Dr. Daniel De Carvalho wins 2025 Gairdner Momentum Award for advancing cancer detection.

Gairdner Award for Cancer Research

The recipients of the 2025 Gairdner Awards —Canada’s most prestigious medical awards—have been announced. Among the awardees is University Health Network (UHN)’s Dr. Daniel De Carvalho, Senior and Allan Slaight Scientist at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, and Scientific Co-Founder of UHN-incubated company Adela, Inc..  - a blood-based cancer diagnostics company that is about to launch a new test to detect cancer recurrence sooner.

Dr. De Carvalho has been awarded the 2025 Peter Gilgan Canada Gairdner Momentum Award for his impactful contributions to cancer epigenetics. His research has transformed the understanding of how epigenetic changes drive cancer and has led to novel approaches for early cancer detection and treatment. By identifying unique DNA methylation signatures in cell-free DNA, he and his team have developed liquid biopsy techniques capable of detecting cancer through a simple blood test.

These innovative methods offer a non-invasive and highly sensitive alternative to traditional diagnostic tools, opening new avenues for early detection and personalized treatment. "Receiving the Gairdner Momentum Award is an incredible honour and a testament to the collaborative efforts of my team and colleagues," says Dr. De Carvalho. "Our goal is to continue advancing cancer detection methods to improve patient outcomes and ultimately save lives."

Beyond his research in early cancer detection, Dr. De Carvalho has also made significant contributions to understanding how epigenetic therapies can enhance immune responses against cancer. His studies have revealed that epigenetic drugs can reprogram cancer cells to make them more recognizable by the immune system, a process named viral mimicry, offering promising strategies for combination therapies in immuno-oncology.

His research has also uncovered key insights into the interplay between epigenetics and tumour evolution, shedding light on how cancers develop resistance to therapies. By exploring these mechanisms, he is working toward designing more effective treatment strategies that can anticipate and counteract resistance, ultimately improving long-term outcomes for patients.

His innovative work has not only influenced cancer diagnostics but has also had a profound impact on the broader field of cancer research. Through his leadership and scientific vision, Dr. De Carvalho is shaping the future of cancer detection and treatment.

In addition to his scientific achievements, Dr. De Carvalho is deeply committed to mentoring and inspiring the next generation of researchers, supporting students and trainees in advancing their careers in cancer science.

The Gairdner Momentum Award recognizes scientists who have made exceptional contributions to health research and are poised for continued impact. Dr. De Carvalho's achievements exemplify this distinction, highlighting his ongoing commitment to advancing cancer research and improving patient care.

To learn more about this year’s recipients, read the press release here.  

To learn more about Dr. De Carvalho’s research journey and discoveries, read his Meet @PMResearch story here.

Daniel de Carvalho, along with Dr. Scott Bratman, Senior Scientist at UHN's Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, were the winners of the 2021 Inventor of the Year Award. Read more about the way their work led to commercialization of Adela's blood test for cancer detection, here. Their research was supported by the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre Foundation via the Innovation Accelerator where early stage research with high commercialization potential receives critical development funds to advance.

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