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05/04: BC Cancer Agency receives major research awards from the CCS in this round of competitions
The BC Cancer Agency congratulates its scientists who have received research awards from the Canadian Cancer Society. Among the studies funded include research into developing novel ways of delivering chemotherapy drugs to make them more effective and less toxic, and research to identify the biological and molecular mechanisms of chronic myeloid leukemia.
The BC Cancer Agency is an acknowledged world leader in cancer research, with the best patient outcomes in Canada. The following research will be conducted at the BC Cancer Agency’s Research Centre in Vancouver:
Dr. Marcel Bally has received $486,000 for three years to research Combining conventional therapeutics with molecular targeting-strategies for the treatment of HER-2 positive relapsed and metastatic breast cancer.
Dr. Bally is a Senior Scientist and Department Head, Department of Advanced Therapeutics, BC Cancer Agency.
Dr. Bally’s laboratory focuses on developing improved protocols for the treatment of cancer. His research group has two fundamental principles: (i) drug combination products will be dependent on use of drug carrier technologies and (ii) drug combination products should achieve optimal therapeutic effects using better tolerated drug doses.
Dr. Allan Eaves has received $705,000 for five years to research Disease mechanisms in chronic myeloid leukemia.
Dr. Eaves is Director of the Terry Fox Laboratory.
Dr. Eaves’ research features developing in-vitro and animal model systems to allow key biological and molecular features of human leukemic conditions to be identified and reproduced. Efforts are currently focused on chronic myeloid leukemia, a disease with an annual incidence of 1 per 100,000 and curable in only a limited number of cases, primarily with high dose therapy and a sibling bone marrow transplant.
Dr. Aly Karsan’s work in Mechanisms of tumour angiogenesis has received a grant for $523,000 over 5 years.
Dr. Karsan is a Senior Scientist in Medical Biophysics and a Hematopathologist at the BC Cancer Agency.
Dr. Karsan’s research centres on understanding how new blood vessels grow into a tumour (angiogenesis), a process that allows tumours to grow faster and invade the adjacent tissues as well as to spread to distant sites. Specifically, he is interested in understanding how the cells lining the blood vessels (endothelial cells) contribute to the process of angiogenesis.
Sylvia Ng received a Terry Fox Foundation Research Grant for New Investigators for her research into The role of cancer-associated fibroblasts in mediating treatment response in pancreatic cancer. This grant is for $475,000 over 3 years.
Ng is a senior research scientist in Advanced Therapeutics at the BCCA.
Ng’s research program is focused on the study of the molecular interactions between pancreatic cancer cells and stromal cells (namely, fibroblasts and endothelial cells), to identify novel therapeutic targets and to develop more effective strategies using new drugs or combinations of existing drugs for the treatment of this disease. Pancreatic cancer is extremely resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
These grants are the result of a competition last fall and include grant funds from several sources: the Canadian Cancer Society Research Grants, the Terry Fox Foundation Research Grants for New Investigators and Equipment Grants for New Investigators and the Canadian Breast Cancer Research Alliance Research Grants.
The BC Cancer Agency, a part of the Provincial Health Services Authority, is committed to reducing the incidence of cancer, reducing the mortality from cancer, and improving the quality of life of those living with cancer. It provides a comprehensive cancer control program for the people of British Columbia by working with community partners to deliver a range of oncology services, including prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment, research, education, supportive care, rehabilitation and palliative care. The BC Cancer Foundation raises funds to support research and enhancements to care at the BC Cancer Agency, throughout B.C.
For further information, or to arrange an interview, please contact:
Nicole Adams
Public Relations
BC Cancer Agency
1.800.663.3333, ex 6272
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