The Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation would like to congratulate Dr. Morag Park, an international leader in breast cancer research, for her nomination by the Order of Quebec. The Prime Minister made the announcement on Tuesday morning, May 11, 2021. Director of McGill University’s Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Research Centre (GCRC), Dr. Morag Park was named one among 43 outstanding individuals, from various backgrounds, who have changed the face of Quebec.
It is a great honour to be appointed to the Order of Quebec. I am grateful for my incredible colleagues and trainees in the health and research community who have supported me throughout the years and whose collaborations have enabled the progress we’ve made to date. However, there remains a long road ahead in the fight against cancer, and support for this research is critical, perhaps even more so as we exit the COVID-19 pandemic, where, like so many fields, cancer care and research has been impacted, – said Dr. Morag Park on receiving her appointment.
The Foundation’s invaluable support since its beginning
For more than 30 years, Dr. Morag Park has mobilized the scientific and medical community on priority issues in breast cancer, creating unique bridges between basic and translational research for the benefit of those affected by breast cancer.
In recognition of her vision, commitment and leadership, the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation, the McGill Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, and the GCRC have endorsed the nomination of Dr. Morag Park by the Conseil supérieur de l’éducation.
From the very beginning of her career as a researcher, the Foundation believed in Dr. Morag Park’s research projects by awarding her very first research grant in breast cancer. She is a pioneer with her work on breast cancer in Quebec. We are proud to support her since her beginnings and the recognition she receives from the Order of Quebec, – said Karine-Iseult Ippersiel, President and CEO of the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation
McGill University is proud that the Government of Quebec has chosen to honour Dr. Morag Park for her outstanding contributions in cancer research. Her work has improved our understanding of cancer and has made a mark on Quebec’s culture of research excellence. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Park on behalf of McGill’s research community. – added Martha Crago, Vice-Principal, Research and Innovation.
An exceptional career for the benefit of patient
Dr. Morag Park has received numerous recognitions throughout her career, including the 2019 Scientific Distinction Award from the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation. Click here to view the video clip produced as part of this recognition.
Since her early days, Dr. Morag Park has focused her research on the breast cancer microenvironment. She is a leader in research on receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) receptors and oncogenic RTK activation mechanisms in human cancers. The development of excellent preclinical models of breast cancer and the ability to study human tumour tissue from a large tumour bank has allowed her team to gain new understanding of the disease, to focus on the reasons why certain tumours do not respond to treatment, and thus to strive to develop new therapeutic strategies.
Dr. Park’s research goals now include understanding the effects of multiple genetic modifications combined with epigenetic events on tumorigenesis and progression in human breast cancer.