The Riddell Centre for Cancer Immunotherapy’s fully integrated bench-to-bedside-and-back research ecosystem makes revolutionary cancer treatments a reality for Albertans.
By Colleen Seto
Thanks to a transformational $25-million gift from the Riddell Family Charitable Foundation to the OWN.CANCER campaign, the Riddell Centre for Cancer Immunotherapy (Riddell Centre) has become a leading research hub advancing immunotherapy treatments for patients facing cancer. The Riddell Centre, at the Arthur J.E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre, is a fully integrated research centre that is accelerating the development of innovative therapies that harness the body’s own immune system to target cancer.
The Riddell Centre team includes researchers, trainees, staff scientists and experts in biomanufacturing, adult and pediatric oncology and other specialties. Projects range from fundamental research surrounding unexplored cell therapies to clinical trials that could save lives.
“The science that we get to do here is just mind-blowing,” says Riddell Centre director Dr. Douglas Mahoney. “There’s nothing more exciting than having the ability to follow an idea — especially when it could turn into something meaningful for people.”
Revolutionary treatments, years in the making.
At the Riddell Centre, researchers are advancing chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, a groundbreaking form of immunotherapy. This treatment involves modifying a patient’s T-cell, a type of immune cell, by equipping them with genetic instructions to recognize specific cancer cells. Once reintroduced into the body, these enhanced T-cells seek out and target cancer cells with precision.
“CAR T-cell therapy didn’t happen overnight — it’s the result of decades of research and collaboration among scientists around the world,” says Nubia Zepeda, associate director at Riddell Centre. “While it might seem like progress has happened quickly in recent years, it’s really built on years of dedicated research and innovation.”
One of the Riddell Centre’s most significant milestones has been the development of a Canadian-first CAR T-cell therapy — designed, manufactured and brought to patients entirely within a Canadian academic research environment. This innovative therapy targets alveolar soft part sarcoma, a rare and aggressive soft tissue cancer, by using synthetic biology to reprogram a patient’s own T-cells to identify and destroy cancer cells.
“This innovation led to a single-patient study to assess its safety and early effectiveness,” says Mahoney. “The study began in the fall of 2023 with a patient from Quebec who traveled to Calgary for treatment. Now, the findings from this study are under review at a leading scientific journal, marking an exciting step forward in the field.”
Expanding the potential of immunotherapy.
More than a dozen experimental immunotherapies are being developed within the Riddell Centre. “Right now, immunotherapy is used to help children, adolescents and adults with certain forms of cancer. At the Riddell Centre, we are working to make it an option for more cancer patients, including those with rare and hard-to-treat cancers,” says Mahoney.
While CAR T-cell therapy is a standard treatment for some blood cancers, including certain forms of leukemia and lymphoma, researchers at the Riddell Centre are exploring its potential for treating solid tumours — one of the biggest challenges in the cancer immunotherapy field today.
“The Riddell Centre is one of the first in Canada to use precision cellular therapy to tackle treatment-resistant solid tumours, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in immunotherapy,” says Zepeda.
In Canada, the first CAR T-cell therapy was approved in 2018 for B cell leukemia and B cell lymphoma, making it the first genetically engineered cell therapy to reach the healthcare system. Since then, Health Canada has approved six CAR T-cell therapies, including one in 2023 for multiple myeloma
Transforming cancer treatment, together.
Donor generosity has played a vital role in driving forward the life-changing research happening at the Riddell Centre. But it’s only a taste of what’s possible. To call the immunotherapy research “innovative” may be an understatement. Zepeda says when she first heard about the centre’s work, she likened it to science fiction. “It feels like something that should be very far off in the future. It’s incredible that it’s happening now, locally.”
The Riddell Centre holds a clear mission: to reduce the burden of cancer and improve patient outcomes by rapidly developing and testing new immunotherapies. And it’s doing just that.
“This isn’t just about research — it’s about getting novel treatments to patients faster,” affirms Mahoney. “The Riddell Centre is dedicated to advancing next-generation immunotherapies for children, adolescents and adults, with a focus on making them safer, more effective and more widely available. The impact of this work is already being felt, and there’s so much more to come.”
Driven by a commitment to advance cancer care and bring more hope to Albertans, the Riddell Family Charitable Foundation is helping transform the future of treatment through the creation of the Riddell Centre for Cancer Immunotherapy. Their visionary $25-million gift to the OWN.CANCER campaign is advancing groundbreaking research and accelerating the development of innovative new treatments — benefiting patients today and for generations to come.
