Our vision is: To find the cause of and a cure for brain tumours while improving the quality of life for those affected. Research is the key to achieving our vision.
On this page you will find links to current research projects underway that you may be interested in participating in.
NOTE: These are third-party studies, not conducted Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada.
Among hallmark features of glioblastomas (GBMs) are regions of reduced oxygen supply to tissues below physiologic levels – termed hypoxia. Hypoxia within tumor environment (the environment within a tumour) constitutes a major concern for GBMs because it triggers cancer cell invasion, inhibition of antitumor immune responses, and radio-resistance. The hypoxia tracer (pimonidazole; PIMO) is used as a marker that can be administered to patients prior to surgery and detected in tumour specimens, upon their surgical removal, in order to examine hypoxic regions in the tumour microenvironment. We use PIMO to identify the hypoxic regions in GBM and use state-of-the-art molecular techniques to understand the biological and genetic features of cells that reside in the hypoxic regions. This approach will help identify specific features of hypoxic cells that can then be targeted with new drugs.
We encourage adult GBM patients at Toronto Western Hospital to inquire further, and consent if suitable, to participate in our PIMO study prior to their surgery, so that when the tumor is removed it can be donated to our lab for research on hypoxic regions in the GBM environment. Ultimately, by performing deep molecular analysis of the hypoxic regions we are able to design new strategies to make tumor cells more sensitive to therapy and, thereby, improve the survival of patients with GBM.
Who is Eligible:
Eligible patients are those aged 18 and above with primary or recurrent glioblastoma diagnoses undergoing surgical resection at the Toronto Western Hospital.
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Sheila Mansouri PhD (Staff Scientist) at:
sheila.mansouri@uhnresearch.ca.
We are looking to speak to patients/caregivers who are ” Living with Neurofibromatosis type 1 ” to better understand their experiences and to help inform the development of patient/family tools & resources such as disease and product education information and tools.
Who is Eligible:
Families with a child (between 2-17) that has NF1 with PNs (plexiform neurofibromas).
Market Research guidelines allow for patients 16-17 to consent for themselves and participate on their own, however any younger would need an adult caregiver present during the interview.
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at:
research@mdanalytics.com or tpuglia@mdanalytics.com and cite study #23017Q/23022Q and we will send you a link to complete a short screener to see if you are eligible to complete an interview.
Clinical trials are a type of research that involve people and test health-related “interventions” to see how they work. There are many types of interventions tested in clinical trials. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to some clinical trials being done differently from how they were originally planned. Health Canada, Canada’s regulatory agency that oversees clinical trials done in Canada, has allowed these changes to happen during the pandemic and is also looking at how some of these temporary changes might be allowed to continue in the future.
See more information here.
Please be assured that your participation is entirely voluntary, and you may decline to participate and refuse to answer any or all of the questions without penalty. However, your data cannot be withdrawn after the submission of the survey.
If you have any questions or concerns about the project, feel free to contact John Queenan at 416.673.6684
The purpose of this study is to understand cancer patient experiences using virtual care during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to develop recommendations that will help to ensure adoption and adaptation of equitable, equal, consistent, and comprehensive virtual care best practices across Canada.
Who is Eligible:
To achieve the objectives of this project, we will conduct one-on-one interviews with cancer patients who have used virtual care during the COVID-19 pandemic as part of their cancer care.
These interviews are offered in both English and French, for which an honourarium will be provided.
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at:
CaringVirtually@protonmail.com
Young adults often need support from significant/caring others to achieve their physical activity goals after cancer treatment, but these individuals don’t always know how to provide this support. We are conducting a study to evaluate a 30-min educational webinar on social support for physical activity. We are recruiting young adult cancer survivors and their significant/caring others.
Who is Eligible:
Young adults who:
Significant others who care for a young adult cancer survivor and:
For more information please contact Jenson Price, University of Ottawa:
613-562-5800, ext. 7300
Or email: jenson.price@uottawa.ca
Cancer survivors often report reduced quality of life due to difficulties with cognitive function and psychological distress during and/or after cancer treatments. The goal of this virtual study is to better understand how cancer-related cognitive impairments affect adolescent and young adult cancer survivors, as well as the potential use of physical activity to improve brain health and quality of life for in this understudied group.
Who is Eligible:
For more information please contact Sitara Sharma Master’s Student, University of Ottawa:
613-562-5800, ext. 7300
Or email: sitara.sharma@uottawa.ca
Do you worry about your loved one’s cancer coming back? Do you worry weeks before your loved one’s follow-up appointments? Do your worries about your loved one’s cancer coming back cause you distress or affect your daily life?
If so, a brief online group study is being offered to address these worries.
Who can participate?
Women, living in Canada, who currently provide unpaid support to a loved one:
For more information on how to participate, please contact Jani Lamarche, research coordinator, at:
613-562-5800, ext. 4903
Or email: jlama023@uottawa.ca
Caring Forward is an online study seeking to learn more about the experiences of unpaid caregivers of brain injury survivors living in Canada. The information we receive will be used to create resources and programs that support caregivers and improve well-being. Participants will be asked to fill out a 30-minute online survey once every six months for up to two years.
Who can participate?
We are seeking individuals who:
To sign-up for the study, visit: https://mystudies.ca/studies/caregiver
After you sign-up, you will receive a brief phone call from a member of our research team to confirm your interest in participating and answer any questions you may have. Once this call is complete, you will receive a link to your online survey.
For more information, questions or concerns, please contact us toll-free at:
1-877-341-8309 (ext. 8 or 9)
Or email: caringforward@iwk.nshealth.ca
Researchers at St. Michael’s Hospital, in Toronto, invite you to participate in a survey on what patients value in their neurosurgeon and on patient involvement in evaluating neurosurgical resident doctors. Incorporating your input into neurosurgical residency training is essential to develop well-rounded neurosurgeons who more effectively meet patient needs and expectations, and we are grateful for your consideration!
Who can participate?
If you are either a neurosurgical patient or a family member, acting as an informal caregiver of a neurosurgical patient, who has had a minimum of one clinical encounter with a staff neurosurgeon, and are 18 years of age or older, you are eligible to participate!
If you are interested in participating in the study, you can complete the survey at the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PatientPerspective2021
This survey should take 15-30 minutes to complete.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email us at: Luke.Bannon@unityhealth.to
This study is investigating the link between physical activity participation and measures of quality of life in primary brain tumour patients after diagnosis. We are collecting survey data from primary brain tumour patients over 6 months (6 surveys total) to better describe how physical activity may be associated with measures of quality of life during the disease course.
Who can participate?
We are looking for individuals over the age of 18 who have been recently diagnosed with a primary brain tumour (within one month of diagnosis or resective surgery). Participants should also be able to carry out activities of daily living independently at the time of recruitment (corresponding with a Karnofsky Performance Status of >70).
Where can you take the survey?
The study will consist of a brief telephone interview to collect basic demographic data. Subsequently, participants will be emailed a link to an online survey. Participants will asked to complete subsequent surveys every month for six months thereafter.
Contact information
Please contact Meaghan Wunder (medical student investigator) at mwunder2023@meds.uwo.ca if you wish to participate or have any further questions.
Cancer and Work (www.cancerandwork.ca) are seeking self-employed cancer survivors to share their experiences in remaining or returning to work following cancer and cancer treatments. Your contribution will help us understand how self-employed cancer survivors manage with remaining or with returning to work after a cancer diagnosis.
The sharing of your experience will help us understand how best to guide others who are self-employed. Your participation will include a 30 to a 45-minute interview which can take place over the telephone, or video- conferencing at a time that is most suited to your schedule.
With permission, the interview will be recorded, and your identity will be kept confidential. Interviews will be take place between September 2020 and December 2021.
Please contact Dr. Christine Maheu at christine.maheu@mcgill.ca to participate in a short interview for one of the research studies.
What is the study about?
The study, conducted by the Injury Prevention Research Office and St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, Canada aims to measure the effect of visual symptoms on the quality of life in patients with pituitary tumors. Visual symptoms are one of the most common effects of large pituitary tumors. This study is aimed to develop a tool to better measure the effect of these visual symptoms on a pituitary tumor patient’s ability to function in daily life.
Who can participate?
Anyone who is currently/or has ever been diagnosed with a pituitary tumor.
Where can you take the survey?
If you are interested in participating in the study by completing the survey, click here. This survey should take about 45 minutes to complete.
If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact us at injuryprevention@smh.ca
What is the goal of the study?
The purpose of this study is to discover why some people develop LGG while other people do not. We also hope to learn more about the effect of this diagnosis and the associated treatments on daily life including the ability to work, drive, sleep, exercise, or take care of oneself and/or family.
Who can enter the study?
Any person over the age of 20 years with an initial diagnosis of LGG. Postmortem tissue samples and pathology reports may also be eligible for inclusion in the study. Please email for more information.
For more information:
Please use one of the methods below for more information about the study.
email the study at glioma@yale.edu
Learn more about Dr. Elizabeth B. Claus
If you are interested in learning more about this Registry, please see a recording of a webinar held in July 2019 or read this article from The International Brain Tumour Alliance.
