About Us

Who We Are

McCain GU BioBank (MGB) formally known as the UHN GU BioBank is an investigator initiated biorepository  comprised of human biospecimens. Founded in 2008, the McCain GU BioBank strives to facilitate the discovery and validation of novel biomarkers, aiming to achieve personalized medicine in Urology.

The McCain GU BioBank has mapped relevant clinical states for various cancer cohorts and controls, and established a systematic and clinically-integrated approach to biospecimen procurement.

All consenting participants provide specimens prior to, during and following their treatment(s).

Vision

To foster innovative research into the causes, prevention, detection, and cure of human diseases through standardized collection, storage, and global utilization of high-quality biological specimens.

Mission

Our mission is to ethically procure, store, and disseminate serially collected high-quality bio-specimens from consenting patients.

Via strict adherence to industry best practices, we aim to enable access to bio -specimens and data for academic and industry collaborators. Through stakeholder relationships, we strive to sustainably serve the global scientific community in conducting novel research towards improving and personalizing human health. To provide regional and national leadership in biobanking operations through continued education and engagement with Canadian research institutions.

McCain GU Biobank logo

Our Program

Our program is based on collecting serialized collections throughout patient prognosis. Clinical time point collections are based on input from our expert surgical, medical, and radiation oncologist teams. We are continuously updating our serialized collection time points to meet the current standard of care. Additionally, we anticipate changes from clinical and research community to adapt for the type of biospecimens we collect.

Our biospecimens are comprised of both retrospective and prospective samples. Our retrospective collaborations have utilized approximately 33,000 samples to date.  Our prospective biospecimens are from over 30 study-directed banking protocols local and global collaborations to date. The specimen catalogue and relevant clinical databases are federated with information from the electronic patient record and used for specimen selection processes and clinical outcomes determination for approved studies.

Milestones

Over the years, we have expanded our operations to include new cohorts and celebrating our milestones.

milestones

Executive Committee

Dr. Neil Fleshner, MD, MPH, FRCS(c)

McCain GU BioBank Co-Director

Heidi Wagner, BSc, PA(ASCP)CM

McCain GU BioBank and Clinical Trials Associate Director

Sangita Paul

Sangita Paul, MSc

Core Lab Manager

Governance

Governance Org Chart

Research Team

Responsible for recruitment of participants, sample collection, processing and storage, as well as clinical data annotation. Our staff includes qualified individuals who are leading contributors in healthcare services.

Steering Committee

Oversees the use of specimens. The hierarchy for sample use gives precedence to investigators performing in-house academic projects, followed by collaborative academic projects, and lastly for commercial projects.

Department of Surgical Oncology

  • Neil Fleshner – MD, MPH, FRCSC, McCain GU BioBank Director, Professor at the Division of Urology, Professor University of Toronto.
  • Antonio Finelli – MD, MSc, FRCSC, Chief of Urology, GU Site Lead, Princess Margaret Cancer Center Associate Professor University of Toronto
  • Robert Hamilton – MD, MPH, FRCSC, Staff Urologist and Associate Professor University of Toronto

Department of Medicine Oncology

  • Srikala Sridhar – MD, FRCSC, Staff Urologist and Associate Professor University of Toronto

Department of Radiation Oncology

  • Alejandro Berlin – MD , MSc, Assistant Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine – University of Toronto

Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology

  • Andrew Evans – MD, PhD, FRCSC, Staff Pathologist and Associate Professor University of Toronto

Clinical GYN Biobank Director

  • Taymaa May, MD, MSc, FRCSC, Associate Professor, University of Toronto

Scientific GYN Biobank Director

  • Gabrielle Ene

Department of Surgical Oncology

  • Stephanie Laframboise, MD, FRCSC, Assistant Professor, Gynaecologic Oncology Fellowship Training Program, University of Toronto

McCain GU BioBank Director

  • Neil Fleshner – MD, MPH, FRCSC, McCain GU BioBank Director, Professor at the Division of Urology, Professor University of Toronto.

Department of Surgical Oncology

  • Thomas Waddell, MD, MSc, FRCSC, PhD, Pearson-Ginsberg Chair, Division of Thoracic Surgery, University of Toronto Division and head of Division of Thoracic Surgery.
  • Marc de Perrot, MD, MSc, Associate Professor of Surgery, Division of Thoracic Surgery, University of Toronto

McCain GU BioBank Director

  • Neil Fleshner – MD, MPH, FRCSC, McCain GU BioBank Director, Professor at the Division of Urology, Professor University of Toronto.