1. ISLB 2025 (International Society of Liquid Biopsy) – Orlando, Florida – November 1-3, 2025

Poster title: The RI-MUHC Circulating Biomarkers in Health & Disease Network: Advancing Translational cfDNA Research Through an Interdisciplinary Framework

Authors: Kyle Dickinson, Julia Burnier

Blurb: Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and other circulating biomarkers hold promise for early detection, treatment monitoring, and personalized medicine. However, progress is limited by fragmented efforts, disease-specific silos, and inconsistent methodologies. To address these challenges, we established a cfDNA research network within the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) that unites diverse expertise across diseases to accelerate biomarker discovery and translation. By integrating biospecimens, harmonized methods, and cross-disciplinary expertise, the network provides a platform to discover cfDNA signatures predictive of disease onset, progression, and treatment response.

2. CCRC 2025 (Canadian Cancer Research Conference) – Calgary, AB – November 2-5, 2025

Poster title: From patient-scientists interactions to co-created ac9ons: Reflections on the development of a strong patient-scientist

partnership in cancer research

Authors: Kyle Dickinson, Cara MacInnis, Kirsten Efremov, Jennifer Coish, Monyse de Nobrega, Jennifer Auchinleck, Isabelle Allain-Labelle, Antonia Palmer, Louise Bird, Shuk On Annie Leung, Julia V. Burnier

Blurb: The goal was to reflect on how a patient engagement group was formed and how these interactions evolved into collaborations where people with lived and/or living experience (PWLLEs) are equal partners throughout the research process, from idea generation to sharing findings. This initiative sets a model for truly partnered patient engagement in cancer research. By embracing co-creation, we can move beyond tokenistic involvement to foster research that is more compassionate, inclusive, and impactful.

3. CNAPS 2025 (Circulating Nucleic Acids in Plasma and Serum) – Hong Kong – December 3-5, 2025

Poster title: The RI-MUHC Circulating Biomarkers in Health & Disease Network: Advancing Translational cfDNA Research Through an Interdisciplinary Framework

Authors: Kyle Dickinson, Julia Burnier

Blurb:Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and other circulating biomarkers hold promise for early detection, treatment monitoring, and personalized medicine. However, progress is limited by fragmented efforts, disease-specific silos, and inconsistent methodologies. To address these challenges, we established a cfDNA research network within the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) that unites diverse expertise across diseases to accelerate biomarker discovery and translation. By integrating biospecimens, harmonized methods, and cross-disciplinary expertise, the network provides a platform to discover cfDNA signatures predictive of disease onset, progression, and treatment response.

The Cancer Research Society (CRS) is proud to announce the awarding of 50 Doctoral Research Awards to students from across the country. This record number of scholarships will allow recipients to fully dedicate themselves to research projects aimed at improving cancer prevention, detection, and treatment.

Cancer Research Society

Yunxi will pursue her postdoctoral training at the University of Southern California in Dr. Eunji Chung’s lab.

Julia Burnier, PhD, a scientist in the Cancer Research Program at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC), was selected to collaborate with ModernaTX Inc. for a sponsored research project in the area of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs).

McGill Newsroom RI-MUHC News

Every day, Prisca Bustamante wakes up appreciating the beauty of the world she sees around her. That’s in good part why she has made it her mission to ensure no one loses their eyesight needlessly to eye cancer — a condition that often goes undiagnosed until it’s too late — by developing the world’s first early detection blood test for an eye tumour.

McGill Health e-News

The MUHC Foundation is thrilled to announce that Dr. Julia Valdemarin Burnier, Junior Scientist at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) and Assistant Professor in the Departments of Oncology and Pathology at McGill University’s Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, has received one of 15 inaugural Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) Emerging Scholar Awards. This award will provide research funding to Dr. Burnier over the next five years to support her research on how tumour cells shed DNA into bodily fluids like blood.

McGill Health e-News

The New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF) 2019 Exploration competition awarded $46.3 million in funding to support 186 research projects that bring disciplines together in non-traditional ways to explore new research directions. McGill researchers will receive $5.2 million shared among 21 projects, with each receiving up to $250,000 over the next two years.

McGill Med e-News

Dr. Julia V Burnier, a newly recruited researcher at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre , and Assistant Professor in the Departments of Oncology and Pathology at McGill University’s Faculty of Medicine, was awarded a CIHR-OICR award to participate in the CCRC as well as in the Early Career Investigator (ECI) meeting, funded by the CIHR, OICR and Prostate Canada. The ECI meeting, held before the CCRC, included over 50 young scientists from across Canada.

McGill Health e-News