London RIOT

To the London Community:

It is a pleasure to welcome you to the Canadian Cancer Society’s London Research Information Outreach Team (RIOT) News and Views – a monthly article series sharing the latest advances in cancer research to the London community! News and Views was first launched in the Fall of 2020 and was deemed a great success in its inaugural year. Through the ongoing contributions of our growing team, we have published 12 monthly article posts since September of last year, each highlighting an area of cancer research, on themes aligned with the cancer awareness months.

The mission behind News and Views is to communicate and showcase the latest advancements in cancer research being investigated in our own community of London, Ontario and beyond, in a clear and digestible manner. London is home to some of the largest health research institutes in Canada, including Lawson Health Research Institute, London Health Sciences Centre, Robarts Research Institute, and the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry at Western University. There is such high-quality cancer research going on within the Forest City, and the London RIOT News and Views team, a volunteer group of dedicated cancer research trainees from a variety of backgrounds, wants to make this work accessible to everyone.

We’re excited to continue showcasing the efforts being made in the fight against cancer. This year, we hope to highlight how research gets translated; from understanding the basic science of cancer, all the way to clinical trials that make cancer treatments widely available. Each month, we will pinpoint where the article’s featured research falls within a graphical infographic with a timeline illustrating the translation of basic cancer research from bench to bedside. In keeping with RIOT’s mission to share the progress and promise of cancer research, we plan to provide you with a comprehensive view of the advances in cancer research to improve cancer detection, treatment, management, outcomes and quality of life. We hope that through this article series, we can show you the importance of all facets of research in improving both the understanding of cancer and cancer treatments.

Melissa Evans, BSc and Tricia Chinnery, BSc
Editors-In-Chief, News and Views

On February 4, World Cancer Day reminds us as a community to bring awareness and invoke action for a cancer-free future.

The London Research Information Outreach Team (RIOT) and Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) continues to be committed to inspiring change and making a difference for those diagnosed with cancer. This commitment has been particularly important this year, as we face different challenges through a pandemic that has left those with cancer among the most vulnerable. It is important to remember that while there are several changes and lifestyle factors that may look different, cancer remains the same.

This year, we can make an important difference for people with cancer by doing our part to wear a mask, practice physical distancing, avoiding non-essential travel, and getting vaccinated when available. Reducing the spread of COVID-19 can make a huge difference for those receiving care, and by lowering the number of cases in our communities, the less likely it is for cancer care to be impacted.

From the Canadian Cancer Society:

“If you are experiencing fear, anxiety or feelings of isolation thinking about cancer and COVID-19, you are not alone. CCS is here to help – reach us from the comfort of your home through our Cancer Information Helpline at 1-888-939-3333 or through live chat on our website cancer.ca.”

Additionally, we commend the scientists, trainees, and those involved in cancer-related research as we continue to solve problems and answer questions related to this devastating disease. London RIOT is committed to bringing awareness and improving knowledge translation of these important studies by highlighting work from the research community.

Together, on World Cancer Day, let’s be reminded of how we as communities are bigger than cancer.

The Canadian Cancer Society’s Research Information Outreach Team (RIOT) and Elgin-Middlesex Community Office invite the London and area community to attend the inaugural Progress in Cancer Research Symposium 2020 on November 14th, 2020. In addition to keynote speakers, we are happy to announce that outstanding graduate students and trainees will be providing information about their current work and projects in cancer research. Here, we will be updating and featuring each graduate student with an abstract on their current work.

We are happy to feature Nathan Orlando, a PhD Candidate in the Department of Medical Biophysics at Western University. Nathan is supervised by Dr. Aaron Fenster. His research focus is in prostate cancer and prostate cancer radiotherapy.
Abstract: Nathan will be talking about the development of a novel artificial intelligence algorithm to automatically identify the prostate in ultrasound images taken during radiotherapy or biopsy, helping to reduce physician burden and procedure time.

We are excited to share our next feature, Natasha Knier, a graduate student at Western University. Natasha is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Medical Biophysics, supervised by Dr. Paula Foster. Her research focus is in molecular imaging and cancer biology.
Abstract: When breast cancer spreads to the brain, the prognosis is devastating. Studying this disease with tumours that come directly from patients and novel imaging techniques allows us to track how this disease progresses in the body over time.

The third graduate student we are featuring is Tricia Chinnery. Tricia is an MSc Candidate in the Department of Medical Biophysics, supervised by Dr. Sarah Mattonen. Her research focus combines cancer imaging and machine learning!
Abstract: By extracting numbers from medical images and using machine learning to find patterns within these numbers, we can create models that predict outcomes for cancer patients. These models will assist physicians in clinical decision-making and allow for personalized medicine.

On Friday, the graduate student we featured is Claire Park. Claire Park is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Medical Biophysics, supervised by Dr. Aaron Fenster. Her research focus is in medical imaging and biomedical engineering.
Abstract: Image-guided biopsy is important for the management and diagnosis of breast cancer. By developing a new system combining positron emission mammography and ultrasound, results show promise to better detect and sample early stage breast cancer.

Stay tuned for more graduate student features who will be giving an overview of their work at the Symposium!

TO REGISTER: https://pcrs2020.eventbrite.ca

For information about the event please contact us: cancerriotlondon@gmail.com

To the London Community:

Welcome to the Canadian Cancer Society’s London Research Information Outreach Team (RIOT) News and Views blog! In response to the new challenges imposed by the global pandemic, we are working in close collaboration with our team to shift towards various online and virtual platforms. We hope to continue to bring you the exciting information about the progress and promise in cancer research focused locally in London, Ontario.

The purpose of News and Views is to present current cancer research taking place regionally in a clear and digestible manner. London is home to some of the largest health research institutes in Canada, including Lawson Health Research Institute, London Health Sciences Center, Robarts Research Institute, and the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry at Western University. There is such high-quality cancer research going on within the Forest City, and the RIOT News and Views team, a volunteer group of dedicated cancer research trainees from a variety of backgrounds, wants to make this accessible to everyone. To keep you updated with the most recent advancements in cancer research, we will occasionally invite guest researchers and trainees outside London to share some of their work!

Each month we will publish a new blog highlighting the work of a recently published article, predominantly with local affiliations, on themes aligned with the cancer awareness months. We hope you will find these blogs informative and engaging, showcasing the role that research has in the fight against cancer.

Madeleine Van de Kleut, PhD and Claire Park, BMSc

Cancer Research: Past, Present, & Future

The Canadian Cancer Society’s Research Information Outreach Team (RIOT) and Elgin-Middlesex Community Office invite the London and area community to attend the inaugural Progress in Cancer Research Symposium 2020. Leading cancer experts will provide information about what cancer is and how it is tackled in easy-to-understand language (NO science background needed).

REGISTRATION REQUIRED: https://pcrs2020.eventbrite.ca

• Saturday, November 14th, 2020, 1:00-3:45 pm EST
• Free Virtual Event via Zoom

The symposium will feature four keynote speakers:

• Dr. David Litchfield, Professor, Department of Biochemistry; Vice Dean, Research & Innovation, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University

• Dr. Alison Allan, Department Chair, Anatomy and Cell Biology; Professor, Departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology and Oncology,  Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University

• Colette Benko, President of Cancer Awareness Society, Western University

• Dr. John Lenehan, Medical Oncologist, London Health Sciences Center; Assistant Professor, Department of Oncology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University

For information about the event please contact us: cancerriotlondon@gmail.com

Check out the Canadian Cancer Society’s blog post for the International Day of Women and Girls in Science featuring three of RIOT’s volunteers, including Jessica Rodgers from London RIOT!

http://www.cancer.ca/en/about-us/our-stories/3-young-scientists-championing-cancer-research-across-canada/

Welcome to the London R.I.O.T. blog. We are very pleased to feature the work of the Western University BioChemistry 4455G students who authored the blogs as part of Western University Community Engaged Learning Program. All of the blogs have been through an editing process which includes the involvement of our communications specialist Megan Sherritt and R.I.O.T. team members with relevant subject matter expertise. The focus of the blogs were inspired by the theme of the London based Let’s Talk Cancer day which takes place at Western University each spring in partner ship with Let’s Talk Science. The theme is the diversity of the branches of science and other disciplines that are integral to the cancer research. The authors hope that students who read the blogs will be inspired to explore areas of cancer research that may be new and interesting to them. For non-students it is hoped that the series provides a glimpse into the diversity of disciplines that are involved in cancer research. Cancer is a complex disease that requires multi-faceted exploration and dynamic prevention and treatment options. Enjoy!

Check our Let’s Talk Cancer event page for more details soon.

Monday, 4 February 2019 from 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM (EST)

Innovation Works
201 King Street
BMO Ideas Bank
London, ON N6A 1C9
Canada
View Map

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE EVENT!

Cancer affects us all – here in Canada and around the globe. Monday February 4 is World Cancer Day, a day that unites people, communities and entire countries to raise awareness and take action.

We want to take this day to celebrate the incredible research that is funded by your generous donations to the Canadian Cancer Society. Please join us at Innovation Works to see presentations from local researchers and volunteers, with a keynote by Dr. Saman Maleki, Associate Scientist, Lawson Health Research Institute and Adjunct Research Professor, Dept. of Oncology, Western University. Dr. Maleki is a Tumour Immunologist and has been involved in several Immuno-Oncology drug development projects. Dr. Maleki will speak about immunotherapy, a recent breakthrough in cancer research that is leading to better patient outcomes.

After the presentations, you can also learn about how you can decrease your risk for cancer by learning from some of the Elgin-Middlesex Canadian Cancer Society Prevention volunteers who will be set up to give out information and answer your questions in the Commons on the 1st floor of Innovation Works.

Please feel free to bring your lunch. Some light refreshments will be available to attendees and volunteers.

Share this event on Facebook and Twitter. We hope you can make it!