2023 Awards for Excellence: Using genetics to revolutionize cancer prevention and detection
Dr Jacques Simard was awarded the 2023 Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) O. Harold Warwick Prize for his career-long contribution to improving cancer prevention, detection and treatment by studying the genetic predisposition of human beings to the disease.
Vice-Dean of Research and Innovation at the Faculty of Medicine of the Université Laval and Director of Cancer Genomics Laboratory, at the CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Centre, Dr Jacques Simard has devoted his career to understanding how genetics make some people more likely to get breast, ovarian and prostate cancers.
He played a leading role in the discovery of the breast, ovarian and prostate cancer susceptibility gene BRC2, and furthered our understanding of BRCA1 gene mutations,
This work was the cornerstone for the development of a screening test for predisposition to some cancers.
This breakthrough has since enabled millions of high-risk people to be tested for the presence of mutations in these genes, improving prevention, early detection and treatment.
A pioneer in oncogenetics, Dr Simard has led one of the largest interdisciplinary research teams and contributed to several international studies on genetic predisposition to breast cancer, which includes thousands of participants worldwide.
He is currently leading a project to generate evidence on the feasibility, acceptability and cost-effectiveness of risk-based breast cancer screening. This paradigm shift will make it possible to adapt the methods and frequency of screening to better serve women who are at higher risk of cancer, particularly younger women, who are not covered by screening programs that mainly use age as an eligibility criterion.
Through his significant research and international leadership, Dr Simard has contributed vital information on how cancer develops in creating personalized tools that have significantly impacted how we prevent and detect the disease, ultimately saving countless lives of people at higher risk.