Grant: CIHR New Investigator

We all arose from one fertilized egg cell; ~50 trillion cells, in the precise and correct ratios, arose from the division of one primitive cell. This requires incredible balance- too many divisions of the same clone equals cancer. The division of primitive cells that reside in human tissues must also strike this balance. By studying how molecules work together during the division of these cells, my group hopes to better detect, monitor, and treat the childhood and hereditary cancers that arise as a result of too many cell divisions and inflict 1,400 kids and 2,200 young adults each year in Canada. The objectives for my research program are to more completely understand cell division at a molecular level and apply that knowledge to the study of cells that maintain the growth and development of the human brain and breast. My lab will learn how cell division is altered in childhood and hereditary cancers and develop treatments that re-establish a correct balance. We focus on a small set of key genes and study how their products are involved in human development and cancer using a variety of systems, including cells that grow indefinitely in the lab, mice, flies, and human tissues from both healthy and diseased individuals. I am a recognized expert in the study of one of these genes, which has enabled fruitful collaboration in Canada and abroad. Through this larger integrated research network, and with the continued support of national and international funding agencies, my research program is uniquely able to apply what we learn about the process of cell division towards the better understanding and treatment of cancers that occur in kids and families.