Collaborative Research for a Healthier Tomorrow
Alberta’s Tomorrow Project (ATP) is a landmark longitudinal study designed to uncover the causes of cancer and chronic diseases, with the goal of preventing illness, enabling earlier diagnosis, and improving quality of life for Albertans and people beyond our borders. Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2025, ATP has grown into the largest health research study in Western Canada, driven by a simple yet powerful idea: when researchers understand the factors that shape health over time, they can intervene more effectively.
How ATP Collects and Uses Health Data
ATP gathers a rich tapestry of information through participant surveys, biological samples, and links to other health data sources. Each respondent shares details about mental health, smoking status, cancer screening, body measurements, and family history. To date, ATP has amassed over one billion data points that support research, inform policy, and guide improvements in cancer and chronic disease outcomes.
More than 30,000 participants have donated thousands of biological samples, including blood and urine. These specimens enable researchers to measure genetics and other health markers, turning data into actionable insights. By combining lifestyle information with genetic and environmental data, ATP helps researchers explore how various factors interact to influence health across generations.
A New Home for a Growing Research Enterprise
Last fall, ATP moved into a purpose-built facility at the Arthur J.E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre in Calgary. This integrated environment brings together medical experts, researchers, and clinicians to unlock the full potential of ATP’s data. ATP’s biobank houses more than one million samples, creating an invaluable resource for studies that require deep biological context alongside lifestyle information.
What Studies Is ATP Supporting?
ATP supports a diverse slate of health studies, reflecting its commitment to broad-based cancer prevention and chronic disease research. A recent initiative is the Lung Cancer Risk Factors Study, conducted in partnership with the University of Calgary’s Evict Radon National Study team led by Dr. Aaron Goodarzi. By pooling expertise and data, the collaboration seeks to identify which factors put Albertans at risk for lung cancer and how radon exposure, lifestyle, and other elements interact to influence risk.
Looking ahead, ATP is launching the Diet and Physical Activity project. Planned for late 2025, this study will join six CanPath regional cohorts to collect the most comprehensive diet and physician activity data ever assembled in Canadian history. The aim is to illuminate how the food environment and physical activity shape cancer risk and overall health, with findings that could inform personalized prevention strategies and treatments.
Why ATP Matters for Health Policy and Everyday Life
ATP’s longitudinal approach provides a depth and breadth of information that few studies can match. By tracking health trajectories over decades, ATP helps researchers identify early indicators of disease, evaluate the effectiveness of prevention efforts, and tailor interventions to individual risk profiles. The project also supports the international research community by providing data resources that can be linked to other datasets, accelerating discoveries that could benefit populations far beyond Alberta.
A Forward-Looking Mission
ATP’s ongoing work embodies a proactive, collaborative vision for health. By centering participation, data-sharing, and multidisciplinary collaboration, ATP seeks to advance prevention, enable earlier detection, and improve treatment for cancer and chronic diseases. The project’s success demonstrates how sustained citizen involvement and robust data infrastructures can yield meaningful progress for public health—and for the health of generations to come.
