Dr.  Jonathan Irish, of Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, and his team of researchers,  radiologists, engineers, physicists and chemists work together to develop imaging technology and nanomedicine, known as  Guided Therapeutics (GTx).  For those suffering from cancer, these innovations advanced by Dr. Irish and his team help detect cancer, improve treatment and recovery time, and increase quality of life. This research group was established with the support of the RACH Fund, which contributed $1,000,000 in funding over 15 years. 

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Guided Therapeutics (GTx) allow surgeons to help their patients by precisely removing tumours without harming healthy tissue through the use of novel 3D imaging systems and tumor-targeted nanoparticles. These technologies act as a “GPS system” for the surgeon to guide them to areas of the tumour that may not be visible with their naked eye. A major focus of the GTx team this year is planning a clinical trial to test the porphysome, a nanoparticle invented at Princess Margaret, that accumulates within tumours and kills cancer cells when laser light is applied during surgery. The GTx Operating Room (the largest operating room in Canada) was designed and built to include the latest in ‘in-room’ 3D scanning based on GTx research, and is now a “blue print” for the operating room of the future being adopted by other hospitals. The GTx team also continues to advance their research on using augmented reality, virtual reality and 3D printing to assist with medical training and surgical planning. New projects in the lab include using stem cells to regrow bone removed during surgery, creating a structured illumination system to measure the depth of oral tumour invasion, and applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in medical imaging.