Appointments:
Assistant Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology; Radiation Oncologist, Department of Radiation Oncology
Affiliations:
Dalhousie University; Nova Scotia Health
Research Interests:
Radiotherapy, Immuno-Oncology, Nanoparticle, Abscopal Effect
Tumour Immune Penetration and Response to Radiotherapy.
Radiotherapy (RT) is an effective treatment modality for local tumour control. In combination with immunotherapy, RT can unmask tumour antigen to the immune system, making tumours targetable by the immune system. The tumour fighting effect of radiotherapy in an area that did not receive any radiation is termed the “abscopal effect.” We propose to study the factors that can trigger this effect by examining the immune cell population in and around tumours and how it can contribute to radiotherapy effectiveness.
What brought you to your current institution? I completed my medical studies and residency training in Halifax. I moved to Halifax when my PhD supervisor moved here from Toronto.
Hometown: Seoul, South Korea/Toronto, ON
Why are you interested in your area of research? A close friend’s mother passed away from cancer when I was in high school. I observed the effect her treatment had on my friend’s family and it reinforced the importance of finding effective treatments for this disease. As my training progressed, I came to discover Radiation Oncology as a field that aligned my interests in technology to my research interest.
Twitter Account: Follow me on Twitter @MichaelNHaMDPhD
Involvement with BHCRI to date:
I became an associate member in December 2021. As a medical student, I previously received the Norah Stephen Oncology Scholar Award and the BHCRI travel award. As a co-applicant during my residency training, I held a seed grant from the BHCRI.