Research
Open Source Genotyper Software: computational cancer biology in the digital age
Roth A, et al. Clonal genotype and population structure inference from single-cell tumor sequencing. Nature Methods. 2016 May 16. doi: 10.1038/nmeth.3867. [Epub ahead of print] Our Nature Methods paper details a new statistical approach for analysing single cell genomics data. The manuscript describes a novel statistical model coupled with a mean field variational inference method […]
Scientists map the spread of deadliest ovarian cancer
McPherson A, Roth A, Laks E, Masud T, Bashashati A, Zhang AW, Ha G, Biele J, Yap D, Wan A, Prentice L, Khattra J, Mullaly SC, Kalloger S, Karnezis A, Shumansky K, Siu C, Rosner J, Chan HL, Ho J, Melnyk N, Senz J, Yang W, Moore R, Mungall A, Marra MA, Bouchard-Cote A, Gilks […]

Dr. Francois Benard and TRIUMF team win NSERC Brockhouse Prize
NSERC Brockhouse Prize For CycloMed99 17 February 2015 For their outstanding teamwork in realizing a solution for safe and reliable isotope production for hospitals in Canada, interdisciplinary research team CycloMed99 will be receiving a prestigious national award at a ceremony in Ottawa today. The Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, will present the NSERC Brockhouse Canada […]

Vancouver cancer researchers now key players on ‘dream team’
From the Vancouver Province By Mike Raptis The Province April 7, 2013 A group of Vancouver researchers will be playing a central role in a newly-formed international “pediatric cancer dream team.” The announcement came Sunday during the 2013 annual meeting of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation at the American Association for Cancer Research in Washington, D.C. The […]

Molecular Oncology researchers at AAAS and in the news
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) 2012 Annual Meeting wrapped up at the Vancouver Convention Centre on Monday. This scientific conference – the biggest of its kind – was a great opportunity for local researchers to shine, and two of our department’s Principal Investigators were among the Vancouver-based scientists invited to speak […]

Department of Molecular Oncology researchers identify a genetic link between several rare cancers
Dr. David Huntsman and colleagues, including Drs. Aparicio, Sorensen and Shah, have identified mutations in a gene called DICER in rare, seemingly unrelated ovarian, uterine, and testicular cancers. When the group began sequencing the genomes of these and other rare tumours, they expected to find different gene mutations in each form of the disease. However, […]
Research Roundup: Highlights of the year so far
It’s June? How did that happen?! The first half of 2011 has been a busy and exciting time for the Department of Breast and Molecular Oncology; our scientists have published papers, been awarded grants, and travelled all over the world to speak about their work at conferences. As the summer solstice approaches, it seems like […]
New paper: tumor model systems aid in identifying a critical pathway in ETV6-NTRK3 oncogene driven breast cancers
Dr. Cristina Tognon, a Research Scientist in Dr. Sorensen’s laboratory, recently published a new paper in the journal Cancer Research on the role of the insulin receptor and related proteins in secretory breast cancer. “ETV6-NTRK3-Mediated Breast Epithelial Cell Transformation is Blocked by Targeting the IGF1R Signaling Pathway” – Tognon CE, Somasiri AM, Evdokimova VE, Trigo […]
BC Cancer Agency and Pfizer Oncology scientists identify the P-cadherin protein as a prognostic biomarker in breast cancer
Scientists from the BC Cancer Agency and Pfizer Oncology have published the first results of their three-year research collaboration. The paper, published in the journal Modern Pathology, analyzed the expression of the P-cadherin protein in breast cancer. P-cadherin is involved in controlling the development and function of the normal mammary gland, but may also play […]
Department of Molecular Oncology scientist to tackle medical isotopes problem
The world is facing a shortage of the key medical isotope Technetium-99m (Tc-99m). More than 80% of the estimated 1.5 million nuclear medicine procedures performed annually in Canada use radiopharmaceuticals based on this isotope, which is currently produced using nuclear reactors. Together with TRIUMF and other partners, the BC Cancer Agency (BCCA) has received a […]

Major breast cancer research breakthrough from the Department of Molecular Oncology and the Genome Sciences Centre
Dr. Sam Aparicio of the Department of Molecular Oncology, in partnership with Dr. Marco Marra of the Genome Sciences Centre, has published the first complete genome sequence of a breast cancer. The article is featured on the front cover of this weeks issue of Nature, one of the world’s most prestigious science journals. The study […]