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A pioneer whose work is redefining cancer prevention.
The Canadian Cancer Society has awarded the 2025 O. Harold Warwick Prize to Marie‑Élise Parent, professor at the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), in recognition of her major contributions to cancer control and her scientific leadership in Canada and internationally.
A researcher at the INRS Armand‑Frappier Santé Biotechnologie Research Centre, she is widely recognized as a leading figure in environmental epidemiology. Holder of the Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Environmental Epidemiology of Cancer, she has built an innovative research program aimed at better understanding the environmental causes of cancer, particularly prostate cancer.
“It is a tremendous honour to receive the O. Harold Warwick Prize from the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS). I have always admired the recipients of this award, which highlights exceptional achievements in cancer control. I am especially pleased that this year, the CCS is recognizing research focused on cancer prevention through its environmental causes.”
Marie‑Élise Parent, Professor at INRS
Her work, centered on understanding and preventing the causes of cancer, has had a profound impact on the field of epidemiology.
A Research Paradigm Shift
Her research has transformed the understanding of prostate cancer by demonstrating the key role of environmental and occupational factors that had long been underestimated. Supported by a unique research infrastructure, she has helped reposition these factors at the core of the disease’s etiology.
Her flagship study, PROtEuS, which she has led for more than 20 years, has identified risks associated with various chemical contaminants and air pollution, while also highlighting protective factors such as proximity to green spaces. With more than $21 million in funding, this program is considered a reference internationally.
With over 200 publications and more than 11,000 citations, her work continues to shape cancer epidemiology research and major scientific syntheses in the field.
A Concrete Impact on Prevention
Beyond her scientific discoveries, Marie‑Élise Parent plays an active role in assessing carcinogenic risks and guiding prevention strategies. Her involvement in scientific committees and her advisory roles with international organizations—including the Scientific Council of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organization, where she served as the sole Canadian scientist for four years—demonstrate the influence and importance of her expertise on the global stage.
She also plays a key role in training the next generation, having supervised more than 56 students and trainees, many of whom now hold academic positions.
By shedding light on modifiable risk factors, her work paves the way for concrete interventions to reduce the burden of cancer—particularly prostate cancer, the most common cancer among men in Canada.
Through this distinction, the Canadian Cancer Society recognizes an outstanding career whose impact will continue to shape cancer research and prevention for years to come.
The O. Harold Warwick Prize honours exceptional contributions to cancer control research. Named after a pioneer in the field, it is awarded to a Canada‑based researcher whose work has led to major advances in prevention, detection, and reduction of the cancer burden.
Congratulations to Marie‑Élise Parent!
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