IRIC - Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer

Published on October 16, 2025

Sébastien Lemieux, Principal Investigator and Scientific Director of IRIC’s
Bioinformatics Core Facility, together with Carino Gurjao, Principal Investigator at the Institute’s Genomic and Integrative Medicine Research Unit, are recipients of a research grant from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) through the John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JLEF) for their project “Infrastructure for the Development of Computational Approaches to Cancer Research,” for the period from March 2025 to April 2027.

The allocation of these funds, supplemented by the Quebec government for a total amount of $351,672, will enable professors Sébastien Lemieux and Carino Gurjao to combine their complementary expertise in bioinformatics, deep learning, and cancer genomics to develop computer tools capable of processing and interpreting massive biological data sets.

Their project specifically aims to improve the prediction of small molecule activity based on gene expression profiles, and to extract mutational and immunological signatures from tumors using raw genomic data. These approaches optimize drug discovery and refine patient stratification based on their molecular profile.

To support this work, the two teams will set up a state-of-the-art IT infrastructure equipped with servers and workstations designed for intensive AI model development. This ambitious project is part of IRIC’s vision to bring together artificial intelligence and biomedical innovation in the service of precision medicine.

The John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF) aims to help institutions recruit and retain outstanding researchers. This funding highlights the undeniable contribution of Professors Sébastien Lemieux and Carino Gurjao’s expertise in understanding the mechanisms of cancer and the underlying fight against it.