Over a year ago, the pandemic upset our daily lives and disrupted both our work habits and our personal habits. Although the staggering situation was difficult to cope with and was the source of many difficulties, it also provided an opportunity to reflect.

First of all, the health crisis reminded us of something vital: “He who is healthy is rich without knowing it”, as goes an Italian proverb. Also, our health, and the health of our loved ones and fellow citizens, has become a top priority and we made it our main rallying cry by taking all prescribed measures to protect ourselves from the virus. Showing how much they care, IRIC members pulled together while facing the unknown and we tackled challenges together. The pandemic also highlighted, more than ever, the importance of scientific research, without which getting back to “normal” would not have been imaginable. The acknowledgement by society and by our management of the vital role played by the scientific community is a good omen for an institute like ours. For Quebec and Canada, the health crisis caused by COVID-19 brought to light shortcomings concerning our autonomy with respect to drug discovery, development, and production. I am convinced that the imminent reforms will put us in a better position for the future and that IRIC, through its expertise and skill, will contribute to that evolution.  

At the Institute, even though our research activities were momentarily slowed down, we managed to bounce back and meet many challenges. Our community was certainly kept on the go! Known for their creativity, their versatility and their collaborative spirit, many of our research teams, usually busy demystifying the mechanisms of cancer, were able to diversify their activities to try to find solutions to fight COVID-19. It’s a source of great pride for me that IRIC was able to contribute to the global collective effort. In spite of the health crisis, the laboratories managed to successfully carry out several research projects that led to high-impact scientific publications, as well as to continuing our partnerships with the biopharmaceutical sector. Thanks to the collaboration of the entire staff and to our collective determination, we were able to maintain a rich academic environment that enabled our students and postdoctoral investigators to continue their training. In short, despite the many challenges, the Institute was up to the task and successfully continued its mission aimed at vanquishing that other modern “pandemic” known as cancer.

Our achievements over the course of this exceptional year would not have been possible without the support of the federal government, which created an Emergency Fund for the continuity of research in Canada. The backing of many philanthropists who answered the call from the IRIC Emergency Fund also allowed us to keep our head above water on the budget level and to focus on reaching our goals. That precious help really enabled us to get through the crisis feeling confident about the future.

Despite a notable upturn, it is difficult to predict what the coming months will be like in the health area. But the resilience, devotion and goodness shown by our community over the past year allow me to feel optimistic. I am privileged to be surrounded by colleagues who are committed to IRIC’s mission as well as an Executive Committee and a Board of Directors that spare no effort to ensure the success of our Institute. In that regard, I must mention the key role played by Marc Therrien, who very generously agreed to extend his mandate as IRIC’s Scientific Director during such unusual times.

In closing, it is often said that you can judge character by the way people respond to adversity. In my opinion, IRIC’s members showed tremendous character! Please allow me to thank our entire community, our partners and our donors from the bottom of my heart for their unwavering commitment to our cause.