Dr. Marianne Sadar, senior scientist at the BC Cancer Agency, an agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority, is the 2008 recipient of the prestigious Terry Fox Young Investigator Award for her research in prostate cancer.

Sponsored by the Terry Fox Foundation and awarded by the National Cancer Institute of Canada, the Terry Fox Young Investigator Award is awarded annually to a promising young investigator doing outstanding basic laboratory work. The prize comes with $1,000 for the recipient and $20,000 for their research.

“When I was notified about the award, I was very moved,” says Dr. Sadar. “Terry Fox was a heroic young man who inspired a nation. He believed that with research we can find cures for cancers. It is a great honour to receive an award based on his legacy.”

Dr. Sadar was 10 when she lost her older sister to leukemia. “It completely changed my life and is what motivates me,” says Dr. Sadar who has dedicated her scientific career to improving outcomes for cancer patients. “There was no cure for my sister at that time, but scientific research has led to significant advances in alleviating suffering and extending life for cancer patients.”

“On behalf of The Terry Fox Foundation, the National Cancer Institute of Canada is delighted to present this award to Dr. Sadar,” says executive director Dr. Michael Wosnick. “Dr. Sadar’s work in prostate cancer is extremely promising and she is a very deserving recipient of this important award.”

“I am very pleased that Dr. Sadar’s contributions have been recognized,” says Dr. Marco Marra, Director of the BC Cancer Agency’s Genome Sciences Centre. “She is a brilliant and focused researcher who has made significant contributions to understanding the molecular basis of advanced prostate cancer.”

As a child, Dr. Sadar would imagine herself being a scientist, using the bathtub as her laboratory to create a life-saving elixir, and now, she is an internationally-recognized expert and the program leader for Prostate Cancer Research at the BC Cancer Agency.

Dr. Sadar, along with her team, successfully identified a molecular mechanism which may explain how advanced prostate cancer grows even in the absence of male hormones. An unknown agent causes the activation of prostate cancer cells when it binds to a unique region of the receptor. In knowing this, they were able to create “decoy molecules” to prevent the unknown agent from triggering prostate cancer cells.

The discovery has now advanced her research to a stage where she is developing drugs to help prevent and improve outcomes for prostate cancer, a disease that affects one in seven men in Canada.

“We are very fortunate to have such a tremendous scientist like Dr. Sadar at the BC Cancer Agency,” says Dr. Simon Sutcliffe, President, BC Cancer Agency. “Apart from her dedication to research, she is also a wonderful mentor to both her colleagues and students.”

“Dr. Sadar’s commitment to prostate cancer research has inspired many BC Cancer Foundation donors. Several donor groups have organized large fundraising events year after year to raise money specifically to support her work, and we are delighted she has been recognized for her ground-breaking advances,” says Pat Jacobsen, Interim CEO of the BC Cancer Foundation.

Previous recipients of the Terry Fox Young Investigator Award include: Dr. Peter Dirks (2007), Dr. Jean Yves Masson (2006), Dr. Timothy Hughes (2005), and Dr. Marco Marra (2004).

The BC Cancer Agency, an agency 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 patient care at the BC Cancer Agency.

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For more information, please contact:

Papinder Rehncy
Communications Specialist
BC Cancer Agency

Tel: 604.877.6261
Pgr: 604.918.1043
prehncy@bccancer.bc.ca