Dr Martin Guimond Joins the Immunology-Oncology Research Unit
November 4, 2008 –The Research Centre is very pleased and proud to welcome Dr Martin Guimond, 
PhD, who joined the Immunology-Oncology Research Unit in early September to specifically work in cellular therapy. Dr Guimond is quite familiar with the Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital Research Centre as he completed his doctoral studies under the supervision of Dr Denis Claude Roy from 1996 to 2001. During this period, he created and patented a method that makes transplants of non-compatible bone marrow in leukemia patients possible.
He then completed a first postdoctoral training program at the Human Cancer Genetics Center of the University of Ohio, where he obtained a research fellowship. Under the supervision of Dr Michael Caligiuri, he gained significant expertise in the area of innate immunity.
Under the supervision of Dr Crystal Mackall, Dr Guimond completed a second postdoctoral training program at the National Cancer Institute/National Institutes of Health (NCI/NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland in 2004. There, he investigated T lymphocyte regeneration in patients who underwent bone marrow transplants. He also was awarded two prestigious distinctions by NCI; one for his research on immune system regeneration and another for his leadership and involvement in the NCI postdoctoral training program.
Dr Guimond’s main research interests include hematopoietic stem cell transplants, graft-versus-host diseases and studies on immune system regeneration in bone marrow transplant patients. His most recent research studies identified some of the immunological factors that interfere with normal regeneration of T CD4+ lymphocytes in subjects who are chronically deficient in T lymphocytes. These discoveries could lead to clinical studies that aim to develop new treatments for T CD4+ lymphocyte regeneration in chemotherapy, bone marrow transplant or HIV-infected patients.
Dr Guimond’s research work will integrate perfectly into the Center of Excellence for Cellular Therapy, which is expected to open very soon.
Dr Guimond has already published a number of studies in well-known international scientific journals. One of his studies will soon be published in the prestigious journal, Nature.
Dr Guimond will carry out his role as Associate Research Investigator at the Department of Microbiology and Immunology of the University of Montreal.
We wish him all the best of luck with his research!