Characterising the molecular changes that underpin the progression and pathogenesis of cancer.

Our Focus

Through the use of cutting edge technologies, Molecular Oncology (MO) aims to identify genes involved in the development of cancer, quickly and accurately.

MO's researchers combine diverse techniques, ranging from genomics, computational biology, tumour imaging, in vitro and in vivo functional models, to study biological and clinical phenotypes. The proteins produced by these genes may serve as targets for novel chemotherapy drugs and other cancer treatments, or imaging scans. MO uses these combined techniques to validate the role of the novel candidate genes in the development of cancer; with an eye towards translating findings into improved treatment options for cancer patients around the world.

News & Events

New research identifies a promising target in multiple fusion-driven cancers

A new multinational study led by Dr. Poul Sorensen, distinguished scientist at BC Cancer Research Institute, professor in the UBC Faculty of Medicine and holder of the Johal Chair in Childhood Cancer Research, has been published in Cancer Discovery, a leading journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Dr. Samuel Aparicio, co-senior author on Nature Aging paper linking breast tissue aging to cancer risk

Dr. Samuel Aparicio, distinguished scientist at the BC Cancer Research Institute and professor at the University of British Columbia, is co-senior author on a recent paper providing the most detailed map to date of how breast tissue changes over a woman’s lifetime, revealing the role of menopause in cancer susceptibility. The study was co-led with scientists at the University of Cambridge.

Research Labs

Recent Publications

Ongoing genome doubling shapes evolvability and immunity in ovarian cancer.

Nature, 2025
McPherson, Andrew, Vázquez-García, Ignacio, Myers, Matthew A, Al-Rawi, Duaa H, Zatzman, Matthew, Weiner, Adam C, Freeman, Samuel, Mohibullah, Neeman, Satas, Gryte, Williams, Marc J, Ceglia, Nicholas, Norkūnaitė, Danguolė, Zhang, Allen W, Li, Jun, Lim, Jamie L P, Wu, Michelle, Choi, Seongmin, Havasov, Eliyahu, Grewal, Diljot, Shi, Hongyu, Kim, Minsoo, Schwarz, Roland F, Kaufmann, Tom, Dinh, Khanh Ngoc, Uhlitz, Florian, Tran, Julie, Wu, Yushi, Patel, Ruchi, Ramakrishnan, Satish, Kim, DooA, Clarke, Justin, Green, Hunter, Ali, Emily, DiBona, Melody, Varice, Nancy, Kundra, Ritika, Broach, Vance, Gardner, Ginger J, Roche, Kara Long, Sonoda, Yukio, Zivanovic, Oliver, Kim, Sarah H, Grisham, Rachel N, Liu, Ying L, Viale, Agnes, Rusk, Nicole, Lakhman, Yulia, Ellenson, Lora H, Tavaré, Simon, Aparicio, Samuel, Chi, Dennis S, Aghajanian, Carol, Abu-Rustum, Nadeem R, Friedman, Claire F, Zamarin, Dmitriy, Weigelt, Britta, Bakhoum, Samuel F, Shah, Sohrab P
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Divergent modes of clonal spread and intraperitoneal mixing in high-grade serous ovarian cancer.

Nature genetics, 2016
McPherson, Andrew, Roth, Andrew, Laks, Emma, Masud, Tehmina, Bashashati, Ali, Zhang, Allen W, Ha, Gavin, Biele, Justina, Yap, Damian, Wan, Adrian, Prentice, Leah M, Khattra, Jaswinder, Smith, Maia A, Nielsen, Cydney B, Mullaly, Sarah C, Kalloger, Steve, Karnezis, Anthony, Shumansky, Karey, Siu, Celia, Rosner, Jamie, Chan, Hector Li, Ho, Julie, Melnyk, Nataliya, Senz, Janine, Yang, Winnie, Moore, Richard, Mungall, Andrew J, Marra, Marco A, Bouchard-Côté, Alexandre, Gilks, C Blake, Huntsman, David G, McAlpine, Jessica N, Aparicio, Samuel, Shah, Sohrab P
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Small cell carcinoma of the ovary, hypercalcemic type, displays frequent inactivating germline and somatic mutations in SMARCA4.

Nature genetics, 2014
Ramos, Pilar, Karnezis, Anthony N, Craig, David W, Sekulic, Aleksandar, Russell, Megan L, Hendricks, William P D, Corneveaux, Jason J, Barrett, Michael T, Shumansky, Karey, Yang, Yidong, Shah, Sohrab P, Prentice, Leah M, Marra, Marco A, Kiefer, Jeffrey, Zismann, Victoria L, McEachron, Troy A, Salhia, Bodour, Prat, Jaime, D'Angelo, Emanuela, Clarke, Blaise A, Pressey, Joseph G, Farley, John H, Anthony, Stephen P, Roden, Richard B S, Cunliffe, Heather E, Huntsman, David G, Trent, Jeffrey M
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