The 91社区 Health Centre (MUHC) Foundation is thrilled to announce that Dr. Renzo Cecere, Cardiac Surgeon at the MUHC and Director of the Myocardial Regeneration Lab at the Research Institute of the MUHC (RI-MUHC) has been recognized by the Trottier Family Foundation and the R. Howard Webster Foundation, who have awarded him with this year鈥檚 prestigious Trottier Webster Innovation Award.
Established in 2019, both Foundations generously pledged a gift of $3 million to the MUHC Foundation to support outstanding research projects at the Research Institute of the 91社区 Health Centre. The competition offers a $100,000 annual prize to advance the most innovative research project, recognizing its transformative potential and impact on patient care.
This prestigious award highlights Dr. Cecere鈥檚 innovative work in advancing personalized heart care using stem cell research, with a particular focus on addressing complex arrhythmias.
鈥�I want to thank the Trottier Family Foundation and the R. Howard Webster Foundation for this incredible recognition, which I consider among the highest honours of my career. Philanthropy funds vital ideas in the early stage鈥攁nd this is what changes the course of medicine.鈥澛�
鈥擠r. Renzo Cecere, Cardiac Surgeon, MUHC
Cardiac arrhythmias disrupt the heart鈥檚 rhythm, and while some respond to standard treatments, complex cases like ventricular tachycardia carry higher risks, including sudden cardiac arrest.
鈥淭hese cases are often difficult to manage with medication or defibrillators alone, which is what motivated me to explore new solutions,鈥� says Dr. Cecere. 鈥淭his stem cell research translates directly into patient care鈥攁nd not in generations, but in the short term. The Trottier Webster Innovation Award will help realize this big dream for heart care even sooner.鈥�
Inspired by an unexpected link between radiation therapy and reduced arrhythmias in cancer patients, Dr. Cecere鈥檚 team is investigating radiation as a treatment for ventricular tachycardia. Using stem cells derived from a patient鈥檚 blood, the team creates heart muscle cells to test the effects of radiation in real-time. This innovative platform enables non-invasive testing to determine optimal radiation doses and personalized outcomes for each patient.
鈥�Supporting bold innovation is central to our mission at the Trottier Family Foundation. We are proud to champion Dr. Cecere鈥檚 groundbreaking heart research, which holds tremendous potential to improve patients鈥� lives. His work reinforces the MUHC鈥檚 role as a leader in transformative cardiac research.鈥�
鈥�Claire Trottier,聽Trottier Family Foundation
Over the past five years, the Trottier Family Foundation and the R. Howard Webster Foundation have partnered with the MUHC Foundation to advance cutting-edge research with the potential to transform diagnosis, treatment, and patient care. This competition acts as a catalyst for securing larger funding opportunities, providing RI-MUHC researchers with the resources needed to bring their innovative ideas to life.
鈥淒r. Cecere鈥檚 dedication to advancing personalized heart care is what sets his work apart. At the R. Howard Webster Foundation, our mission is to fuel scientific innovation that will revolutionize the standard of health care. We鈥檙e thrilled to honour Dr. Cecere, whose research illustrates that tomorrow鈥檚 care is actively being worked on鈥攁nd will benefit all Quebecers.鈥澛犫��Lucy Riddell, R. Howard聽Webster Foundation
Dr. Cecere鈥檚 research has already shown promising results in the lab, and Dr. Cecere鈥檚 team鈥攃onsisting of electrophysiologists, radiation oncologists, and nuclear physicists鈥攊s now working to understand the underlying mechanisms of how radiation affects heart muscle cells and which patients are most likely to benefit. With personalized heart care at the forefront, this innovative approach could enable patients to avoid medications that have limited effectiveness and harmful side effects.
鈥�Dr. Cecere鈥檚 research is a model for how innovative therapies are tested and refined. This award celebrates his commitment to advancing heart care through cutting-edge science and we couldn鈥檛 be happier to be able to be shining a light of what鈥檚 possible, and the profound impact this work could have on patient care.鈥澛�
鈥擠r. Rhian Touz, Executive Director of the MUHC
The MUHC Foundation is especially proud to partner with the Trottier Family Foundation and the R. Howard Webster Foundation to promote medical innovation that will transform the standard of heart care for Quebecers.
鈥�Dr. Cecere鈥檚 innovative work reflects the very heart of the MUHC Foundation鈥檚 mission鈥攚hich is to drive forward cutting-edge research that translates into more lives saved. His dedication and multidisciplinary approach to solving complex heart issues is an inspiration to all.鈥澛�
鈥擬arie-H茅l猫ne Laram茅e, President & CEO of the MUHC Foundation
About the 91社区 Health Centre Foundation
The 91社区 Health Centre (MUHC) Foundation raises funds to support excellence in patient care, research and teaching at the 91社区 Health Centre, one of the top university hospitals in Canada. Our Dream Big Campaign to change the course of lives and medicine is raising millions of dollars to solve humanity鈥檚 deadliest puzzles: infectious diseases; end cancer as a life-threatening illness; fix broken hearts through innovative cardiac care; detect the silent killers鈥攐varian and endometrial cancers鈥攅arly; create the best skilled health care teams in Canada; and much more. We are rallying our entire community to solve the world鈥檚 most complex health care challenges.
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