Research animations

Three-dimensional animation can sometimes add to our understanding of what researchers do. The following examples highlight areas of cancer research in which the Canadian Cancer Society has played a role:

A good virus

Most of us go out of our way to avoid viruses. But Dr Patrick Lee - formerly of the University of Calgary and now at Dalhousie University - spends a lot of time in the company of a very common virus known as a reovirus. Normally this bug causes nothing more serious than a mild infection. But Dr Lee’s team discovered that the reovirus has the ability to kill brain cancer cells transplanted into laboratory mice, while sparing normal, healthy cells. Clinical trials involving reovirus in people are now underway.

View animation (Quick Time format) 56k

A new kind of vaccine

We all have immune systems designed to fight off infections. But this immune response doesn’t always work on cancer cells. Dr Yves Fradet at CHUQ-LH Dieu de Québec in Quebec City is hoping to develop a vaccine that will boost the immune systems of people recovering from bladder cancer. The goal is to prevent a recurrence, and possibly to prevent this cancer in healthy people.

View animation (Quick Time format) 56k

Cutting off cancer’s lifeline

Anti-angiogenesis research explores ways to stop blood vessels from forming and providing cancer cells with fresh nutrients and oxygen. Dr Robert Kerbel at Sunnybrook and Women’s College Health Sciences Centre in Toronto is using drugs that starve tumours in combination with frequent, low doses of standard chemotherapy drugs. In tests with mice, the tumours disappeared and didn’t grow back as long as treatment continued. Although Dr Kerbel cautions that we can’t expect such success with every experiment, clinical trials of angiogenesis are ongoing around the world. He adds that his own anti-angiogenesis research wouldn’t have been possible without years of support from the Canadian Cancer Society.

View animation (Quick Time format) 56k

For more information about these animations, please contact:

Alexa Giorgi

Bilingual Communications Specialist

(416) 934-5338

Last modified on: 11 August 2011