The Voices of IRCUS: At the Heart of the Institute
Photo : Mathieu Lanthier - UdeS
In 2026, the Université de Sherbrooke Cancer Research Institute (IRCUS) is celebrating its 5th anniversary by giving a voice to those at the heart of its mission. The Voices of IRCUS series highlights powerful personal stories that remind us that cancer research is not an abstract promise but a driving force that brings hope, heals, inspires, and changes lives—right here, right now at IRCUS.
To start the series, the members of the IRCUS leadership team express their pride in helping to create an institution where research and hope are inextricably intertwined. Through listening, dialogue, and collaboration, IRCUS translates the needs and voices of people affected by cancer into concrete solutions. This closeness inspires each advance, each discovery, and each victory.
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“IRCUS is an essential training ground for the next generation of scientists,” says Prof. François-Michel Boisvert.
From the start of his career, Prof. François-Michel Boisvert has focused on developing non-invasive diagnostic tests. Recognizing in IRCUS a unique opportunity to bring together expertise that had been previously spread out, he enthusiastically agreed to become the Scientific Director of IRCUS, the first research institute in the Eastern Townships fully dedicated to cancer. For him, IRCUS is much more than a group of researchers: it is a place for building truly interdisciplinary research that reaches all the way to the patient’s bedside. The Institute is also an essential training environment where emerging scientists learn to push the boundaries of knowledge to fight cancer.
“Taking part in research means giving yourself a better chance,” says Dr. Michel Pavic.
Since he began treating cancer patients 20 years ago, Dr. Michel Pavic has witnessed tremendous progress. He sees his patients living longer and recovering more often thanks to advances that, he reminds us, all come from research. For him, the message is clear: by taking part in research, patients help themselves by gaining access to more treatment options while also helping those who will follow. He joined the IRCUS leadership team to contribute even further to advancing care and hope in the Eastern Townships. At the Phase 1 Oncology Unit, which is an IRCUS initiative, he has seen patients benefit from innovative treatments after they had exhausted all available standard options. To him, these advances demonstrate the strength of research and the importance of patient engagement, as patients are true drivers of progress in oncology.
“We think together to build projects that truly make a difference,” says Karine Tremblay.
IRCUS Scientific Coordinator Karine Tremblay has devoted her life to cancer research for 25 years—a vocation inspired by her sister’s battle with a rare form of metastatic brain cancer. After contributing to the creation of IRCUS, she was diagnosed with aggressive triple‑negative breast cancer just three months after joining the Institute’s leadership team. This difficult experience strengthened her determination to establish the Phase 1 Oncology Unit while undergoing chemotherapy—a unit that now offers innovative therapies in the Eastern Townships. Guided by her personal experience with cancer, which enriches her scientific expertise, she brings together researchers, clinicians, and patient partners to design the most ambitious projects—those capable of tackling cancer’s most complex challenges.
The 5th anniversary of IRCUS is not only a time to look back on the path we have taken—it also marks the beginning of a new chapter in which researchers, the community, and partners unite to transform the future of cancer. Together, let’s keep building a world where every discovery brings us closer to a cure and every act of support helps save lives.
Don’t miss this inspiring year of celebrations. Follow IRCUS on:
LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.