRI and chair of the
Department of Oncology at McMaster. “We also believe that breakthroughs and
innovations come from taking a collaborative, co-ordinated approach that optimizes the
combined skills and talents of a multidisciplinary team.”

ECRI scientists will work to speed up the application of research results and improve
patient care by focusing on three thematic areas:
* Clinical trials
* Quality health care and knowledge translation research
* Translational (bench-to-bedside) research.
“This is the right time to bring together the well-established and successful cancer
research groups in Hamilton, as well as newly established ones, in order to embrace and
grow the opportunities for synergies in research,” said Dr. John Kelton, dean and vice-
president of the Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster.

The Escarpment Cancer Research Institute scientists and their teams will be located at
the Juravinski Hospital and Cancer Centre. In the past three years, the institute's 16
scientists have been awarded more than $45 million in research funding and they have
120 employees as associated research staff.

“The scientists joining this institute are amongst the best in their fields and each of
them is already making a difference,” said Murray Martin, president and CEO of
Hamilton Health Sciences. “Together they will be able to build on their shared
experience and expertise to achieve new goals across the cancer research spectrum.”

Under the leadership of Levine, who holds the Buffett Taylor Chair in Breast Cancer
Research, ECRI scientists will work across disciplines that include medical and radiation
oncology, pathology, nursing, biostatistics, clinical chemistry and social sciences.

The accomplished group includes director Mark Levine along with Andrew Arnold, Anita
Bane, Melissa Brouwers, Denise Bryant-Lukosius, Laurie Elit, Hal Hirte, Sebastien Hotte,
Rosalyn Juergens, Jim Julian, Peter Kavsak, Mark Levine, Gregory Pond, Hsien Seow,
Marko Simunovic, Jonathan Sussman and Timothy Whelan.