Introducing the 2025 winners of the BioCanRx Summer Studentships

Name: Lucas Asselstine

Supervisor(s)/Institution: Dr. Singh, McMaster

Project Title: Co-targeting Ephrin Receptor Tyrosine Kinases A2 and A3 in Glioblastoma using bispecific CAR-T Immunotherapy

Profile: I have just completed my third year in the Honours Molecular Biology and Genetics program at McMaster University. This summer, I will be working in the laboratory of Dr. Sheila Singh at the Centre for Discovery in Cancer Research. Outside of the lab, I enjoy hiking, reading, and spending time with friends and family.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and aggressive primary brain tumour in adults, with a median survival of only 15 months despite standard therapies. A major barrier to effective treatment is the presence of brain tumour-initiating cells (BTICs), a therapy-resistant subpopulation that drives tumour recurrence. My project will focus on developing a bispecific CAR-T therapy targeting EphA2 and EphA3, two receptors highly enriched on BTICs, with the goal of improving treatment efficacy and reducing recurrence.

In the future, I aspire to pursue a career as a clinician-scientist, where I can help translate research advances into better outcomes for patients. I am sincerely grateful to BioCanRx for supporting this opportunity to deepen my skills in cancer immunotherapy and contribute to the development of innovative therapies for brain cancer.

Name: Andrea Cui

Supervisor(s)/Institution: Dr. Diallo, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute

Project Title: Evaluating novel manufacturing and therapeutic enhancers of CAR immunotherapy

Profile: My name is Andrea Cui, and I am in my final year of studying chemical biology at McMaster University.

This summer, I will work in Dr. Diallo’s lab to evaluate the impact of Viral Sensitizer Enhancers (VSEs) on the production and transduction efficiency of HER2-specific CAR-T and CAR-NK cells. These small molecules have been shown to significantly enhance lentiviral vector yield and transduction, potentially improving the efficiency of CAR-based immunotherapy manufacturing. I will also assess the cytotoxic activity of these engineered immune cells in vitro using HER2+ cancer models. Using a validated CAR construct targeting human HER2, I aim to further optimize lentiviral vector-based cell engineering for future testing in syngeneic mouse models of HER2+ cancer.

I hope to advance research in oncolytic viral therapy and viral vaccination, integrating my chemical biology background with high-throughput drug screening, various cellular-based assays, and in vivo cancer model studies to identify and develop novel therapeutic agents as a potential area of focus.

Name: Ryan Gaudet

Supervisor(s)/Institution: Dr. Trant, University of Windsor

Project Title: Developing a vaccine for cancers: Comparing the immunogenicity of acetal-free and acetal-containing sugar antigens.

Profile: My Name is Ryan, and I have recently completed my third year at the University of Windsor, pursuing a major in Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences. I have worked with the Trant Team since February 2023, and thanks to the support from BioCanRX, I will continue again this summer. Outside of academics, I like to play video games, spend time with friends, and garden.

This summer, I am embarking on a research project to create a Tn antigen vaccine for cancer treatment. This vaccine involves a carbohydrate ligated to an immunogenic peptide, which has had issues with stability due to enzymatic activity cleaving the bond connecting the carbohydrate to the amino acid. My role will be to optimize the synthesis of the “natural” acetal-containing carbohydrates before working on synthesizing the acetal-free carbohydrates (AFCs) and integrating these modified amino acids into immunogenic peptides. This work will be done using solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS), allowing for efficient synthesis of a wide variety of peptides with great flexibility in the amino acids used. Later, the AFCs will be synthesized and integrated into a peptide to compare their effectiveness with the theoretically less labile bond. The ultimate goal of this project is to utilize the Tn antigen vaccine to enhance the immune system’s ability to identify and eliminate cancer cells.

After my undergraduate degree, I aim to enroll in graduate school and eventually earn a PhD in Organic Chemistry. This field of study, both in the lab and on paper, is fascinating to learn about and discover within, as every problem can be viewed as a new puzzle to solve. I am very thankful for the opportunity this studentship provides to allow me to work on such an important project and further develop my skill set with the Trant Team.

Name: Amy Gingrich

Supervisor(s)/Institution: Dr. Bell, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute

Project Title: Development of an all-in-one multi-payload oncolytic virus for treatment of immunologically cold tumors

Profile: I recently completed my fourth year in chemical biology (co-op) at McMaster University. Outside of academics, I enjoy figure skating, reading, cooking, and spending time with friends! In the future, I plan to attend either graduate school and work in the pharmaceutical industry, or apply to medical school. This summer, I am excited to be doing a placement in the Bell lab at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute.

The Bell Lab engineers oncolytic viruses, which are viruses modified to selectively infect cancer cells and stimulate the immune system, while also delivering therapeutic transgenes and RNAs. This summer, I will be researching strategies to overcome the T-cell inhibition that has been observed. I am excited to learn more about this fascinating field and develop new skills.

Name: Nevena Kovacina

Supervisor(s)/Institution: Dr. Vanderhyden, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute

Project Title: Investigating the Therapeutic Potential for NLRC5 to Restore MHC Class I Expression in Ovarian Cancer Cells

Profile: I have just completed my third year in Translational and Molecular Medicine at the University of Ottawa. This past semester, I was part of the Vanderhyden Lab where I gained valuable research experience that I’m excited to build on this summer. When I’m not in class or the lab, you can usually find me dancing, playing basketball, or out for a run!

I am excited to spend this summer working in Dr. Barbara Vanderhyden’s lab at the Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre, where I will be investigating a novel immunotherapy. In most ovarian cancers, MHC-I molecules—which play an important role in activating the immune response—are significantly downregulated. As a result, the immune system fails to recognize and eliminate cancer cells, leading to poorer prognosis and reduced survival. My summer project investigates whether delivering NLRC5, a co-transcriptional activator of MHC-I genes, can restore MHC-I expression in ovarian cancer cells. By restoring immune recognition, this approach aims to ultimately improve patient survival.

I am incredibly grateful to the BioCanRx Summer Studentship for the opportunity to further deepen my knowledge in immunotherapy and contribute to meaningful cancer research. This experience is not only preparing me for my upcoming Honours project this fall, but also laying a strong foundation for future graduate studies.

Name: Chelsea Leduc (OICR-sponsored)

Supervisor(s)/Institution: Dr. Tharmalingam, Northern Ontario School of Medicine University

Project Title: Investigating the Role of Isoprostanes in Breast Cancer Radiotherapy

Profile: I have just completed my third year in the Honours Biomedical Science program with a specialization in Neuroscience at the University of Ottawa. Outside of academics, I enjoy painting, crocheting, learning new hobbies and volunteering in the community.

This summer, I will be working in Dr. Sujeenthar Tharmalingam’s lab at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine University. Our project focuses on triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), an aggressive subtype with very few treatment options. While radiation therapy is a standard approach for TNBC, resistance to treatment imposes a major challenge.

In the lab, we will be investigating whether radiation induced lipid peroxidation products, known as isoprostanes, may enhance cancer cell death. I’ll also be exploring how COX-1/2 enzyme activity may affect this process, using CRISPR-modified TNBC cell lines and lipidomic analysis techniques such as LC-MS/MS.

I am incredibly grateful to BioCanRx and OICR for supporting Indigenous students and providing this invaluable opportunity to deepen my research experience. This studentship will allow me to build important technical skills, grow as a researcher, and explore my passion for cancer research, while preparing me for my future goal of pursuing a career in medicine or biomedical research.

Name: William McNeill

Supervisor(s)/Institution: Dr. Quizi, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute

Project Title: Optimization of Lentivirus Downstream Production Process for CAR-T Cell Therapy Applications

Profile: Profile: I am a fifth-year student in the Honours Biomedical Science program at the University of Ottawa. This summer I’ll be returning to the Biotherapeutics Manufacturing Centre (BMC) at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI). In my free time I enjoy bicycling and fencing with the uOttawa team.

With the BMC I will join the process development team in improving lentiviral vector production for use in clinical CAR-T Cell Therapy. Specifically, evaluating the feasibility of two-step tangential flow filtration systems in the downstream processing of lentivirus. This evaluation will include testing of several parameters of tangential flow filtration including membrane material, filter pore size, and filtration concentration factor. This process is then scaled up by the manufacturing team for production. With the rise of CAR-T cell therapy as a strong alternative to traditional cancer treatments, reducing its cost and improving its accessibility is paramount. Therefore, improving productivity of lentivirus vector manufacturing is key to the success of CAR-T Cell Therapy.

I would like to thank BioCanRx for the opportunity provided by the summer studentship to gain important experience in the fields of immunotherapy and biomanufacturing After my undergraduate degree, I hope to continue to build my skills in immunotherapy and manufacturing and use them to pursue graduate studies in similar fields.

Name: Daniel Minanengiyeofori

Supervisor(s)/Institution: Dr. Lalu, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute

Project Title: Preclinical Reproducibility in Immunotherapy Through Multilaboratory Innovation and Discovery (PRIMED)

Profile: I am a fourth-year student at Carleton University pursuing a Bachelor of Science Honours in Neuroscience and Mental Health with a minor in Economics. This summer, I will have the opportunity to work under the guidance of Dr. Manoj Lalu (Ottawa Hospital Research Institute) and Dr. Lee-Hwa Tai (Université de Sherbrooke).
Over the past few years, there have been significant advances in cancer immunotherapy research. However, due to the inherent variability in preclinical models and methodologies, comparing results between labs remains a major challenge. Multilaboratory preclinical studies, involving collaborations across multiple research labs using a shared protocol, similar to multicenter clinical trials, offer a promising strategy to improve the reproducibility and generalizability of preclinical findings. While this approach has been successfully adopted in other areas of biomedical research, it has not yet been utilized in the cancer field.
To address this gap, Drs. Lalu and Tai launched the Preclinical Reproducibility in Immunotherapy Through Multilaboratory Innovation and Discovery (PRIMED) initiative. This spring, we hosted the inaugural PRIMED meeting, bringing together labs from across Canada to define shared priorities and approaches for multilaboratory cancer immunotherapy research.
This summer, I will be working on formalizing the conference outcomes, including drafting the meeting proceedings, integrating conference discussions, as well as findings from the environmental scan conducted among participating labs.
I am thankful to BioCanRx for providing me with this unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience and develop valuable skills in the field of cancer biotherapeutics, which will support my growth as I continue to explore future opportunities in research and healthcare.

Name: Hamza Naqvi

Supervisor(s)/Institution: Dr. Bramson, McMaster

Project Title: Studying glioblastoma-T cell interactions by single cell RNA sequencing

Profile: I am entering my last year of the Honours Biochemistry Co-op program at McMaster University. Over the past year, I had the opportunity to complete my undergraduate thesis in the Bramson and Han labs, where I applied single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to characterize the heterogeneity of manufactured Gamma Delta T cell (GDT) products. This summer, I am excited to continue in the Bramson and Han labs, studying how glioblastoma suppresses the function of engineered GDT cells.
Glioblastoma is an aggressive brain cancer with limited treatment options. The Bramson lab has engineered GDT cells with synthetic tumour-targeted receptors to improve their anti-tumour activity. However, we’ve observed that glioblastoma rapidly shuts down these cells, and the mechanisms behind this are poorly understood. To address this, I will set up glioblastoma–T cell co-cultures and use scRNA-seq to perform a global, unbiased assessment of the transcriptomic changes occurring in both cell populations during their interaction. I’ll analyze these data using bioinformatic tools like the Han Lab’s scPipeline analysis framework and CellChat to infer receptor-ligand interactions and identify potential immunosuppressive pathways. The findings from this project will help guide future studies using genetic and pharmacological approaches to enhance GDT cell therapy.
After this summer, I plan to pursue graduate studies in immuno-oncology, particularly in combining computational biology with cell therapy research. Outside the lab, I enjoy drumming, photography, and playing sports with friends. I’m grateful to BioCanRx, Dr. Bramson, Dr. Han, and the labs for supporting my growth as a scientist and allowing me to further my passion for cancer research.

Name: Griffin Niblett

Supervisor(s)/Institution: Dr. Noyce, University of Alberta

Project Title: Targeting tumour sialic acid with neuraminidase-expressing oncolytic poxviruses to enhance spread and therapeutic efficacy

Profile: I recently finished the third year of my undergraduate Immunology and Infection specialization program at the University of Alberta. In my free time, I love to be outside playing basketball and listening to music. This summer, I will be working in the laboratory of Dr. Ryan Noyce in the Faculty of Medical Microbiology & Immunology at the University of Alberta.
Historically, oncolytic virotherapy has been limited by the inability of the virus to spread throughout the tumour to release tumour-associated proteins that can stimulate the patient’s immune system. This project will investigate whether modifying the glycan sugars on the surface of tumours using oncolytic viruses can enhance virus infection in tumours. Preliminary evidence from the Noyce lab has demonstrated that removal of sialic acid increases the infectivity of oncolytic vaccinia virus, as sialic acid is a modulator involved with immunosuppression in the tumour microenvironment. In this project, we will Profile changes of sialic acid on breast tumour cells infected with oncolytic vaccinia virus, as well as encode sialidases in our oncolytic vaccinia virus to see if this modification increases viral spread. Our overall objective is to enhance oncolytic poxvirus spread and improve the potential for this oncolytic virus in breast tumour cell lines.
I would like to take the opportunity to thank Dr Ryan Noyce and the Noyce Lab, as well as BioCanRx for providing me with the chance to carry out this project that aligns strongly with my interests in virology, immunology, and oncology. The skills and experience I gain from this project will be invaluable as I continue to pursue my academic career, whether it is further research in synthetic virology or medicine.

Name: William Pihlainen-Bleecker

Supervisor(s)/Institution: Dr. Latulippe, McMaster

Project Title: Applying Temperature Downshifts for Increased mAb Production in Perfusion Bioreactors

Profile: I have just completed my fourth year of the Biochemistry – Biomedical Research Specialization program at McMaster University. Over the last year, I have been working in Dr. David Latulippe’s lab in the department of Chemical Engineering to develop high-throughput viral analytics for adenoviruses. This summer, I will be continuing in the lab to work alongside graduate student Adrian Foell to study the use of temperature downshifts in perfusion bioreactors to increase monoclonal antibody production.

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are a rapidly emerging type of cancer immunotherapy that have become the standard of care for several types of cancers. Currently, mAb costs have stagnated near $100 USD per gram, with major efforts pushing to reduce this to $10 per gram to lower patient cost. My research this summer will focus on the use of temperature downshifts in bioreactors to increase mAb yield in perfusion processes. Custom-built microplate scale bioreactors will be used to apply temperature downshifts to CHO cells over a minimum of 15 days. Using a suite of equipment including a Sartorius Octet, BioProfile FLEX2, and UHPLC, the effect of temperature downshifts will be analyzed utilizing a multi-omics approach. A model will then be developed for scaling up the downshift protocol to larger-volume bioreactors and applied during a 2L perfusion campaign.

After this summer, I will be continuing in the Latulippe lab for my undergraduate thesis project. Building on the skills and experience I will have gained in the lab, I hope to pursue further graduate education with a focus on implementing synthetic biology in biomanufacturing. I am extremely excited to continue to immerse myself in cancer immunotherapy research, and am very grateful for BioCanRx’s support along the way.

Name: Katelyn Recagno (CCS-Sponsored)

Supervisor(s)/Institution: Dr. Seely, Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine

Project Title: Roots of Resilience: Investigating Indigenous Medicinal Foods in Cancer Care

Profile: I am a first-year naturopathic medical student at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM), and a member of the Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO). This summer, I will be working with Dr. Dugald Seely, a recognized leader in integrative oncology to explore the use of traditional medicinal foods and herbs in Métis individuals to improve cancer-related outcomes as a form of culturally situated medicine.

Our research project will use a mixed-methods approach, conducting a literature review and an ethnographic study involving interviews with Métis indigenous healers to understand the cultural significance and anti-cancer properties of medicinal foods such as Chaga Mushroom, Turkey Tail, Elderberry, American Ginseng, and Devil’s Club. The project will explore these medicinal resources for supportive cancer care against a backdrop of confounding factors including: socioeconomic status, family history, access to healthcare, and cancer incidence within Métis populations. This project aims to expand research on culturally based medicinal foods and herbs, potentially improving symptom management and cancer care outcomes in Métis peoples.

The experience gained through this program will be pivotal as I move forward in my studies at CCNM, particularly when I am a fourth-year intern treating patients at the Schad Naturopathic Clinic, hopefully with the Integrative Cancer Care (ICC) team. The research experience gained throughout the Summer Studentship will allow me to incorporate evidence-based, complementary treatment options into my future practice, ultimately enhancing my ability to make a difference in the lives of cancer patients.

I am very thankful for this opportunity provided by BioCanRx and CCS, and I am eager to gain the research experience and insights necessary to shape my future as a Naturopathic Doctor, contribute to Indigenous research, and improve the lives of those impacted by cancer.

Name: Christian Romanowski

Supervisor(s)/Institution: Dr. Nelson, BC Cancer

Project Title: Harnessing autoimmunity to enhance immunotherapy: Identifying anti-tumour polyreactive antibodies and assessing their therapeutic relevance

Profile: My Name is Christian Romanowski, and I am a recent graduate of the University of Victoria with a BSc (Hons) in Biochemistry. There I co-founded the UVic Biotechnology Club, where I lead a group of students who apply the tools of molecular biology to solve real world problems. I am also a nerd about books, retro video games, and tidal creatures here on the coast.
In September, I will begin my MSc in Biochemistry in Dr. Brad Nelson’s lab at the Deeley Research Center. I am immeasurably thankful to BioCanRx, whose Summer Studentship enables me to begin my research this summer, ahead of graduate school, so I can begin with a strong foundation of skills, connections, and experiences.
My research will focus on polyreactive antibodies, and their relevance to cancer immunotherapy. By examining tumors from patients with an especially difficult-to-treat ovarian cancer, the Nelson lab found that the presence of B cells was strongly linked to long-term patient survival. They further showed that, within tumors, B cells secrete antibodies that are “polyreactive”, meaning that they recognize two or more antigens expressed by tumor and/or normal tissues. In autoimmune diseases like lupus, polyreactive antibodies are considered dangerous, as they can promiscuously bind healthy tissues and mark them for destruction by immune cells. However, in tumors, we hypothesize that this behaviour may be important for the immune response to cancer: polyreactive antibodies might foster a localized autoimmune reaction in tumors by “painting” cancer cells for recognition and destruction by other immune cells. My research will explore the target antigens of these polyreactive antibodies in tumors and assess their tumor-killing activity. I hope to identify antibodies that could be used as immunotherapy drugs to treat difficult cancers.
I am thankful to BioCanRx for this wonderful opportunity to establish a foundation for my scientific career. This summer, and at Summit4CI, I hope to build connections with others interested in translational research, so that in the future, in industry or academia, I may combine my passions for cancer immunotherapy and biotechnology to develop novel immunotherapies.

Name: Stephanie Roy

Supervisor(s)/Institution: Dr. Benoit, University of Ottawa

Project Title: Effects of a 16p11.2 microdeletion on the colorectal tumor microenvironment

Profile: I have just completed my third year in the Honours Biomedical Science program at the University of Ottawa, with a focus in cellular and molecular medicine. Outside the classroom and the lab, I enjoy swimming, reading, and travelling. After completing my bachelor’s degree, I plan to start graduate school to pursue research and work toward becoming a university professor.
Cancer immunotherapy has transformed treatment strategies. However, the genetic factors that shape immune surveillance remain poorly understood. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer in Canada and is frequently diagnosed at advanced stages, which limits treatment options.
The Benoit lab at the University of Ottawa has contributed to uncovering a compelling link between CRC patients’ survival and gene expression on chromosomes 16 and 21, commonly mutated in neurodevelopmental diseases. Experiments in mice with chromosome 16 mutations associated with autism spectrum disorder revealed strikingly opposite effects on melanoma and CRC tumor growth rates, with significant differences in the immune cell populations surrounding tumors in chromosome 16-deficient tissues. Notably, tumors developing within a 16p11.2-deficient microenvironment exhibit increased macrophage infiltration compared to their wild-type (WT) counterparts.
This summer, I am honoured to have the opportunity to contribute to a research project led by senior PhD student Jacob Billingsley in the Benoit lab at the University of Ottawa. The project investigates how 16p11.2 deficiency affects colorectal cancer progression and immune surveillance. Specifically, I will use spatial transcriptomics to characterize immune cell heterogeneity in mouse CRC tumors with 16p11.2 deficiency. By understanding how neurodevelopmental genetic factors influence immune cell infiltration and tumor recognition, I aim to help identify new pathways that could be targeted for CRC therapy.

Name: Maryam Shaaban

Supervisor(s)/Institution: Dr. Boudreau, Dalhouse University

Project Title: Natural killer cell signaling and selection during expansion

Profile: This fall, I’ll be starting my fourth year in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Dalhousie as an Honours student. Outside of the lab, I enjoy going to museums, and the beach when the weather cooperates! In the future I plan to pursue a career in medicine, with a focus on cancer immunotherapy. I have been a part of Dr.
Jeanette Boudreau’s lab since October of 2024, and I look forward to continuing my work over the summer, where I’m focusing on ways to expand natural killer (NK) cells with a high tumour-killing potential.

My project’s end goal is optimizing the expression of activating receptors while minimizing the expression of inhibitory receptors to improve the therapeutic efficacy of NK cells. I’m also looking into whether we can select for and expand particular subsets of NK cells to produce cells with specific and potentially more effective phenotypes against various solid tumours. Leveraging expansion of NK cells allows for billions of cells to be generated from a single donor, with potential for re-injection into a patient after expansion and activation. With the support of my lab mates, I plan to eventually test these expanded NK cells in established animal models. The overall future aim is the development of ‘off the shelf’ NK cell-based therapies, much like monoclonal antibodies which are already widely used in the clinic.

With immune-based therapies rapidly changing how we treat disease, I’m excited to continue contributing to this growing field. I’m truly grateful to Dr. Boudreau and this studentship provided by BioCanRx for the opportunity to build my research skills and deepen my understanding of NK cells and their therapeutic potential, and I am excited to work with the lab team to drive this project forward.

Name: Gwendolyn Shin

Supervisor(s)/Institution: Dr. Tabori, SickKids

Project Title: The Clinical Impact of Tumour Immune Microenvironment Profiling of Replication Repair Deficient Cancers

Profile: I have just completed my first year as an honours Biology and Computer Science student at Western University. I am super excited to work in Dr. Uri Tabori’s lab this summer!

DNA replication repair deficiency (RRD) is a pan-cancer mechanism that is characterized by hypermutation and results in chemo-radiation resistant cancers. Many hyper mutant RRD cancers in children and young adults respond to immune checkpoint inhibitors. However, these cancers exhibit heterogeneous responses highlighting the need for further understanding of the immune response. My role this summer will be to take a deeper dive into the immune microenvironment in replication repair deficient cancers to improve prediction of response to and choice of immunotherapy.

The BioCanRx studentship will provide me with hands-on experience in a dry and wet lab research environment. It will be an amazing opportunity and first step towards my future research career goals.

Name: Deanna Turchyn

Supervisor(s)/Institution: Dr. Lee, University of Ottawa

Project Title: Establishing Quality Assays for CAR-NK Cell Products

Profile: I completed my Bachelor’s in Biomedical Science at the University of Ottawa and will pursue my Master’s in Microbiology and Immunology in the fall. When I’m not working, you can find me in my kitchen baking or curled up with a good book. This summer, I will be working in Dr. Seung-Hwan Lee’s lab focusing on natural killer (NK) cells.

Our goal is to develop allogeneic Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR)-NK cell therapy as a safer, more scalable, accessible, and cost-effective cellular therapeutic option for cancer treatment. CARs are synthetic antigen receptors that are composed of an extracellular antigen-binding domain and an intracellular signalling domain. Despite promising preclinical data, developing robust and efficient processes for generating high quantities of CAR-NK cells under GMP conditions is critical for the successful translation of CAR-NK products, which involves multiple areas of development. I will aim to develop quality assays for CAR-NK cell products, enabling the evaluation and batch-to-batch comparison of their anti-tumour activity. This project will help establish scalable and efficient methods for producing CAR-NK cells, laying the foundation for clinical translation.

Critical assays for CAR-NK quality control include:
1. Identity assay: CAR-NK cells will be tested via PCR assay to confirm the expression of the expected CAR and quantify the proportion of CAR⁺ cells.
2. Purity assay: CAR-NK cells will be tested via flow cytometry to confirm the level of CAR expression.
3. Potency assay: This test will provide a method to compare the on-target and off-target killing activity of CAR-NK cells generated from different donor materials.

I am grateful to BioCanRX and Dr. Lee for this Summer Studentship, as it will provide me with the opportunity to further develop my research skills and help prepare me for my graduate studies in Dr. Lee’s lab.

Name: Megan Walsh

Supervisor(s)/Institution: Dr. Ardolino, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute

Project Title: Investigation of innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) in prostates to improve the effectiveness of checkpoint blockade therapy against prostate cancer

Profile: I recently completed my third year at the University of Ottawa in the Translational and Molecular Medicine program. Outside of school, I like to Irish dance, paint, and try to teach my dog new tricks. This summer I am excited to join the Ardolino lab at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute.

The Ardolino lab is interested in studying natural killer (NK) cells and their role in anti-cancer immunity. NK cells are powerful cancer killers, and we are trying to understand the mechanisms that regulate their anti-cancer functions to harness this for cancer immunotherapy.

Recent studies show that when PD-L1 is expressed on the surface of cells, it can signal intrinsically. The Ardolino lab has generated evidence that PD-L1 intrinsic signaling in tumor cells can be triggered with PD-L1 antibodies. In addition, they have identified that PD-L1 intrinsic signaling also happens in NK cells, and that this signaling promotes their anti-cancer response.

My project will further advance these research interests by screening several PD-L1 antibodies to test their ability to trigger PD-L1 intrinsic signaling in NK cells, and to identify whether this further improves NK cell control of cancer growth. This project will have important implications for new roles of PD-L1 antibodies for cancer patients, in addition to their current role as immune checkpoint inhibitors.

I plan to continue my summer project for my honours project and integrated MSc in Microbiology and Immunology. After completing my masters, I plan to pursue a PhD and a career in research. I am grateful for the opportunity the BioCanRx summer studentship provides to allow me to work on this exciting project and further develop my research skills.

Name: Searra Warnock (CCS-sponsored)

Supervisor(s)/Institution: Dr. Kuss, University of Manitoba

Project Title: Chemoresistance Detection by Electrochemistry

Profile: I am currently pursing an undergraduate degree in the Faculty of Science at the University of Winnipeg, with a growing interest in cancer research and treatment. Outside of academics, I maintain an active lifestyle through weight training and enjoy spending time outdoors with my dog or relaxing with my cats and close friends.

This summer, I am continuing my research in Dr. Sabine Kuss’s lab, focusing on the detection and analysis of biomarkers associated with cancer and chemoresistance. Using electrochemical techniques, I study cell metabolites—particularly reactive oxygen species (ROS) and glutathione—in ovarian cancer cell lines and healthy tissues. My goal is to track real-time molecular efflux and explore methods to induce ROS production through chemical stimulation. With the rise of chemoresistance, I am committed to investigating its underlying mechanisms and contributing to research that directly informs patient care.

Looking ahead, I intend to pursue further training in research, with a particular focus on radiation therapy and immunology. These fields play a critical role in advancing cancer treatment, and I am eager to deepen my understanding of their intersection through continued academic and clinical experience.