BHCRI Cancer Research Conference – The Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute

BHCRI Cancer Research Conference

This event will have trainees presenting their cancer research and symposia by leading cancer experts. The tandem conferences are open to all researchers, students and medical practitioners undertaking cancer research in Atlantic Canada.

This year, the BHCRI conference will be held adjacent to the Nova Scotia Oncology Research Day to offer attendees a combined and comprehensive event. Trainee presentations will be on Wednesday, November 6, as part of the Nova Scotia Oncology Research Day.

Registration is now closed for November 5.

Click here to register for the NS Oncology Research Day.

The 2024 Cancer Research Conference "Connections and Collaborations: Innovations in Cancer Care" will be held in person in Halifax on 5-6 November.

Tuesday, November 5 - BHCRI's Biennial Cancer Research Conference (McInnes Room, Dalhousie Student Union Building) will consist of five mini-symposia, led by BHCRI members.



8:30 – 9:00	Registration / Light Breakfast
9:00 – 9:10	Welcome
9:10 – 9:40	Jen Johnston Award for Excellence in Cancer Research – Dr. Stefan Heinze "Exercise Oncology: Results from Nova Scotia and the path towards implementation" The Jen Johnston Award is presented annually to a trainee in the Cancer Research Training Program who has demonstrated excellence in research
9:40 – 10:45	Symposia 1 – Exercise Across the Cancer Continuum This symposium will highlight ongoing exercise oncology research and how the data from these trials is being used to inform policy development in cancer care. Presenters will discuss ongoing exercise-based clinical trials in various cancer populations, the importance of clinical champions and how they relate to trial success, and how evidence from the trials is being used to inform policy. A patient advocate will talk about how exercise has helped them in their cancer journey. Dr. Scott Grandy, School of Health and Human Performance, Dalhousie Dr. Melanie Keats, School of Health and Human Performance, Dalhousie Judith Purcell, Cancer Prevention and Health Promotion Manager, Nova Scotia Health Cancer Care Program Patient Partner - to be announced
10:45 – 11:00	Break
11:00 – 12:05	Symposia 2 – Multi-faceted analysis of colorectal cancer in Atlantic Canada The Atlantic Cancer Consortium (ACC) was first established as part of a pilot program sponsored by the Terry Fox Research Institute. The overall goal of the ACC is to bring precision oncology to the Atlantic region in a comprehensive and meaningful manner. The ACC is now a member of the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network, where we are planning to contribute over 1000 cases to the 15,000 cases collected nationwide. However, the first two years of the ACC were focused on establishing the infrastructure to support precision oncology including the formation of a consortium of biobanks across the region, increasing our bioinformatics capacity, and supporting training of the next generation of scientists. Forming meaningful connections across the Atlantic region was critical for the success of the ACC in obtaining membership in the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network. In this symposium, we will highlight the work, from multiple pillars, on CRC initiated during the ACC pilot phase. In a highly collaborative manner, we have undertaken analysis of access to care for CRC in the Atlantic region. We have also performed a multi-omics analysis of CRC, which includes analysis of the genome, transcriptome, and microbiome. We have studied the immuno-landscape of the tumour using multi-parameter immunofluorescence. Lastly, we have explored the use of liquid biopsies for the detection and monitoring of CRC with a focus on extracellular vesicles. Here, we will describe these individual projects and highlight how the projects intersect to provide information not available through one approach. We will also highlight the effort and lessons learned in establishing this highly collaborative regional group and provide the perspective of our patient partner. Dr. Sherri Christian, Biochemistry, Memorial University - "Overview of the Marathon of Hope Atlantic Cancer Consortium" Dr. Kensuke Hirasawa, patient partner Dr. Robin Urquhart, Community Health & Epidemiology, Dalhousie University - "Access to CRC care" Dr. Akinola Alafiatayo, Memorial University - "Multi-omic analysis of CRC" Jorge Pinzon-Mejia, Microbiology & Immunology, Dalhousie University - "The immune landscape of CRC" Dr. Stephen Lewis, Atlantic Cancer Research Institute - "Liquid biopsy for the detection of CRC"
12:05 – 1:30	Lunch
1:30 – 2:35	Symposia 3 – Biomarkers and Cancer Adult glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common high grade primary brain tumour and is invariably fatal. Despite surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, recurrence is inevitable, resulting in a two-year overall survival rate of 25%. Following treatment, progression is monitored via Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). In a subset of patients, treatment/immune-induced changes can result in an apparent increase in residual tumour size on MRI in the absence of true tumour growth. This phenomenon, called pseudoprogression, results in delays in treatment decisions until subsequent imaging is obtained. Progress employing advanced imaging modalities have proven successful, however none can definitively diagnose pseudoprogression. Therefore, real-time, minimally invasive monitoring methods, such as Liquid Biopsy are urgently needed. Liquid biopsy is the sampling and analysis of biofluids, mainly plasma, from patients and includes multiple modalities such as analysis of circulating nucleic acids, circulating tumor cells and extracellular vesicles (EVs). EVs are membrane bound nanoparticles derived from all cells, including cancer cells. They contain molecular cargo (DNA, small RNA and Protein) derived from their parent cell and are known to act as mediators of cell-to-cell communication. By capturing plasma EVs from GBM patients and performing small RNA sequencing we have identified several small RNA that can diagnosis GBM and are indicative of tumor progression. Interestingly, we have also discovered a previously undescribed set of EV-transfer RNA fragments (EV-tRFs), which may have influence the tumor microenvironment. Lastly, there is limited data on how the immune system differs between pseudoprogression vs. true progression. Previous studies have conducted immune profiling in PBMCs at diagnosis, but few have analyzed longitudinal immune profiles using a comprehensive array of markers. We hypothesize that monitoring immune profile changes during treatment can differentiate pseudoprogression from true progression. We further hypothesize that integration of EV-sRNA signatures, immune profiles, and tissue Whole Genome and Transcriptome Sequencing (WGTS) will reveal distinct molecular and immunological signatures that can differentiate between patient outcomes. Dr. Jeremy Roy, Atlantic Cancer Research Institute, Moncton Dr. Matthias Schmidt, Diagnostic Radiology, NS Health/Dalhousie Dr. Adrienne Weeks, Dept of Surgery, Dalhousie and NS Health Dr. Lauren Westhaver, Dept of Surgery, Dalhousie Dr. Kathleen Attwood, Dept of Surgery, Dalhousie
2:35 – 3:40	Symposia 4 – Equity across the cancer continuum: Ensuring the best care and outcomes for all Cancer affects all segments of our population, yet we know that certain groups bear a disproportionate cancer burden compared to other groups due to their social, economic, and demographic circumstances. For example, we know that both sex (e.g., a person’s biology) and gender (e.g., a person’s gender role and identity) influence cancer incidence, treatment response, and prognosis. We know that where a person lives, their education level and their income are all associated with poorer access to care across the cancer control continuum and poorer outcomes. Related to race and culture, we know (from United States data) that Black women face much longer diagnostic delay for their cancer diagnosis than White women, and that racial disparities exist in terms of receipt of anti-cancer therapies and needed supports. We know that the psychosocial challenges faced by cancer survivors are exacerbated in populations with lower access to needed services and support because of their place of residence or income. In Atlantic Canada, we have amongst the highest age-standardized incidence rates of most cancers, and the highest age-standardized mortality rates, in Canada. There are many reasons for this, including an older population compared to the national average, genetics, and high rates of lifestyle (e.g., poor diet, physical inactivity) and environmental (e.g., radon and arsenic) risk factors. We also have unique circumstances that exacerbate the potential for inequities. For example, 40-54% of Atlantic Canadians live rurally, which is more than twice the national average. 13.5-16.5% of Atlantic Canadians are low-income (compared to the national average of 11.9%), with New Brunswick and Nova Scotia having the highest percentage of low-income persons in the country at 16.5%. A recent report highlights that nearly half (48%) of Atlantic Canadians are less than $200 away from insolvency. The percentage of recent immigrants settling in Atlantic Canada has almost tripled in the past 15 years, with between one-third and one-half of all immigrants who live in our major cities (Moncton, Fredericton, Saint John, Halifax, and St. John’s) having arrived between 2016 and 2021. Finally, 31% of Atlantic Canadians do not have a regular primary care provider, the highest percentage in the country. In short, all of these circumstances, and others, put many people who live in Atlantic Canada at higher risk of not accessing the services and supports needed to prevent cancer, detect cancer early, and manage their disease once diagnosed. Dr. Robin Urquhart, Community Health & Epidemiology, Dalhousie University and Dr. Arlinda Ruco, Interdisciplinary Health, StFX University - "Inequities in access to cancer care across the continuum" Dr. David Busolo, Nursing, University of New Brunswick - "Cancer screening in newcomer populations" Dr. Mohammad Hajizadeh, School of Health Administration, Dalhousie University - "Socioeconomic inequalities in cancer incidence and mortality"
3:40 – 4:00	Break
4:00 – 5:05	Symposia 5 – Microbiome and Cancer This research symposium will highlight some of the local research being conducted on the human microbiome and cancer. Recent studies reveal that the microbiome, which encompasses the diverse population of microorganisms inhabiting our bodies, plays a crucial role in modulating immune responses, influencing inflammation, and impacting cancer progression. Presentations will include both pediatric and adult cohorts with a particular interest in leukemia and lung cancer using complex cell cultures, mouse animal models, and human clinical samples with cutting-edge genomics and bioinformatics. Opportunities and challenges of these interdisciplinary approaches will be discussed to help elucidate the potential of the human microbiome to revolutionize treatment strategies and improve patient outcomes. Dr. Morgan Langille, Dept of Pharmacology, Dalhousie Dr. Ketan Kulkarni, Dept of Pediatrics, IWK Health Centre and Dalhousie Dr. Brendan Leung, Applied Oral Sciences, Dalhousie
5:30 – 7:00	Reception/Networking

Speaker Bios:

Dr. Akinola Alafiatayo, Memorial University

Dr. Akinola A. Alafiatayo earned his PhD in Genetic Engineering and Molecular Biology from the University Putra Malaysia (UPM) and was a postdoctoral fellow in molecular biology at Memorial University from 2020 to 2023. During this period, Dr. Alafiatayo transitioned to the field of bioinformatics. He currently serves as a Research Scientist with the Bioinformatics Core Unit of the Marathon of Hope – Atlantic Cancer Consortium (MOH-ACC), where he is responsible for establishing bioinformatics pipelines to analyze Whole Genome Sequencing data for the consortium. Dr. Alafiatayo also contributed significantly to the pilot phase of the MOH-ACC projects, focusing on the multi-omics integration of genomic, transcriptomic, and microbiome data to investigate the interplay between familial and sporadic colorectal cancer. Additionally, he developed the wet lab protocol for extracting high-quality DNA and RNA from colorectal cancer tissues for the MOH-ACC projects. Dr. Alafiatayo is an alumnus of BHCRI’s Cancer Research Training Program.

Dr. Kathleen Attwood, Dalhousie University

Dr. Kathleen Attwood (she/her) is a research associate in the Department of Surgery at Dalhousie University in the laboratory of Dr. Adrienne Weeks and Dr. Jeremy Roy. Dr. Attwood completed her PhD in Biochemistry at Dalhousie University under the supervision of Dr. Graham Dellaire. Her research is focused on altering stress pathway dynamics as a therapeutic strategy for glioblastoma in addition to identifying and characterizing small RNA biomarkers isolated from glioblastoma patient plasma.

Dr. David Busolo, Nursing, University of New Brunswick

Dr. David Busolo (He/Him) is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Nursing, University of New Brunswick, Moncton site, and an Associate member of the Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute (BHCRI). He completed a PhD in Cancer Control at the University of Manitoba and a Master of Public Health at Loma Linda University, California. His background is in nursing, public health, and cancer control. Dr. Busolo teaches community and population health and research methods. Dr. Busolo’s areas of research interest are chronicity (cancer), health promotion, immigrant and refugee health and well-being. In his research work with communities, Dr. Busolo uses a variety of qualitative methodologies to understand the many ways of preventing chronic illnesses (cancer) and promoting health and well-being.

Dr. Sherri Cristian, Department of Biochemistry, Memorial University

Dr. Sherri Christian’s lab tackles multiple research areas with a strong focus on extracellular vesicles produced by normal and cancerous B lymphocytes and interactions between fat cells and breast cancer cells. She is a Professor in the Department of Biochemistry at Memorial University of Newfoundland and cross-appointed to the Faculty of Medicine. She is also a co-lead for the Atlantic Cancer Consortium under the umbrella of the Terry Fox Research Institute (TFRI) Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network and the TFRI Atlantic representative. She has been involved with BHCRI since she was supported by a post-doctoral CRTP award in 2009.

Dr. Scott Grandy, Dalhousie University

Dr. Scott Grandy is an Associate Professor in the School of Health and Human Performance and Department of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University, as well as an Affiliate Scientist in the Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Nova Scotia Health. He also is a Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute Senior Scientist and Chair of BHCRI's Training Committee. His research focuses on using physical activity/exercise to prevent and treat chronic diseases, specifically cancer.

Dr. Mohammad Hajizadeh, Dalhousie University

Dr. Mohammad Hajizadeh is a Canada Research Chair in Health Economics and Professor at the School of Health Administration, Faculty of Health, Dalhousie University. He received his PhD in Economics from the University of Queensland and has held postdoctoral positions at Western and McGill Universities. Dr. Hajizadeh leads the Health Equity and Policy (HEAP) Lab at Dalhousie, focusing on producing research that informs policy to improve equity in health and healthcare.

Dr. Kensuke Hirasawa, Person with Lived Experience

I was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan. I completed my PhD at the University of Tokyo in 1996 and then moved to Calgary for postdoctoral training. I came to St. John’s, Newfoundland in 2003 when I took the faculty position as an assistant professor in the Division of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN). Since then, I have been working in the same division and am currently a full professor. I was first involved in cancer research in Calgary where I worked on oncolytic reoviruses that replicate in cancer cells but not in normal cells. As a principal investigator at MUN, I have conducted different cancer research such as the identification of cellular mechanisms of viral oncolysis, restoration of tumor suppressor functions in cancer cells and photodynamic diagnosis (PDD) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) of cancer. These projects have been supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR, 2005- operating/project grant) and the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS, 2014- innovation grant, 2018- innovation to impact grant).

In 2018, I was diagnosed with colon cancer stage IIIc and subsequently with stage IV. I underwent 3 surgeries, two courses of chemotherapy (total 16 cycles, 32 weeks) and 5 weeks of radiotherapy. I have been NED (no evidence of disease) since the last surgery in September 2020, and started working full-time since September 2021. As a basic cancer researcher, it was a meaningful journey to experience cancer treatments from the other side. To feedback on my cancer experiences as people with lived experience (PWLE) to the research society, I have been involved in the CCS to design and review grants/fellowships as a cancer survivor. I have also been invited to talk about my cancer journey by the Institute of Cancer Research, CIHR and pharmaceutical companies.

Dr. Melanie Keats, Dalhousie University

Dr. Melanie Keats, PhD is a Professor in the School of Health and Human Performance, Division of Kinesiology at Dalhousie University. She is also a Senior Scientist with Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, an Affiliate Scientist with Nova Scotia Health (Division of Medical Oncology), and is the Co-Director of the Physical Activity and Cancer (PAC) Lab. Dr. Keats' research takes an interdisciplinary approach to better understanding the role of exercise in improving the lives of those living with and beyond cancer. This includes working with colleagues, experts, and trainees in the fields of exercise oncology, behavioural medicine, exercise science, oncology, chronic disease management, knowledge translation, clinical trials, and implementation science. Her research works and efforts are largely dedicated to bringing exercise into standard cancer care.

Dr. Ketan Kulkarni

Dr. Morgan Langille, Dalhousie University

Dr. Morgan Langille is a Canada Research Chair in Human Microbiomics who has published 87 peer-reviewed publications that have been cited over 38,000 times with a H-index of 46. His research program focuses on understanding the human microbiome and its role in human health using a variety of sequencing and bioinformatic approaches. His research ranges from creating novel bioinformatic methods, analyzing the best practices of using these methods, and the application of these methods in several human diseases and model organisms. Dr. Langille also founded and is the Director of the Integrated Microbiome Resource (IMR), which provides sequencing and bioinformatics for microbiome projects, processing over 300,000 samples from 670 clients in 40 countries. Dr. Langille’s recent research has focused on investigating the human microbiome from various body sites including the mouth, blood, and tumour using large adult biobank databases. These aim to provide a holistic view of the entire human microbiome to better understand their role in cancer early diagnosis and predicting treatment outcome while tackling the challenges of microbiome bioinformatic analyses.

Dr. Brendan Leung, Dalhousie University

Brendan Leung is a biomedical engineer who received his undergraduate biochemistry and chemical engineering training from the University of Ottawa. He began his research career as an undergraduate trainee, investigating the roles of XIAP in ovarian cancer chemoresistance in Dr. Benjamin Tsang’s lab. He earned his Master’s and Doctorate in biomedical engineering from the University of Toronto, supervised by Dr. Michael Sefton and focused on cardiac tissue engineering. Later, Dr. Leung joined Dr. Shuichi Takayama’s group at the University of Michigan to investigate polymeric liquid scaffolds for host-microbe co-culture systems. In 2016, Dr. Leung started his research group at Dalhousie University, and in 2022, he was promoted to associate professor with tenure and received the Dalhousie President’s Research Excellence Award. His current research program focuses on developing in vitro models to understand the role of human-associated microbes in chronic diseases, including cancer, metabolic diseases, and wound healing. His multidisciplinary research group at Dalhousie focuses on combining multiple tissue components, including epithelium, mesenchyme, immune cells, and microbial colonies in minimalistic fashions to recapitulate tissue-level phenomenon, while maintaining the ability to gather meaningful measurements. The group is also invested in the creation and/or adaptation of cutting-edge methods to perturb these engineered tissue models to facilitate biomedical research.

Dr. Stephen Lewis, Atlantic Cancer Research Institute

Dr. Stephen M. Lewis received a B.Sc. (Hons.) degree from Dalhousie University in 1998, completing his honours research project on the fusogenic protein of avian reovirus with Dr. Roy Duncan. In 1998, Dr. Lewis began his Ph.D. studies in the laboratory of Dr. Gerald C. Johnston at Dalhousie, where he studied the molecular mechanisms of vesicle trafficking in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. From 2004 until 2007, he investigated the molecular biology of translational control at the Apoptosis Research Centre, located at the University of Ottawa, with Dr. Martin Holcik. Dr. Lewis joined the Atlantic Cancer Research Institute (ACRI) in Moncton, New Brunswick, in 2008 as a Research Scientist. Dr. Lewis is currently the Scientific Director at ACRI, where he works with a team of scientists whose research is focused on extracellular vesicles and their use in liquid biopsy for cancer detection and treatment monitoring. Dr. Lewis’s research program is currently investigating how deregulated protein synthesis contributes to the development and progression of cancer, with a particular focus on metastatic breast cancer. In addition to his research, Dr. Lewis contributes to the scientific community by serving on the Board of Directors of ResearchNB, where he is Chair of the Research Advisory Committee. He is past Chair of the Management Advisory Council of the Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute.

Jorge Pinzon-Mejia, Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University

Jorge Pinzon-Mejia is a PhD student with Dr. Jeanette Boudreau in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Dalhousie University. He completed his undergraduate studies in genomic biotechnology in Mexico and then worked as a molecular biologist before coming to Canada to pursue a graduate degree. Jorge's research focuses on profiling the spatial contexture of colorectal cancer.

Judy Purcell, Nova Scotia Health Cancer Care Program
Judy Purcell is the Manager of Cancer Prevention and Health Promotion with the Nova Scotia Health Cancer Care Program where she has worked for 22 years. While much of her work focuses on cancer prevention from a public and population health approach, in 2013 Judy was given the green light to begin work looking into physical activity in relation to clinical care. She met with Dr. Melanie Keats and shortly thereafter they struck a Physical Activity and Cancer Working Group. Eleven years later, Judy continues to work towards embedded exercise as a standard of cancer patient care.

Dr. Jeremy Roy, Atlantic Cancer Research Institute

Dr. Jeremy Roy is a Scientist at the Atlantic Cancer Research Institute (ACRI), located at the New Brunswick Centre for Precision Medicine in Moncton, New Brunswick. He has been in his position at ACRI since April 2020. After graduating from Dalhousie University, with a BSc. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (2003) and a PhD in Physiology and Biophysics (2010) under the supervision of Dr. Paul Linsdell, he conducted Post-Doctoral training at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School (2014). His expertise is in cell-to-cell communication, mainly focusing on extracellular vesicles and their cargo (DNA, RNA, and Proteins), within the microenvironment of neurological diseases such as brain cancer. By using extracellular vesicles as a modality for liquid biopsy, his focus is to enable non-invasive testing for improved patient care.

Dr. Arlinda Ruco, St Francis Xavier University

Dr. Arlinda Ruco is an Assistant Professor in the Interdisciplinary Health Program at St. Francis Xavier University and an Affiliate Scientist with Women’s College Hospital and Nova Scotia Health. She is primarily interested in cancer screening and prevention including the development, implementation and evaluation of interventions for increasing uptake of cancer screening. Dr. Ruco is especially interested in exploring how to increase cancer screening participation among under-screened groups. She is currently leading a study looking at addressing colon cancer disparities in the province. Lastly, Dr. Ruco also has a keen interest in building capacity for research and leadership including evaluation of leadership development programs.

Dr. Matthias Schmidt, NS Health/Dalhousie University

Dr. Matthias Schmidt is a Professor in the Department of Diagnostic Radiology at Dalhousie University. He completed his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Pharmacology and his doctorate in Medicine at the University of Toronto, followed by a residency in Diagnostic Radiology at Western University. After a year of fellowship at The Hospital for Sick Children, he joined the staff at the IWK Health Centre as a pediatric radiologist from 2000 to 2007. Guided by an enduring passion for neuroscience, Dr. Schmidt re-entered training as a resident in Neuroradiology at Dalhousie University from 2007 to 2009. This led to his current staff position as a diagnostic and interventional neuroradiologist at the QEII Health Sciences Centre. Dr. Schmidt’s research interests range from innovative imaging to neuroethics. He is especially excited to contribute to research that improves diagnosis and treatment for patients with brain cancer and epilepsy. He is also passionate about radiology education and global medical outreach through RAD-AID. When he is not practising, researching or teaching radiology, Dr. Schmidt enjoys cycling and sea kayaking along Nova Scotia’s beautiful South Shore.

Dr. Robin Urquhart, Dalhousie University

Dr. Robin Urquhart is an Associate Professor and the Canadian Cancer Society (Nova Scotia Division) Endowed Chair in Population Cancer Research in the Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, with cross-appointments in the Department of Surgery and Division of Medical Education, at Dalhousie University. She is a Senior Scientist with the Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute and an Affiliate Scientist at Nova Scotia Health. Dr. Urquhart is also the Nova Scotia Lead of the TFRI Marathon of Hope Atlantic Cancer Consortium and Scientific Director of the Atlantic Partnership for Tomorrow’s Health (Atlantic PATH). Dr. Urquhart is a health services researcher and implementation scientist. Spanning the entire cancer continuum, from primary prevention to survivorship and end-of-life care, her research examines issues related to access, quality, equity, and effectiveness in cancer care and control, and investigates ways to improve care delivery and resultant patient, family, population, and health system outcomes.

Dr. Adrienne Weeks, NS Health/Dalhousie University

Adrienne Weeks is a Neurosurgeon-scientist at Dalhousie/QEII Hospital. Dr Weeks obtained her MD from the University of British Columbia, her PhD, and FRCSC in Neurosurgery at the University of Toronto.   Her research work is primarily focused on gaining insights into Glioblastoma.  Dr. Weeks has been working collaboratively with Dr. Jeremy Roy, a scientist at the Atlantic Cancer Research Institute in Moncton since 2020, where they have established a longitudinal collection of glioblastoma plasma samples with corresponding matched tissue from the CNS Biobank (co-led with Dr Weeks and Dr Croul).  Dr Weeks and Dr. Roy have leveraged this plasma collection to investigate immune phenotypes and extracellular vesicle signatures that predict glioblastoma disease and recurrence.

Dr. Lauren Westhaver, Dalhousie University

Dr. Lauren Westhaver (she/her) is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Surgery at Dalhousie University, under the supervision of Dr. Adrienne Weeks and Dr. Jeremy Roy. She completed her PhD in the laboratory of Dr. Jeanette Boudreau at Dalhousie University (2024). Dr. Westhaver's research is primarily focused on differentiating patient outcomes in glioblastoma using immunological profiling.

BHCRI Biennial Conference Sponsors

Terry Fox Research Institute Atlantic Node Dalhousie University Office of the Vice President Research & Innovation

Wednesday, November 6 - NS Oncology Research Day (Nova Centre) 8:00 am - 4:30 pm. will feature trainee presentations and keynotes from Queen's University's Dr. Christopher Booth and Nova Scotia Heath's, Dr. James Robar.

7:00 am Breakfast Satellite Symposium: Practice-changing updates in bladder and lung cancer (sponsored by Pfizer)

8:30 am Welcome and opening remarks - Dr. Ravi Ramjeesingh

8:45 am Cancer Care Program - Dr. Helmut Hollenhorst, Director of Nova Scotia Cancer Care Program

9:05 am Research and Innovation Nova Scotia - Dr. Ashley Hilchie, Director of R&I Nova Scotia

9:20 am Trainee Oral Presentations

TIME	ABSTRACT TITLE	PRESENTER	ABSTRACT NUMBER
9:20	"Exploring the complexity of mental health outcomes: a realist evaluation of qualitative interviews with prostate cancer patients in the phase 3 randomized clinical trial of the Prostate Cancer-Patient Empowerment Program (PC- PEP) mitigating chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment in a mouse model"	Lia Massoeurs	155
9:30	"Real-world evaluation of patients approved to receive CAR T-cell therapy for relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma: the Nova Scotia experience"	Jenna Shaw	166
9:40	"SONA gold nanorod-induced hyperthermia enhances immunogenic response and synergizes with IL-2 immunotherapy to reduce tumor size in preclinical models"	Erin Noftall	128
9:50	"THSD4: a novel mediator of tumour immune exclusion and pembrolizumab response in breast cancer"	Olivia Walker	137
10:00	"Dosimetric analysis of clinical radiotherapy plans calculated using HyperSight"	Peter R Martin	135
10:10	"Early outcomes following the implementation of the checkmate 816 protocol for non-small cell lung cancer: a single-center experience"	Joshua Collins	122

10:35 am BREAK

11:00 am Plenary Speaker - Dr. Christopher Booth, MD, FRCPC "Common Sense Oncology: Outcomes that Matter"

11:45 am Lunch and Poster Viewing

1:15 pm Trainee Oral Presentations

TIME	ABSTRACT TITLE	PRESENTER	ABSTRACT NUMBER
1:15	"The experience of biliary tract cancer patients in Nova Scotia"	Aimee Popovacki	162
1:25	"Population-based assessment of PD-L1 testing agreement in gastroesophageal junction and esophageal cancers: a retrospective study"	Rumana Rafiq	120
1:35	"Natural killer cell immunotherapy combined with fusogenic oncolytic viruses and PD-1 blockade enhances survival in a mouse model of spontaneous lung adenocarcinoma"	Jordan Lukacs	103
1:45	"Inter-clonal cooperation can increase the metastatic potential of tumours: therapeutic implications"	Caroline Carneiro	118
1:55	"Methionine-restricted diet: a promising strategy for mitigating chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment in a mouse model"	Deogratias Riwa	164
2:05	"Understanding the landscape of health literacy and navigation in healthcare system maze: a scoping review"	Anh Thu (Theresa) Vo	171