Dr. Sumit Gupta elected to the Royal Society of Canada
Summary:
SickKids clinician-investigator recognized by the RSC College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists for advancing childhood cancer care through research and global collaboration.
Dr. Sumit Gupta, Senior Associate Scientist and Staff Oncologist at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), has been elected to the Royal Society of Canada's (RSC) College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists in recognition of his contributions to childhood cancer research and care.
For scientists, election to the RSC College represents recognition of Canada’s most accomplished emerging researchers. The College honours scholars, artists and scientists who have demonstrated exceptional achievement early in their careers and are poised to shape the future of research.
Dr. Gupta’s election reflects more than a decade of research in paediatric oncology where he has advanced the treatment of childhood leukemia and improved outcomes for children with cancer in Canada and around the world.
“I am honoured to join the Royal Society of Canada College, given the recognition it represents of all the work being done at SickKids and beyond to improve the lives of children with cancer," says Gupta, who is in the Division of Haematology/Oncology and Child Health Evaluative Sciences program at SickKids and a Professor at the University of Toronto. “Receiving a diagnosis of childhood cancer is every parent’s worst nightmare. Witnessing the resilience families have when thrust into this situation, and being able to do what we can to help is an incredible privilege.”
Improving outcomes through research
Gupta's research spans three interconnected areas: improving treatment for childhood leukemia; understanding the long-term health outcomes of paediatric cancer survivors; and strengthening childhood cancer care in low- and middle-income countries.
His work has helped transform understanding of the challenges faced by families long after cancer treatment ends. Using Ontario's population-based health databases, Gupta and his collaborators have identified disparities in mental health care, palliative care access and survivorship outcomes, helping to inform clinical guidelines and health policy.
Along with his colleagues Dr. Paul Nathan and Dr. Petros Pechlivanoglou, he also established the Real-World Outcomes in Cancer Among Children and Adolescents (ROCCA) research program, which uses administrative data to examine health and socioeconomic outcomes across the cancer journey for children, adolescents, and young adults.
Helping redefine treatment for childhood leukemia
One of Gupta’s most significant recent achievements is his leadership of an international clinical trial that has changed the standard of care for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the most common childhood cancer.
As study co-lead, Gupta helped evaluate a new approach to chemotherapy that incorporated immunotherapy and that significantly improved outcomes for children with standard-risk B-cell ALL. Published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2025, the study was recognized with the David Sackett Trial of the Year Award.
His research program has also identified factors contributing to racial and ethnic disparities in leukemia outcomes and informed international efforts to improve access to essential cancer medicines.
Beyond Canada, Gupta has collaborated extensively with researchers and policymakers across Latin America, the Caribbean and India. Along with his colleagues Drs. Avram Denburg and Melanie Barwick, his current work includes leading projects in Kenya and Cameroon that train frontline health-care workers to recognize the early signs of childhood cancer, helping children receive diagnosis and treatment sooner.