Day 2: June 19, 2026 
Advancing the Vision: Leveraging Clinical Evidence and the Patient Voice

9:30 a.m. – 9:40 a.m.

Conference Day 2 Opening

A brief recap of sessions from day one:
 

Conference Moderator:
Cassandra Macaulay, B.Sc., MHS, RTNM
Chief Research Officer, CCRAN

9:40 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

Welcome to Day 2 from CCRAN’s President & CEO

A warm welcome and sincere thanks to all experts and participants. Key highlights in this session: 
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Filomena Servidio-Italiano, Hon B.Sc., B.Ed., M.A.
President & CEO, CCRAN

Patient Perspective:
Michelle Audoin
Stage IV Breast Cancer; Chair, Canadian Cancer Trials Group (CCTG)

10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

A National Conversation on CGP Becoming a Standard of Care

As provinces across Canada work to advance access to comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP), clinical teams are navigating varying system conditions, infrastructure, and expectations. This national roundtable will bring together frontline clinicians to build clinical consensus that CGP should be established as a standard of care, and to identify the conditions needed to support equitable, informed clinical decision-making across Canada.

Panelists will reflect on their jurisdictional contexts, identifying shared challenges and enablers related to team capacity, informatics, turnaround times, and lab resources. Rather than prescribing a uniform approach, the session will focus on identifying where alignment is most needed, across care settings, provinces, and specialties, to advance CGP in a way that is both scalable and responsive to local needs.

Key objectives:
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Moderator:
Dr. Monika Krzyzanowska, MD, MPH, FRCPC, FASCO
Co-Chair, Expert Steering Committee; Chief & Medical Oncologist, Odette Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre; Regional Vice President, Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario); Professor of Medicine, University of Toronto

Caregiver Perspective:
Neil Marr, Hon B.A.
Caregiver to spouse who succumbed to Stage IV Cholangiocarcinoma; Research Advocate and Mentor; Patient Partner with PanCuRx

‍Clinician Roundtable:
Dr. Mita Manna, MD, FRCPC
Medical Oncologist, Saskatoon Cancer Centre; Associate Professor, Department of Oncology, University of Saskatchewan

Dr. Stephanie Snow, MD, FRCPC
Medical Oncologist, QEII Health Sciences Centre; Professor, Dalhousie University

Dr. Rebecca Auer, MD, M.Sc., FRCSC, FACS
Executive Vice-President, Research & Innovation, The Ottawa Hospital; CEO & Scientific Director, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute; Professor, Departments of Surgery, Biochemistry, Immunology & Microbiology, University of Ottawa

Dr. Shantanu Banerji, B.Sc. (Med), MD, FRCPC
Director of Precision Oncology and Advanced Therapeutics, CancerCare Manitoba

Dr. Yoo-Joung Ko, MD, MMS, M.Sc.
Medical Oncologist, St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health; Medical Director, Cancer & Endoscopy Program, Unity Health

Dr. Urban Emmenegger, MD
Medical Oncologist, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Odette Cancer Centre; Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto

Dr. Jason Karamchandani, MD
Associate Professor, Departments of Pathology, Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University; President, Canadian Association of Pathologists

11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Health Break

Featured Video:

12:15 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.  

Unlocking the Research Pipeline: Bridging Clinical Trials and Real-World Genomics

As comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) moves toward standard of care, the ability to translate genomic data into actionable evidence becomes increasingly critical. This session examines how real-world CGP data and coordinated genomic infrastructure can strengthen Canada’s research ecosystem, particularly where traditional trial evidence is limited. By focusing on data integration, evidence generation, and national coordination, the discussion will consider how genomics can better inform research, regulatory, and system-level decision-making, and support a more connected, pan-Canadian approach to precision oncology innovation.  

This session will explore:
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Moderator:
Dr. Stéphanie Michaud, Ph.D.
President & CEO, BioCanRx

Patient Perspective:
Dillan Eisenhaur
Stage IV Colorectal Cancer Patient; Founder, Second Look Cancer Inc.

‍Panelists:
‍Dr. Yvonne Bombard, Ph.D.
Canada Research Chair, Genomics Health Services & Policy; Professor, University of Toronto; Director & Scientist, St. Michael's Hospital; Co-Founder & CEO, Genetics Adviser

Dr. Jim Woodgett
President and Scientific Director, The Terry Fox Research Institute (TFRI)

Dr. Arvind N. Dasari, MD
Director of Clinical Research, Dept. of GI Medical Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, USA

1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Patient Group Reflections on the Case for CGP Investment

As health systems across Canada consider the integration of CGP into standard cancer care, patient groups play a critical role in highlighting access gaps and articulating priorities for investment. This roundtable brings together patient organizations from across tumour types to reflect on their experiences advocating for CGP within diverse health system contexts. The discussion will explore how patient groups identify unmet needs, coordinate advocacy efforts, and define what meaningful CGP investment looks like from a patient and community perspective.

The discussion will also include early reflections on CCRAN's CGP Phase II Research Initiative, focusing on how real-world evidence can help inform future decision-making and support more consistent implementation of CGP across Canada.

Speakers will elaborate on the following topics:

Moderator:
Filomena Servidio-Italiano, Hon. B.Sc., B.Ed., M.A.
‍President & CEO, CCRAN

Patient Group Roundtable:
Ayelet Borgida, M.Sc.
Director of Medical and Health Initiatives, Pancreatic Cancer North America

Lindsay Timm
Executive Director, Canadian Cancer Survivor Network (CCSN)

Winky Yau
Manager, Medical Affairs, Lung Cancer Canada

Teresa Norris
Sexual Health Specialist; Founder & President, HPV Global Action

JK Miller
Health Policy & Advocacy Lead, Canadian Breast Cancer Network

Laz Bouros
President, Thyroid Foundation of Canada

Austin Zimmer, B.Sc., M.Sc.
Support Services Manager & Research Coordinator, Prostate Cancer Foundation Canada

Teresa Tiano
Chair and Co-Founder, My Gut Feeling, Stomach Cancer Foundation of Canada; Stomach Cancer Survivor and a Nine-Time Cancer Survivor

3:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.

Health Break

Featuring:

3:15 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.

Scaling What Matters: Building on Economic Evidence to Help Inform Policy

As Canada progresses toward a more aligned approach to comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) in metastatic cancer care, economic evidence is emerging as a central lever for advancing shared understanding across clinical, policy, and patient communities. This session will explore how the cost and benefit findings can clarify the value of CGP from multiple vantage points and support a more coordinated national dialogue. Panelists will reflect on how economic insights can be translated into strategic, scalable insights to inform future system planning. The discussion will emphasize where stakeholder priorities converge and how economic considerations can be used to inform coordinated CGP planning across provinces.

Guiding objectives include:
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Moderator:
Dr. Étienne Richer, Ph.D.
Director of Genomics Programs, Genome Canada
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Patient Perspective:
Steve Slack
Stage IV Colon Cancer Survivor

‍Panelists:
Eddy Nason, MPhil, B.Sc.
Director, Health, Signal49 Research

Matthew Brougham
Senior Global Consultant, Certara Evidence & Access; President & CEO, Brougham Consulting Inc.

Dr. Steven Narod, MD
Senior Scientist, Women's College Hospital Research Institute; Professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health and Department of Medicine, University of Toronto

Dr. Sandeep Sehdev, MD, FRCPC
Medical Oncologist & Assistant Professor, The Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre; Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Ottawa

4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.  

From Laboratory Readiness to Patient Impact: Why CGP Falls Short and What Must Change

While comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) remains a central focus in metastatic cancer care, broader genomic technologies, including whole genome sequencing and other advanced molecular diagnostics, are increasingly shaping precision oncology infrastructure requirements. As CGP demonstrates clear clinical and economic value, persistent implementation barriers continue to limit its consistent funding and delivery across Canada.

While many centres have developed strong genomic capabilities, implementation remains variable across jurisdictions. This session examines the most pressing constraints preventing CGP and related advanced genomic testing from becoming routine practice, with a particular focus on laboratory capacity, diagnostic workflows, and system readiness conditions.

The discussion connects system-level barriers, such as variable testing criteria, turnaround times, and fragmented diagnostic pathways, to their broader impact on patient care. The session will examine how these system constraints affect the timing and quality of treatment decision-making within cancer care. By examining system and policy considerations through a real-world patient lens, the session aims to clarify where breakdowns occur and what is required to move CGP and advanced genomic testing from inconsistent access to sustained, reliable integration within routine cancer care.

This multi-disciplinary panel will explore:
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Moderator:
Andrea Tjahja, MLT, ART, B.Sc., B.Ed.
Vice President, Operations, Medical Laboratory Professionals' Association of Ontario (MLPAO)
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Patient Perspective:
TBD

Panelists:
Craig Ivany, B. Comm, MBA, CHE, ICD.D
Adjunct Professor, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia

Andrea Beharry
Manager, Clinical Services, Advanced Diagnostics, William Osler Health System

Dr. Jason Karamchandani, MD
Associate Professor, Departments of Pathology, Neurology, and Neurosurgery, McGill University; President, Canadian Association of Pathologists

Prof. Brenda Gamble, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences and Program Director, Bachelor of Health Administration & Allied Health Sciences, Ontario Tech University

Additional experts to be confirmed

5:15 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Day 2 Closing Remarks and Conference Adjournment.

Filomena Servidio-Italiano, Hon B.Sc., B.Ed., M.A.
President & CEO, CCRAN