Endowed chairs are research and teaching positions at universities, and are the direct result of generous philanthropic contributions made by community members and organizations. By supporting endowed chair positions, philanthropists help attract and retain the very best research talent from around the world. All endowed chairholders provide leadership and expertise that has the potential to prolong and save the lives of those with cancer.
The Alberta Cancer Foundation is grateful to the families and organizations that have made these endowed chair positions possible, as are the patients and families who receive the highest standard of care in our province and the chair holders whose Alberta-based research only happens because of this philanthropy.
| Chair Name | Current Chairholder |
| Alberta Cancer Foundation Chair in Palliative Care | Dr. Vickie Baracos |
| Allard Research Chair in Oncology | Dr. Frederick West |
| Bird Dogs Chair in Translational Oncology | Dr. John Lewis |
| Dianne & Irving Kipnes Chair in Radiopharmaceutical Sciences | Dr. Frank Wuest |
| Dr. Murray E. Mickleborough Research Chair in Interfacial Biomechanics* | Vacant |
| Enbridge Research Chair in Psychosocial Oncology | Dr. Linda Carlson |
| Engineered Air Chair in Cancer Research | Dr. Paola Neri |
| Frank & Carla Sojonky Chair in Prostate Cancer Research | Dr. Adam Kinnaird |
| Kids Cancer Care Foundation Chair in Pediatric Oncology | Dr. Jennifer Chan |
| Mary Johnston Chair in Melanoma Research* | Vacant |
| Sawin-Baldwin Chair in Ovarian Cancer | Dr. Cheng-Han Lee |
Dr. Adam Kinnaird and Dr. John Lewis on the impact of endowed chair positions
Dr. Adam Kinnaird, Chairholder for the Frank & Carla Sojonky Chair in Prostate Cancer Research
“Philanthropy really lets [cancer research] be cutting-edge and stay ahead of the curve. Donors and philanthropists are the only reason I was able to be hired in Edmonton, to continue on a very rich tradition of research. Thank you very much for your contributions.”
Dr. John Lewis, Chairholder for the Bird Dogs Chair in Translational Oncology
“Over the last 10 years, my lab and I have been able to do some really incredible [research] with your support. We’ve been able to identify novel metastatic cancer gene targets we can use to either develop novel drugs against cancer or novel diagnostic tests to predict cancer earlier. Now, my lab and I are focused on translating that research from the bench to the clinic, so our innovations can make a real impact on the quality of life of patients in Alberta and the rest of the world. Thank you for your early and ongoing investment in our team. It really means the world to us.”
