Cedric Tremblay, PhD

Leukemia is one of the most common and deadly blood cancers, with relapse often driven by a small population of malignant stem cells that survive treatment. Dr. Cedric Tremblay’s research seeks to outmaneuver these resilient cancer cells by pinpointing their vulnerabilities, deepening scientific understanding, and paving the way for more effective, less toxic treatments.

Tremblay investigates the molecular mechanisms that drive blood disorders, focusing on how hematopoietic stem cells function in both healthy and malignant conditions. His work has direct implications for leukemia treatment, particularly in understanding how malignant stem cells evade therapy.

Using bulk and single-cell multi-omic techniques, he studies how the bone marrow microenvironment influences leukemia progression and relapse. His research aims to identify therapeutic targets that could improve patient outcomes, bridging fundamental stem cell biology with translational cancer research.

With nearly two decades of experience in hematological diseases, Tremblay has trained with leading scientists in Canada and Australia. His collaborations span international networks, contributing to breakthroughs in cancer therapeutics that could shape the future of precision medicine for blood cancers.

Research interests

• Blood cancer
• Microenvironment
• Stem cells

Research affiliations

Paul Albrechtsen Research Institute CancerCare Manitoba

Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba (CHRIM)

Cedric Tremblay is an assistant professor in the department of immunology at the University of Manitoba and a principal investigator at the Paul Albrechtsen Research Institute CancerCare Manitoba. A specialist in hematological diseases, he studies how blood disorders develop and works to identify new therapeutic strategies for leukemia.

Tremblay’s research focuses on how hematopoietic stem cells are regulated in both healthy and malignant conditions. He uses bulk and single-cell multi-omic techniques to examine the role of the microenvironment in blood cancer progression and relapse, aiming to identify new treatment targets.

He earned a PhD in cellular and molecular biology (medicine) from Laval University, where his research explored regulatory signals in the hematopoietic niche and their role in Fanconi anemia, a bone marrow failure syndrome linked to cancer risk. He completed postdoctoral training at the University of Montréal under Trang Hoang, studying oncogene collaboration in T-cell acute leukemia. In 2011, he joined the Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, where he worked with David Curtis to investigate the stem-cell-like properties of relapse-inducing cells in acute leukemia.

In 2022, he returned to Canada to establish his independent research group at CancerCare Manitoba and the University of Manitoba. With nearly two decades of experience, he leads investigations into malignant stem cells in leukemia and tests novel treatments in preclinical models.

His work has earned several honours, including the Excellence Prize in Pediatric Research from the Foundation of Stars in 2008, the Terry Fox Foundation Fellowship from the Canadian Cancer Society in 2009, and a Grant-in-Aid from the Leukemia Foundation of Australia in 2015. In 2017, he received the Early Mid-Career Research Collaborative Seed Grant from the Alfred Research Alliance in Melbourne.

Tremblay continues to advance leukemia research while mentoring future scientists and collaborating on international studies in stem cell biology and cancer therapeutics.