Dr. Kimberly Brewer, PhD

Appointments:

Research Scientist, Nova Scotia Health Authority

Staff Scientist, IWK Health Centre

Affiliations:

Nova Scotia Health Authority, IWK Health Centre, Biomedical Translational Imaging Centre (BIOTIC)

Research Interests:

Molecular imaging, cancer immunotherapy, MRI, drug development

Using Molecular Imaging for the Development of Novel Cancer Therapeutics

There are hundreds of novel cancer therapeutics currently under development in North America. However, only 8% of drugs will make it all the way through clinical trials. Dr. Brewer is interested in using molecular imaging techniques, particularly magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), computed tomography (CT) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT).

These imaging tools can be used to better understand novel therapeutics at the preclinical stage and to help develop novel biomarkers that will better represent the mechanisms induced by non-chemotherapeutic based cancer therapies, particularly immunotherapies.

Involvement with BHCRI to date:

Dr. Kimberly Brewer is a BHCRI Associate Member

Phone:

902-470-6823

Email:

kimberly.brewer@nshealth.ca

Contact:

1796 Summer Street, Suite 3900, Halifax, NS, B3H 3A7

Publications:

K.D. Brewer, K. Lake, N. Pelot, M.M. Stanford, D.R. DeBay, A. Penwell, G.M. Weir, M. Karkada, M. Mansour, C.V. Bowen. Clearance of depot vaccine SPIO-labeled antigen and substrate visualized using MRI. Vaccine. 2014 Nov 4;32(51):6956-6962.

D. Ye, A.J. Shuhendler, P. Pandit, K.D. Brewer, S.S. Tee, L. Cui, G. Tikhomirov, B. Rutt, J. Rao, “Caspase-responsive smart gadolinium-based contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging of drug-induced apoptosis.” Chemical Science 5: 3845-3852. (2014)

K.D. Brewer, J.A. Rioux, C.V. Bowen, S. Beyea. “Signal Displacement in Spiral-In Acquisitions: Simulations and Implications for Imaging in SFG Regions.” Magnetic Resonance Imaging 30: 753-763. (2012)

J.A. Rioux, K.D. Brewer, S.D. Beyea, C.V. Bowen. “Quantification of Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide with Large Dynamic Range using TurboSPI.” Journal of Magnetic Resonance 216:152-160. (2012)

K Brewer, R Ali, J Rioux, SS Tee, A Bazarov, S Felek, C Bell, B Rutt. “Relaxometry of Bacterially Derived Organelles:  A Novel Class of MRI Contrast Agent for Cell Labeling and Tracking” ISMRM 22nd Meeting and Scientific Exhibition, Milan, Italy (2014) – Oral Presentation #196

K Brewer, O Stanley, C Davis, I Dude, G Weir, M Karkada, M Mansour, C Bowen. “Tracking SPIO-Labeled Effector & Regulatory Cell Migration with MRI” Sixth World Molecular Imaging Congress, Savannah, US (2013) – P076.

K Brewer, D DeBay, K Lake, I Dude, G Weir, M Mansour, C Bowen. “Measuring lymph node swelling using MRI to act as a biomarker for tumour suppression” ISMRM 20th Meeting and Scientific Exhibition, Melbourne, Australia (2012) – Oral Presentation #170