Nada Jabado awarded McLaughlin Medal by Royal Society of Canada

Her discovery of histone mutations transformed cancer biology and is driving new therapies for children with brain tumours

SOURCE: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University

Pediatric brain tumour specialist Nada Jabado, MD, PhD, has been awarded the Royal Society of Canada's (RSC) prestigious McLaughlin Medal for her important contributions to medical science.

Dr. Jabado, Senior Scientist at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (The Institute), Professor in the Departments of Pediatrics and Human Genetics at McGill University's Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS), and pediatric hematologist-oncologist at the Montreal Children's Hospital, is an international leader in pediatric brain tumours and epigenetics.

Her lab's discovery of mutations in histones (proteins that bind to DNA, help give chromosomes their shape and help control the activity of genes) revolutionized our understanding of the biology of cancer. Dr. Jabado and her team have continued to investigate this new class of epigenetic mutations in cancer, expanding what we know about the origins of pediatric brain tumours, and driving research, clinical trials and the development of targeted therapies.

Dr. Jabado first came to McGill as a post-doc in biochemistry after completing her medical training and PhD in Paris. She joined the FMHS as a faculty member in 2003, establishing her research program in pediatric brain tumours.

A Fellow of the RCS since 2015, Dr. Jabado has received many awards recognizing her contributions, including being named an Officer of the Order of Canada and a Laureate of the L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science in North America in 2024.

"This is a very well-deserved honour for Dr. Jabado, who embodies the boundless curiosity and drive that allow clinician-scientists to do the work they do," said FMHS VP-Dean Lesley Fellows, MDCM, DPhil. "In her quest to help kids with brain cancer, Dr. Jabado hit upon a previously undiscovered causal link that has had a profound impact on cancer research. She is an outstanding educator and researcher and we are very fortunate to have her on our team at McGill."

Rhian M. Touyz, MBBCh, PhD, Executive Director and Chief Scientific Officer at The Institute, added: "We are so proud to congratulate Dr. Jabado on receiving the 2025 RSC McLaughlin Medal—a testament to her exceptional contributions to medical science and her unwavering commitment to advancing human health. At The Institute, our mission to create clinical impact through interdisciplinary science is brought to life by outstanding leaders like Dr. Jabado. Her groundbreaking work exemplifies the bold innovation and collaborative excellence that define our community and inspires us all as we pursue our shared vision of transformative discovery."