To learn more about the exciting research projects being conducted in Alberta, visit our Research in Action microsite or click on one of the researchers below.
Dr Tavis Campbell
Cancer-related fatigue is a serious symptom brought on by chemotherapy and radiation that can have a significant impact on the quality of life of patients.
Dr Christine Friedenreich
Dr YangXin Fu
As a medical student, I had first-hand experience to see how cancer patients suffered and how little we knew about cancer. Therefore I decided to become a basic medical researcher with a special interest in cancer research.
Dr Michael Hendzel
Dr Michael Hendzel is filling in these important pieces of the cancer puzzle so that more patients can get back to their everyday lives. He is investigating a protein called ‘actin’, one of the most abundant proteins in our bodies and one that can play a critical role in the development of cancer.
Dr Frank Jirik
Dr Frank Jirik and his research team are investigating how particular genes protect the lung's DNA against a particular carcinogen found in tobacco smoke and chewing tobacco. He is ultimately trying to determine why some smokers are more susceptible to lung cancer than others.
Dr Kevin Kane
Dr Kevin Kane has devised a non-invasive screening system to identify the mutated genes that the body’s own ‘killer cells’ – cytotoxic T lymphocytes – readily target and kill.
Dr John Lewis
By understanding which proteins make it possible for cancer cells to spread to other parts of the body, Dr Lewis is working toward identifying potential targets for new drug development. These treatments will likely help prostate and breast cancer patients.
Dr Hanne Ostergaard
Specifically, a group of white blood cells called ‘killer T cells’ are known to be one of the immune system's most potent disease fighters. Killer T cells are the body's first line of defense against many different infections – and they also attack cancer cells.
Dr Thomas Simmen
“Tumour cells are like a kind of weed growing in the body,” says Dr Simmen. “They grow faster and they’re hard to kill. Normal cells have a natural suicide tendency, but tumour cells do not die. They will continue to grow uninhibited.”
Dr James Stone
Ras, Raf, Erk and Mek may sound like strange characters from a sci-fi film, but they are actually proteins that could provide great insight on how cancer cells are generated.
Dr Roger Zemp
Dr Zemp and his research team are developing a new laser-based imaging technology to study early tumour development and the response to cancer drugs. This highly sensitive technology will provide cancer biologists and clinicians insight into tumours that's never been previously available.