The Research in Motion funding program supports interdisciplinary collaboration and new approaches to research along D2R鈥檚 discovery-to-implementation chain.

In the second funding cycle launched in 2025, 13 applications were received of which 5 received awards. View a summary of the review and selection process.

Funded project听summaries

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Transient CAR-T Cell engineering: Effective screening and identification of self-amplifying RNA and LNP formulations

CAR T-cell therapy has revolutionized cancer therapy by increasing patient survival. T-cells are transformed into CAR T-cells using viruses, but this is difficult and risky. Self-amplifying RNA (saRNA) delivered to T-cells by lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) could produce safe CAR-Ts, but no protocols exist. Our project proposes new saRNAs and a new effective screening protocol to test large number of LNP formulations using made-by-us technologies, and identify the most effective LNP-saRNA combination. If successful, we will produce safe and effective CAR-Ts, and introduce a new screening protocol that will help accelerate RNA-based cell therapy development.

Principal Investigator:听Taha Azad (Universit茅 de Sherbrooke)

Co-Investigator(s): David Juncker (涩里番)

Collaborator(s):听N/A

Project duration: Two-year

D2R Axes:听RNA Therapeutics (A2), Bioprocessing, Biomanufacturing, and Nanotechnology (A3)

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Injectable Hydrogel/mRNA-LNP Platform for In Vivo CAR-T Cell Engineering

CAR-T cell therapy is a powerful cancer treatment but requires complex lab procedures and permanently alters T cells, making it expensive and hard to control. Our project introduces a simpler alternative: a T-cell-recruiting hydrogel (鈥淭-gel鈥�) loaded with lipid nanoparticles carrying mRNA that encodes CAR. T-gel attracts T cells and reprograms them directly inside the body into cancer-fighting CAR-T cells. This approach eliminates the need for ex vivo processing, enables temporary CAR expression for better safety, and may offer a more accessible and controllable cancer therapy. If successful, this strategy could accelerate the development of next-generation immunotherapies.

Principal Investigator:听Guojun Chen (涩里番)

Co-Investigator(s): Heather Melichar (涩里番)

Collaborator(s): N/A

Project duration: Two-year

D2R Axes:听RNA Therapeutics (A2), Bioprocessing, Biomanufacturing, and Nanotechnology (A3)

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3鈥橴TR engineering for next-generation T cell mRNA therapeutics

This project aims to improve mRNA-based cancer immunotherapies by designing 鈥渟mart鈥� RNA switches鈥攃alled 3鈥睻TRs鈥攖hat control how long therapeutic mRNAs stay active in immune cells. We will test these switches in advanced mRNA formats, including a newer technology called self-amplifying RNA, to enhance the performance of mRNA used to reprogram T cells. By understanding and engineering these RNA control elements, our inter-disciplinary team hopes to make mRNA therapies safer, more targeted, and more effective against cancers like leukemia and lymphoma, while creating tools that could be used across many RNA-based treatments in the future.

Principal Investigator: Thomas Duchaine (涩里番)

Co-Investigator(s): Anna Blakney (University of British Columbia),听Bhushan Nagar (涩里番)

Collaborator(s):听Hamed Najafabadi (涩里番),听Jean-Sebastien Delisle (Hopital Maisonneuve-Rosemont/Universit茅 de Montreal),听Mohamad-Gabriel Alameh (涩里番)

Project duration: Two-year

D2R Axes:听RNA Therapeutics (A2), Data Science, Bioinformatics, and Computing in Personalized Medicine (A5)

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Development of RNA therapeutics against USP15-dependent neuroinflammation

Neuroinflammation is inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. It can be acute like in encephalitis caused by certain infections or can be chronic in some neurological or neurodegenerative diseases featuring persistent tissue damage. The USP15 gene plays a critical role in initiation, propagation and application of neuroinflammation by immune cells and resident microglia and astrocytes. Our proposal aims to develop inhibitors of USP15 which can dampen neuroinflammation. For this, we propose an RNA therapeutics approach.

Principal Investigator: Philippe Gros (涩里番)

Co-Investigator(s): Masad Damha (涩里番)

Collaborator(s): Pieter Cullis (University of British Columbia)

Project duration: Two-year

D2R Axes: RNA Therapeutics (A2), Bioprocessing, Biomanufacturing, and Nanotechnology (A3)

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Targeting MET exon 14 skipping variant in the early metastatic dissemination in lung cancer

Lung cancer is the second most common cancer worldwide and the leading cause of cancer death in Canada. It is often driven by genetic mutations that turn normal cells into cancer cells. One key mutation, called MET exon 14 skipping, plays a major role in disease progression, resistance to therapy and metastasis. This project proposes a novel therapy using targeted molecules designed to block this mutation. These molecules will be delivered after surgery to reduce the risk of cancer returning or spreading. Our goal is to improve outcomes for lung cancer patients by preventing disease progression at its earliest stage.

Principal Investigator: Morag Park (Rosalind & Morris Goodman Cancer Institute)

Co-Investigator(s): Hanadi Sleiman (涩里番)

Collaborator(s): Abdulhameed Al-Gahbkari (Rosalind & Morris Goodman Cancer Institute),听Stephanie Duhamel听(Rosalind & Morris Goodman Cancer Institute)

Project duration: Two-year

D2R Axes: RNA Therapeutics (A2), Bioprocessing, Biomanufacturing, and Nanotechnology (A3)

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