Grant: Doctoral Research Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Lung cancer causes 1.8 million deaths a year, making it the deadliest cancer in the world. One major reason is the fact many people discover their disease too late, which limits the treatments available to combat the disease. As such, the ability to identify at-risk patients would increase available treatment options. Genetics plays a crucial role in the risk and severity of lung cancer. My project focuses on a gene called SHPRH. Our lab has previously shown this gene is often missing in lung cancer patients, and the presence of this gene may help slow lung cancer growth. Thus, the goal of my project is to explore how SHPRH can decrease lung cancer growth, and if the absence of this gene increases lung cancer risk. I believe SHPRH makes cells more resilient. Thus, when it is missing, cells are more likely to become cancerous, particularly in the presence of cancer-causing materials. To test this, I will first look at how the presence of SHPRH changes the genes and proteins within lung cancer cells. This would give me important clues about how SHPRH is working within the cell. Next, I will determine if cells lacking SHPRH gain more cancer-like phenotypes quicker than normal cells, and how being exposed to a cancer-causing agents such as tobacco changes the outcome. Together, these results will help figure out the role of SHPRH in lung cancer. As patients missing the SHPRH gene may be at greater risk for lung cancer, this project may be able to help future screening programs identify a group of at-risk patients early, before their disease becomes too severe. This would help increase the treatment options and survival of those affected by this devastating disease.