At BioCanRx, we are incredibly proud of our HQP and their dedication to cancer immunotherapy research. Whether they are working on viruses in the lab or examining the socioeconomic barriers to adopting certain treatments in Canada, each one plays a unique role in strengthening our network and expertise in immunotherapy.
BioCanRx is invested in our HQP by providing them with both the training and skills they need to be leaders in academia and industry.
1. Tell us about yourself. Give us a brief background. Who are you? Where did you go to school and what is your association to BioCanRx?
I grew up in Bracebridge, ON, and after a year off between high school and university working and traveling in Europe, I went to the University of Guelph, where I obtained my undergraduate degree with Honours in Biochemistry and German Studies. The latter major was mostly a result of a year on exchange in Tübingen, Germany, where I focussed my studies on German language, literature, and culture. I then went on to pursue a Master of Arts in German Studies at Queen’s University, taking a year out of my program to work as a teaching assistant in an academic high school in the former East Germany. Missing the Natural Sciences, I then went on to pursue a PhD in Molecular Immunology at the Max Planck Institute for Immunobiology and the University of Freiburg, Germany. During this time, I also married and had two children.
I returned to Canada to join Dr. Armand Keating’s translational laboratory at the Princess Margaret Hospital as a postdoctoral fellow and later continued my research in Dr. Paula Foster’s lab at Robarts Research Institute. I then joined the laboratory of Dr. Lynne-Marie Postovit at Western University and was subsequently recruited to the University of Alberta to become a Research Associate in the Postovit lab. It was during this time that I first attended the BioCanRx Summit for Cancer Immunotherapy and was particularly honored to participate in the inaugural Learning Institute at BioCanRx’s Summit for Cancer Immunotherapy in 2017 and then again in 2018.
2. Where do you work now, and what is your position?
In January 2021, I became an independent scientific consultant and then was hired on full time in July 2021 at IN8bio – an American biotech company developing γδ T cell immunotherapies for cancer – as Senior Scientist/γδ T Cell Specialist. That position involved traveling regularly to the US to work in their laboratory in Birmingham, AL. In August 2022, I began a new role in biotech closer to home as Head of Research & Development for Helix BioPharma, a Canadian clinical-stage company developing antibody-drug conjugates targeting the acidic tumor microenvironment.
3. What does a typical workday look like for you?
Every day is different, of course, but most days involve several online meetings with other Helix team members, external collaborators, and/or vendors who may have technologies of interest to us, which I often conduct from my home office. I then drive down to the lab to interact with members of my team there. As I am new to the role, I am currently getting up to speed on the technology as well as the data generated in prior preclinical experiments conducted by academic collaborators, contract research organizations and in our own lab at Helix. I contribute to experimental design pertaining to ongoing projects and cast a critical eye on the data, then communicate results to my colleagues, including our clinical team that is shaping future clinical trials. I also act as a liaison between my team in the lab and upper management. I am thinking and learning all day long.
4. How has your experience with BioCanRx contributed to your career development?
BioCanRx played a pivotal role in my career development, in particular through the Learning Institute. Working closely with patients and patient advocates, and hearing their stories, left an indelible impression on me. Although I very much enjoyed the research I carried out while in academia, I have since realized that I can ultimately contribute more to development of patient therapies in industry. It has been incredibly exciting to work with IN8bio, and now Helix BioPharma, on therapies that are directly helping patients.
5. What advice do you have for career development that you would pass on to other BioCanRx trainees?
Be open-minded. While in academia, I thought it was the only place for me, but I was pleasantly surprised to gain entry into the world of biotech and realize how much I enjoy contributing my knowledge and hands-on experience to projects being undertaken at IN8bio and now at Helix. While there has been a steep learning curve in the transition from academia to industry, and I am deeply grateful for the support of my colleagues along the way, it has been invigorating and has expanded my skills and horizons immeasurably.
