Innovative Projects Realized

Institutional sustainability benchmarking and sustainability development strategies

Development of copper precursors for atomic layer deposition

Targeting the glycerophospholipidome to promote stroke and Alzheimer Disease recovery

Optizing/maximizing HPV vaccine strategies to minimize HPV infections for Canadians

Adapting kinematic profiles to apraxia patients

Needle segmentation from 3D ultrasound images

Role of transthoracic impedance and current in synchronized electrical cardioversion

Developing a metrics program for London’s Million Tree Challenge

Development of an AERMOD user friendly interface using Visual Basic Application

: A database management for developing an environmental management system for a mining project

Personal visual analytics for personal finance and time management

Targeting the RSK axis to eliminate medulloblastoma

Brain cancer is the second most prevalent cancer in children. Current treatment options are chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, which either prolongs the child’s life for only two years or leaves them with negative side effects such as slowed development. Thus, there is a pressing need for new therapeutics.

One of the focuses of our lab is to repurpose targeted therapies. The intern narrowed down a list of drugs in clinical trials. One of the top leads, BI-D1870, inhibits p90 ribosomal S6 kinase (RSK). We have demonstrated in breast cancer that BI-D1870 significantly kills all cancer cells including the cells responsible for relapse. It is thought that there is a set of cells in the bulk of the tumour that is left over after treatment to reform a new tumour. We will apply this concept of RSK inhibition to medulloblastoma.

In the research project, the intern will begin by determining the functional role of RSK in medulloblastoma. Following this, we plan to target RSK with specific inhibitors. These drugs are currently in clinical trials and active at clinically achievable levels. The ultimate goal is to translate this research into clinic to manage and eliminate this disease.