This past summer, 16 undergraduate students from across Canada were chosen to take part in a BioCanRx-funded research internship in cancer immunotherapeutics. We are very proud of the knowledge and growth our summer students have gained and we wish them all the best in their future studies.
Curious to know what these students were working on? Three students told us more about their summer experiences in their own words: Alexandria McRorie, Sabrina Sikka and Samantha Jang.
To learn more about our Summer Studentships and our Indigenous Summer Studentship program, visit: https://biocanrx.com/2023-cohort-biocanrx-summer-students
Alexandria McRorie
1. Who are you? Where did you go to school? What’s your program? One fun fact about yourself!
Taanishi (Hello) everyone! My name is Alexandria McRorie, and I am a proud member of the Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3. I grew up in Calgary, Alberta and am now at the University of Calgary, where I am pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with a minor in International Indigenous Studies. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, skiing, crocheting, and beading!
2. Why did you want to do cancer research this summer?
My decision to pursue cancer research this summer is deeply rooted in personal experiences and a commitment to addressing healthcare disparities. Various members of my family have had their cancer diagnoses, and in turn, their cancer treatments delayed due to difficulties accessing healthcare, institutionalized racism, and limited education on the cancer continuum. As such, I wanted to contribute to cancer research that positively impacts the lives of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis (FNIM) communities. By actively participating in cancer research, I hope to play a role in creating a more equitable and accessible healthcare system that ensures better outcomes and support for individuals and families affected by cancer within these communities.
3. What did you work on this summer? What did you discover?
This past summer, I worked with the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer (CPAC) on the FNIM Strategy team. Through a literature review and analysis of selected initiatives, we looked to identify best practices for engaging FNIM stakeholders in advisory roles within the healthcare system. From our research, we identified key themes, such as: culturally safe environments, active participation of patients and family members in the research process, respecting traditional knowledge, and incorporating Indigenous traditional ceremonies and practices into cancer research protocols. These best practices aim to bridge existing gaps, ultimately improving healthcare outcomes and the overall well-being of FNIM patients facing cancer.
4. What was one memorable moment from this past summer during your studentship?
I am deeply grateful to have had the opportunity to explore a new realm of cancer research within the health policy field during my CPAC studentship. This experience has been a transformative learning journey marked by invaluable mentorship and significant personal and professional growth. One particularly memorable moment that stands out from this past summer was the opportunity to present my research findings to CPAC’s FNIM Advisors at the conclusion of my studentship.
5. How did this research experience impact your career development?
Participating in the BioCanRx summer studentship in collaboration with CPAC significantly impacted my career development. It clarified my passion for healthcare research and advocacy, particularly in supporting FNIM patients and their family members. This experience has subsequently inspired me to pursue further education through graduate school to acquire the skills needed to make a lasting impact on healthcare policy and patient engagement.
6. What is your hope for cancer treatment/care in the future?
I hope for a future where cancer treatment and care are accessible to all Canadians, regardless of their socioeconomic status, geographical location, and background. Additionally, I envision a healthcare system that prioritizes early detection, prevention, and patient-centered care. This means not only treating cancer but also taking proactive steps to prevent it, all while delivering tailored support to patients and their families throughout their cancer journey.
In this future, cancer care will emphasize research, personalized treatment, and holistic well-being. I aspire to see a Canada where cancer is preventable and manageable, and where everyone, regardless of where they live, can access the best possible care.
Sabrina Sikka
1. Who are you? Where did you go to school? What’s your program? One fun fact about yourself!
Hi everyone! My name is Sabrina, and I am first-year medical student at the McMaster University Niagara Regional Campus. I am from Ottawa and completed my undergrad in translational and molecular medicine at uOttawa. A fun fact about me is that I love running and am currently training for my first marathon! If I am not doing something related to medical school, you can be guaranteed to find me playing a sport.
2. Why did you want to do cancer research this summer?
My passion for cancer research stems from personal experiences with the disease. I’ve lost multiple family members to cancer and I had always hoped to contribute to expanding our understanding of cancer and cancer therapeutics. Throughout my undergrad studies I had the opportunity to develop a foundation in cellular biology and immunology and I was excited to combine this knowledge with my passion for cancer research.
3. What did you work on this summer? What did you discover?
This summer I worked in the Ardolino lab at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. Our lab studies natural killer (NK) cells. NK cells are an important component of the immune system as they play a major role in protecting the body from cancer. My project focused on a specific protein expressed on the surface of NK cells called PD-L1. Most of the research on PD-L1 has centered around its role as a ligand for the receptor, PD-1. The interaction between PD-L1 and PD-1 is a mechanism used by cancer cells to evade immune recognition and has become the basis for immune checkpoint blockade, a therapy that activates the immune system to kill cancer cells. PD-L1 is known to be expressed on cancer cells, but it is also expressed by NK cells. My work this summer focused on characterizing the role of PD-L1 on NK cells. We believe that PD-L1 is promoting NK cell anti-tumor activity by altering the metabolic pathways in the cell.
4. What was one memorable moment from this past summer during your studentship?
One of my most memorable moments from the past summer was having the opportunity to attend my first conference. I was fortunate to attend the Canadian Natural Killer Cell Consortium in May of this year. It was inspiring to learn about all the incredible work being done to understand NK cell biology and function. It was very cool to see the diversity of research projects even within a single field and most importantly, it was an amazing lab bonding experience.
5. How did this research experience impact your career development?
This research experience reaffirmed my passion for cancer research and solidified my desire to pursue a career in healthcare. The skills I learned from this experience such as critical appraisal, will transfer to many areas of my life including in my future role as a physician. This research opportunity provided me with insight into the impact of research and has inspired me to continue to ensure research makes up a significant portion of my career.
6. What is your hope for cancer treatment/care in the future?
My hope for cancer treatment in the future is the development of better drugs that focus on the quality of life for patients. My hope is that one day the word ‘cancer’ will no longer be a scary word that changes the life of a patient.
Samantha Jang
1. Who are you? Where did you go to school? What’s your program? One fun fact about yourself!
Hi everyone! My name is Sam, and I am currently in my final year of HBSc Biochemistry focused on Microbiology and Immunology at uOttawa. A fun fact about me is I love really cheesy jokes and puns.
2. Why did you want to do cancer research this summer?
The Biotherapeutics Manufacturing Center offered a unique research experience to work on improving how we make viral vectors for cancer therapeutics. This was an exciting opportunity to contribute to translational cancer research in a way that is often overlooked when trainees learn about bringing a new treatment to the clinic. I was also fascinated to find that viruses are not just useful as therapeutics themselves, but in the context of viral vectors, they are incredible tools for making new therapies.
3. What did you work on this summer? What did you discover?
This summer I worked on the development of a patient tumour-derived cell line that stably expresses the packaging genes for lentivirus. The overarching goal of the project was to reduce the cost and time invested in lentiviral vector manufacturing by eliminating licensing costs and the need to have all of these genes available as plasmids for every manufacturing run. I was able to establish 12 primary cell lines from patient tumours and test 5 for their ability to produce virus.
4. What was one memorable moment from this past summer during your studentship?
One memorable moment from the summer was connecting with colleagues and friends from different labs in the cancer research program. Being able to learn from their experience, to gain different perspectives and research approaches was an invaluable element of the studentship. It emphasized the importance of collaboration and imparted skills that I will carry forward with me to future academic and professional opportunities.
5. How did this research experience impact your career development?
This experience cemented my goal of pursuing graduate studies, specifically in the field of cancer immunotherapy. Exposure to the wide variety of projects currently being undertaken by both the BMC and the academic labs was key in revealing the array of professional opportunities that are available to students. Manufacturing research also highlighted the direct impact that our work has on patients, as our products move directly to pre-clinical trials.
6. What is your hope for cancer treatment/care in the future?
My hope is that in addition to one day finding a cure, the treatment options available will one day be as painless as a simple vaccine. I would like to see nonspecific treatment like chemo and radiation therapy eliminated from the treatment plan in favour of accessible, effective, targeted cell and gene therapies that minimize stress and pain on the patient and their loved ones. I would love to see the need for repeated treatment reduced or removed as our research develops to treat all types of cancer that continue to affect patients and their loved ones.
