The results of the 2022-23 internal competition for internal studentships are out! We would like to congratulate the 26 students who were awarded a total of 600,000$ to pursue their graduate research. We would also like to thank all the generous donors for making the studentships possible!
Below, we highlight some of the talented, hardworking trainees who earned an internal award. Each one of them studies a critical aspect of a different cancer type and they all are engaged in giving back to the community.
Ipshita Nandi
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Michael Bellucci
Michael Bellucci is a Master's student in the laboratory of Nahum Sonenberg and Canderel Graduate Studentship Award recipient. He strives to better understand the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer: "My research focuses on understanding the translational control of breast cancer, with a focus on the hard-to-treat Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. The goal of this research is to uncover promising therapeutic options for patients who currently face poor prognoses", he comments.
Throughout his undergraduate education, Michael has been committed to promoting accessibility to scientific research for all his peers: "I helped organize an annual fundraiser to support undergraduate researchers during my time as President of the 平特五不中 Biochemistry Undergraduate Society and I also serve as Academic Director of the Canadian Organization for Undergraduate Health Research where I facilitate journal clubs and scientific communication workshops for underrepresented students."
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Yilin Wang
Yilin Wang is a Ph.D. student in the laboratory of Jose Teodoro and recipient of the Rolande and Marcel Gosselin Graduate Studentship strives to better understand the relationship between inflammation and lipid breakdown in the context of colon cancer. "Patients with inflammatory bowel disease are at higher risk of developing colorectal cancer and die from it. G0S2, a protein inhibitor of lipid breakdown, is elevated in inflammatory bowel disease patients, especially in patients with no response to certain anti-inflammatory drugs", explains Yilin. Strikingly, her research could be applied clinically to treat two different inflammatory diseases affecting the colon: "Our research in clarifying its role suggests altered lipid metabolism may have implications in the pathogenesis and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. G0S2 could also be a novel drug target for colorectal cancer treatment".
Yilin is an alumna representative with Mitcas, a non-profit dedicated to guiding international students who wish to apply to Canadian undergraduate programs. As a Mictas helped Yilin in her own process, she was proud to share her experience: "I facilitated in 3 virtual receptions of over 300 international undergraduates. I shared my Mitacs experience as an intern in 2018 and as a coming-back-to-Canada Ph.D. student". Yilin's supervisor is also involved in facilitating the process of applying to 平特五不中 and to settle down in Canada: "Jose has been offering opportunities to international interns to study and do research in his lab for years through Mitacs Globalink program as well as answering questions about Canadian graduate school application process, Canadian visa application, Canada border custom services, social insurance number application, accommodations and transportations in different cities of Canada to help international undergraduates familiarize and settle down in Canada."
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Stephanie Han
Stephanie Han, a Ph.D. student in Vincent Gigu猫re's laboratory, investigates the mechanisms whereby prostate cancers evade currently available therapies: "Tumours can evade conventional androgen deprivation therapy, making prostate cancer the second deadliest cancer in men. My hope is to discover new therapeutics for prostate cancer to avoid the destined development of castration resistance", explains Stephanie.
She is also involved in the Goodman Cancer Student Society, where she is involved in raising funds for cancer research and organizing student seminars to promote scientific communication: "I wish to contribute everything I can as a student in the long journey to better treatments for cancer.听颅
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Congratulations to all awardees! The list of all 26 recipients and their respective awards can be found below.
Charlotte and Leo Karassik Foundation Oncology Postdoctoral Fellowship
Mahmood Niaz
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Canderel Fellowship Award
Damien Lagarde
Charlotte Girondel
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Canderel Graduate Studentship Award (Ph.D.)
Caitlyn Mourcos
Pushkarni Suresh
Rachel Kim
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Canderel Graduate Studentship Award (M.Sc.)
Romane Monnet
Michael Bellucci
Sarah-Slim Diwan
Shirley Li
Alyssa Cristea
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Rosalind Goodman Commemorative Scholarship
Ipshita Nandi
Charlotte and Leo Karassik Foundation Oncology Ph.D. Fellowship
Marine Lingrand
Chloe Liu
Stephanie Han
Hengameh听Kazemdarvish
Tianxu Fang
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Rolande and Marcel Gosselin Graduate Studentship
Yilin Wang
Sandrine Busque
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Elizabeth Lord Breast Cancer Studentship
Hailey Dall-Proud
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Donner Studentship Award
Promita Gosh
Samuel Dor茅听
Hannah Hosein
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Michael D鈥橝virro Studentship in Molecular Oncology Research
Jakub Bunk
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Cure Foundation Fellowship in Breast Cancer Research
Kailyn Wanhella
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Dr. Victor KS Lui Studentship
Bianca Colalillo
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