Grant: Doctoral: Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships

Mice bearing cancer are valuable tools in cancer research. However, their small size has presented a challenge in testing advanced radiation therapy techniques such as SBRT (stereotactic body radiotherapy): precise delivery of a high dose of radiation in a small number of treatment sessions. By using a novel mouse irradiation apparatus, Small Animal Radiation Research Platform (SARRP), I first hypothesize that SBRT can be accurately delivered to mice. An inanimate mouse-like structure will be irradiated under various conditions in order to verify accurate SBRT delivery. Then, the subsequent mouse experiments will be aimed at characterizing how tumors in mice respond to SBRT and discovering the underlying biological mechanisms. My current interest lies in how SBRT triggers the body's immune system to attack cancer. My animal experiments using SARRP will ultimately focus on mice with liver cancer. Liver cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death globally. While radiation therapy has been seldom used in liver cancer due to toxicity, unwanted radiation to the liver can be minimized with the recent technological advances. I will be involved in a project aimed at treating liver cancer patients with high dose rate (HDR) SBRT that also accounts for patients' breathing. Specifically, after a number of patients with otherwise incurable liver cancer receive HDR SBRT, I will analyze the patient scans to investigate the efficacy and the biological mechanism of liver HDR SBRT. In summary, the establishment of precise radiation therapy for mice with cancer in general can open a new realm of research. My specific mouse experiments can provide fundamental biological understanding and give insights into patient treatment. With the patient project, I hope to contribute to a new treatment option and a noninvasive monitoring technique for otherwise incurable liver cancer. The overall scheme of my work has broad implications from laboratory animal research to patient treatment.