The Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute (LTRI) is Sinai Health’s engine of innovation and discovery. Our scientists examine the entire human life course from prenatal period to old age and pushes boundaries for health solutions. Located at Mount Sinai Hospital in downtown Toronto, the LTRI is one of the world’s top biomedical research institutes and home to scientists who are leaders in the fields of system biology, neurodevelopment, women’s and infants’ health, regenerative medicine, and complex diseases such as cancer, diabetes, musculoskeletal conditions and more.
Sinai Health is comprised of Mount Sinai Hospital, Hennick Bridgepoint Hospital, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute and its system partner Circle of Care. It delivers excellent care in hospital, community and home, focusing on the comprehensive needs of people. Sinai Health discovers and translates scientific breakthroughs, pushes boundaries for health solutions and educates future clinical and scientific leaders.
- Scientists and clinician-scientists: 130
- Research trainees: 250
- Research technical and administrative staff: 450
- Primary research articles published each year: 700
- Annual research budget: $91M
- Research space: 250,000 sq. ft. across 4 locations
- Canada Research Chairs: 14
- Canada 150 Chair: 1
- Fellows, Royal Society of Canada: 12
Major Research Achievements
Scientific breakthroughs that are changing lives and revolutionizing care are constantly happening at the LTRI.
2010: Dr. Anne-Claude Gingras unveils a complete map of signaling protein interactions, allowing scientists to predict which drugs may be most effective for particular diseases and patients.
2011: Biomarker for progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) discovered by Dr. Jim Dennis.
2013: The establishment of the Ontario Birth Study
2014: Dr. Andras Nagy leads discovery of a new class of stem cell which could eventually lead to new ways of treating illnesses.
2015:
Dr. Durocher discovers a new way to perform gene edition, allowing for new and more reliable gene therapies become possible.
Dr. Graham Collingridge identifies a mechanism that triggers neurodegeneration and memory loss, laying foundation for Memantine, a leading drug for Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr. Bernard Zinman reports groundbreaking findings that a new therapy called SGLT 2 inhibitors significantly improves glucose control, lowers blood pressure and also reduces cardiovascular death for those with Type 2 diabetes.
2016: Dr. Sabine Cordes discovers a genetic biomarker for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that could one day be used to test for ASD in newborns.
2017: Approval of first medication in more than 40 years for patients with short bowel syndrome thanks to the work of Dr. Daniel Drucker.
2018: Dr. Rayjean Hung demonstrates that cell-free DNA methylome can distinguish multiple cancer types.
2019: Dr. Jeff Wrana discovers a new type of intestinal cell in mammals that may be associated with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases including Crohn’s ulcerative colitis.
2020: Drs. Anne-Claude Gingras and Dr. Jeff Wrana develop a mass-scale serology test that could run upwards of 10,000 COVID-19 tests daily by repurposing an existing “ultra-high-throughput” next-generation genome sequencing platform.
2004: Dr. Steven Gallinger identifies the first gene variation which becomes a tool for colorectal cancer prediction and screening world-wide.
2005: Dr. Andras Nagy identifies new way to create safe stem cells; mapped process of creation for the first time, opening door for countless new stem cell therapies.
2006: Dr. John Roder identifies a gene that’s implicated in schizophrenia and depression.
2007: Dr. Daniel Durocher and his team discover how the BRCA 1 gene (which is mutated in a large fraction of familial breast cancers) can be guided to repair DNA damage.
2008: Dr. Rayjean Hung and her collaborators identified the first lung cancer gene.
1986: Dr. Tony Pawson makes major discovery on how cells communicate with each other.
1993: Dr. Bernard Zinman led the largest and most comprehensive Type 1 diabetes complications study ever conducted, proving that keeping blood glucose levels as close to normal as possible slowed the onset and progression of eye, kidney and nerve complications.
1997: The establishment of Ontario Familial Breast Cancer Registry.
1999: The establishment of the Ontario Familial Colon Cancer Registry.
LTRI Pillars of Research
Our scientists explore health’s greatest mysteries through four main areas - or pillars - of research.
Learn MoreLTRI Defining Moments
A look back at how the LTRI became one of the world’s leading biomedical research institutes.
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