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    Canada Research Chair

  • Portrait of Sabine Mai
  • 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

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.

  • Microscopy, optics and imaging workshop

    Imaging workshops are available in:

    • basic microscopy
    • future trends in microscopy
    • imaging and cameras
    • immunostaining
    • introduction to image analysis
    • microscope care and maintenance
    • theory and practice
    • transmitted and fluorescence techniques
    • 3D, spectral and super resolution imaging

    To inquire about and/or register for a workshop, email workshop@umanitoba.ca.

  • Keywords

    • 3D nuclear imaging
    • c-MYC
    • Cancer
    • Genomic instability
    • Genome organization
    • Microscopy
    • Nuclear architecture
    • Super resolution imaging
    • Telomere organization
    • Telomeres
  • Research themes

    • Aging and Alzheimer's disease
    • Cancer
    • Genomic instability
    • Molecular imaging and technology development
    • Nuclear architecture
    • Oncogenes, especially MYC
    • Telomeres
  • Imaging platform and networks

    • Genomic Centre for Cancer Research and Diagnosis (GCCRD)
    • Canadian National Scientific Platforms
    • BioImaging Canada
    • BioImaging North America

Biography

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.

Education

  • Doctorate (PhD) in Molecular Biology, Karlsruhe, Germany, 1991
  • Postdoctoral Training in Cancer and Immunology, Basel Institute for Immunology, Basel, Switzerland, 1991–1995
  • Master of Science (MSc) in Developmental Biology, University of Cologne, Germany, 1985
  • Master’s Degree in French, University of Cologne, Germany, 1985
  • Master’s Degree in Educational Theory, University of Cologne, Germany, 1985
  • Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Biology, University of Cologne, Germany, 1981

Awards

2018-2026:

  • Canada Research Chair Tier 1 (Genomic Instability and Nuclear Architecture in Cancer)

2017:

  • University of British Columbia Science Co-op Supervisor Recognition Award

2015:

  • Women’s Executive Network Top 100: Canada's Most Powerful Women

2014:

  • YMCA Women of Distinction Nominee

2013:

  • Cognition Challenge Award (J&J innovation)

Dr. Sabine Mai In the news

Contact us

Physiology and Pathophysiology
432 Basic Medical Sciences Building
745 Bannatyne Avenue
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9 Canada

204-789-3696
204-789-3934