Professor
Max Rady College of Medicine
Physiology and Pathophysiology
University of Manitoba – Bannatyne Campus
Room 419, Basic Medical Sciences Building
745 Bannatyne Avenue
Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9
Phone: 204-789-3840
Email: sabine.mai@umanitoba.ca
The University of Manitoba campuses are located on original lands of Anishinaabeg, Ininew, Anisininew, Dakota and Dene peoples, and on the National Homeland of the Red River Métis. More
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada, R3T 2N2
Max Rady College of Medicine
Physiology and Pathophysiology
University of Manitoba – Bannatyne Campus
Room 419, Basic Medical Sciences Building
745 Bannatyne Avenue
Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9
Phone: 204-789-3840
Email: sabine.mai@umanitoba.ca
Genomic instability is a hallmark of cancer, driving disease progression and influencing how tumors respond to treatment. Dr. Sabine Mai’s research sheds light on this process by studying how structural changes in the genome contribute to cancer development.
Mai has identified the oncogene c-MYC as a potent inducer of genomic instability and has developed advanced imaging techniques to study the 3D spatial organization of the genome, including telomeres, centromeres, chromosomes, and genomic DNA. Her work has led to the discovery of structural biomarkers that offer new insights into how genome organization influences cancer.
By combining molecular biology with high-resolution imaging, she has created quantitative tools to measure these genomic changes. These innovations provide new approaches for cancer detection, risk assessment, and treatment strategies.
Mai’s research has applications across multiple cancer types, including prostate cancer, multiple myeloma, and glioblastoma. Her studies on nuclear architecture and telomere organization have revealed key mechanisms underlying cancer progression and treatment resistance.
As the leader of a multidisciplinary team at the Genomic Centre for Cancer Research and Diagnosis, Mai continues to develop cutting-edge imaging technologies that are shaping the future of cancer diagnostics and therapeutics.
Imaging workshops are available in:
To inquire about and/or register for a workshop, email workshop@umanitoba.ca.
Sabine Mai is a professor of physiology and pathophysiology, biochemistry and medical genetics, and human anatomy and cell science at the University of Manitoba. She is also a senior investigator at the CancerCare Manitoba Research Institute and a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Genomic Instability and Nuclear Architecture in Cancer. A global leader in cancer research, she has pioneered imaging technologies to study the spatial organization of the genome and its role in cancer progression.
Mai’s research has led to major discoveries in genomic instability, including identifying the oncogene c-MYC as a driver of structural changes in the cancer genome. She has developed advanced imaging techniques to study telomere organization and nuclear architecture, which have become structural biomarkers for multiple cancers, including prostate cancer, multiple myeloma and glioblastoma. As the founder and director of the Genomic Centre for Cancer Research and Diagnosis, she leads a multidisciplinary team using super-resolution microscopy to analyze the nuclear structure of cancer cells.
Her contributions extend beyond academia. In 2014, she founded Telo Genomics Corp, based in the MaRS Discovery District in Toronto, to translate her research into personalized cancer treatment. She has secured more than $33 million in research funding and has mentored more than 1,500 trainees worldwide.
Mai completed a bachelor of science in biology and three master's degrees in developmental biology, French, and educational theory at the University of Cologne. She earned a PhD in molecular biology in Karlsruhe, Germany, and completed postdoctoral training in cancer and immunology at the Basel Institute for Immunology in Switzerland.
Her work has been recognized with numerous honours, including the Cognition Challenge Award in 2013 and the Women’s Executive Network Top 100: Canada's Most Powerful Women Award in 2015. In 2018, she was awarded a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair, reaffirming her position as a leader in cancer research.
Mai continues to push the boundaries of molecular imaging and genomic research while training the next generation of scientists and advancing new technologies for cancer diagnosis and treatment.
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Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, Research and International, Students
Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Science, Price Faculty of Engineering, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, Research and International, UM Today
Rady Faculty of Health Sciences
Physiology and Pathophysiology
432 Basic Medical Sciences Building
745 Bannatyne Avenue
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9 Canada