Supervisor:
Co-supervisor:
Dr. Jeanette Boudreau
Program of Study:
MSc, Pathology
Project Title:
The development of an in-vitro model to observe the infiltration of natural killer cells into the ovarian cancer microenvironment
Research Summary:
Ovarian Cancer is the deadliest gynecological malignancy with a poor prognosis and a high frequency of relapse. As such new treatment approaches to circumvent these challenges are warranted. My MSc research will aim to develop an in-vivo model for high-throughput study of the ovarian cancer tumour microenvironment and will explore the impact of an NK cell-based therapy in eradicating the disease and improving outcomes.
Scholarships and/or Awards:
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- Cancer Research Training Program (CRTP) Traineeship Award 2021
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- Nova Scotia Graduate Scholarship, 2021
Career Aspirations:
Upon completion of my masters, my career goals are to either continue to pursue a PhD or attend medical school. I have a particular interest in oncology, so I hope to continue to pursue cancer research in either an academic or clinical setting in aims of improving patient outcomes for various malignancies via the development of novel treatment approaches.
Location:
Dalhousie University
Publications:
Morgan Pugh-Toole, Anna Nicolela, Sarah Nersesian, Brendan Leung, Jeanette Boudreau. Natural Killer Cells: The missing link in effective treatment for high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma. Current Treatment Options in Oncology, 2022 Feb 22.
Sarah Nersesian, Sarah L. Schwartz, Stephanie R. Grantham, Leah K. MacLean, Stacey N. Lee, Morgan Pugh-Toole, Jeanette E. Boudreau. NK cell infiltration is associated with improved overall survival in solid cancers: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Translational Oncology, Volume 14, Issue 1, 2021