About OCRC

Overview

The Occupational Cancer Research Centre (OCRC) was established in 2009 as the first research centre in Canada dedicated solely to the study of cancers caused by work. Our vision is the elimination of occupational disease.

OCRC’s founding partners were Cancer Care Ontario, the Canadian Cancer Society, the Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, and the United Steelworkers. OCRC is currently based at Ontario Health and also receives funding from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development of Ontario.

Research Program

Surveillance: Identify groups of workers where the risks of occupational exposure and disease are highest by developing large-scale data platforms that integrate population, exposure, and disease records

Exposure: Identify occupational exposures and their sources, develop innovative exposure assessment tools, and conduct field studies

Epidemiology: Identify and better understand the causes of occupational disease by conducting new studies, synthesizing results across studies, and predicting the impact of exposures or prevention efforts

Strategic Plan

Funders

Ontario Health

Ontario Health oversees health care planning and delivery across Ontario to build a person-centred health care system.

Visit Ontario Health Site

Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development

The Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) helps to protect workers and settle workplace disputes, supports skilled trades, apprenticeships and employment services, attracts highly-skilled newcomers and helps people get settled in Ontario.

Learn More About the MLITSD

Ontario Ministry Health

The Ontario Ministry of Health helps connect Ontarians to the health care they need.

Visit the Ministry of Health Site

OCRC Leadership
PD
Paul Demers
Director and Senior Scientist, Epidemiology
TK
Tracy Kirkham
Associate Director and Senior Scientist, Exposure
JM
Jill MacLeod
Manager
JS
Jeavana Sritharan
Scientist, Surveillance
ND
Nathan DeBono
Scientist, Epidemiology
KJ
Kate Jardine
Lead, Knowledge Translation & Exchange
Staff
CB
Colin Berriault
Senior Research Associate, Epidemiology
FE
Fanni Eros
Research Associate, Epidemiology
CH
Carmel Hilal
Research Associate, Exposure
TK
Tammy Khuc
Research Assistant
BK
Brenda Koster
Senior Research Associate, Exposure
TL
Tiffany Lieu
Specialist, Knowledge Translation and Exchange
TN
Tanya Navaneelan
Senior Research Associate, Surveillance
LN
Linh Nguyen
Research Associate, Exposure
MP
Marjorie Pagcu
Analyst, Operations
LE
Louis Everest
Research Associate, Epidemiology
PP
Prathna Patel
Research Assistant, Exposure
CS
Chaojie (Daniel) Song
Senior Research Associate, Surveillance
LY
Lily Yang
Research Associate, Exposure
Students
FK
Fateme (Sepide) Kooshki
PhD Student, University of Toronto
CM
Chris MacDonald
PhD Student, University of Toronto
RT
Rachel Tyli
PhD Student, University of Toronto
SZ
Stephanie Ziembicki
PhD Student, University of Toronto

Steering Committee

The OCRC Steering Committee is comprised of representatives from the broad occupational health community. It includes members from OCRC’s founding and funding organizations, scientists, employers and workers.

Current Steering Committee

Affiliated Scientists

OCRC partners with researchers across Canada, who bring their expertise to OCRC’s research program by collaborating on a variety of projects.

Current Affiliated Scientists

Get in Touch

Contact Us

Occupational Cancer Research Centre
Ontario Health

Address
525 University Avenue, 5th Floor
Toronto, Ontario
M5G 2L3

Email Us