Here is the portrait of the recipient of the 2025 Jacques-Huot scholarship, Geneviève Trépanier, a doctoral student in microbiology-immunology in Dr. Paul Toren's team. The CRC scholarship program is made possible thanks to the funding of our centre by Université Laval as well as the support of the Cancer Research Fund of Université Laval.
Since her earliest studies in biology, she has been fascinated by the functioning of the immune system—this discreet yet essential defense that protects our health every day. Early on, she became driven to understand how serious diseases such as cancer manage to circumvent this natural protection. This curiosity led her toward research, with the desire to advance scientific knowledge and improve care for affected individuals.
In her PhD project, she focuses on a common form of bladder cancer known as “non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer,” which affects about three out of four patients. The main challenge is that even after treatment, this form often recurs—much like an unwelcome guest that returns without warning. For patients, this means ongoing worry, frequent monitoring, and sometimes more invasive treatments.
Within her team, she has identified an interesting phenomenon: some patients show higher levels of basophils, small immune cells circulating in the blood. This elevated level may indicate an increased risk of recurrence or progression. One of the advantages of this approach is its simplicity: a routine blood sample could be used to measure basophil counts. She is now working to better understand the specific role of these cells in bladder cancer. Do they contribute to antitumor defenses, or are they instead being co-opted by the tumor? By answering these questions, she hopes to clarify the underlying mechanisms and pave the way for new clinical monitoring tools.
This project holds special meaning for her, as it combines scientific rigor with human impact. Her goal is to contribute to the development of more personalized medicine, attentive to the unique characteristics of each patient. In this context, the Jacques-Huot scholarship from the CRC Fellowship Program represents important recognition and essential support, encouraging her to pursue her work with determination.