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Trudeau Liberals pledge $150M toward big-data cancer research initiative

OTTAWA — The Liberal government is moving forward with funding for a new cancer research network that aims to advance the science of individually customized cancer treatment.

Federal Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor was in Moncton today to highlight a five-year, $150-million investment — first announced in this year’s federal budget.

The money will be used by the Terry Fox Research Institute to launch a new national Marathon of Hope Cancer Centre Network.

This network is to unite top-tier cancer research institutes and clinics across the country to develop what is known as precision cancer medicine.

This emerging treatment uses big data, new technologies like genomics and artificial intelligence to design treatment for individual patients based on the biological and genetic makeup of their individual cancers.

The federal funding will be matched by the network’s partners to develop this new cancer research initiative.

The Canadian Press