On average, one in three people is diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. Almost everyone has felt its impact, whether personally or through family and friends. That shared reality gives cancer research a weight that is impossible to ignore. Over the years, I have seen how deeply the disease affects people, and those experiences quietly shape how I approach my work. Each experiment, each discussion with students or collaborators, is guided by an awareness of what is ultimately at stake.
From Basic Biology to Cancer Research
Early in my scientific career, my attention was drawn to the basic mechanics of cell growth and division. I was fascinated by the precision required to maintain tissue health and function. As my work progressed, a clear connection emerged between these fundamental processes and the development of cancer.
The same systems that allow the body to repair itself can, conversely, drive disease when regulation breaks down. That understanding redirected my research toward focusing on where and how that balance is lost.
Helping build the WE-SPARK Health Institute has been one of the most meaningful parts of this mission. What began as a local effort has grown into a collaborative health research network connecting universities, hospitals, clinicians, and community partners across the Windsor-Essex region. Watching ideas move from discussion to discovery and then toward patient impact has reinforced the power of working together.
The Line Between Repair and Disease
One of the successes from my lab is understanding the roles of a protein called Spy1, which is elevated in several different aggressive cancers, including breast, liver, prostate, and brain cancers such as glioblastoma, and has the potential to be a novel target for more personalized, directed therapy.
As a recent example of this work, we wanted to understand the role of Spy1 in healthy brain tissue, long before a tumour forms. To do this, we focused on adult neural stem cells, which support learning, memory, and brain repair. We found that when Spy1 levels were increased in these cells, they persisted longer and divided more often. At first glance, that might sound beneficial. The results told a different story. The excess activity disrupted normal brain cell balance, interfered with learning, and created conditions that favoured abnormal growth.
These are the kinds of early changes that, over time, can increase vulnerability to cancer. This work revealed just how narrow the line can be between normal repair and disease. Even small shifts in cellular control can have lasting consequences, especially in tissues as complex as the brain.
The Importance of Working Together
Breakthrough research doesn’t happen alone. I have seen firsthand how progress depends on collaboration. My involvement with national funding agencies, such as the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, has given me a stronger appreciation of how national research priorities are set and how that support shapes what is possible in both the lab and the clinic. Serving on the board of Research Canada has also emphasized the importance of strong advocacy to sustain cancer and health research across the country. Working with charitable organizations and patient-working groups has reinforced that the most meaningful research is that which is shaped by the very people it aims to serve, ensuring our scientific efforts translate into better lives for patients and their families.
These experiences continue to shape how I think about progress. Real momentum occurs when scientists, clinicians, policymakers, patients, and communities come together, share ideas, and move forward with a common goal.
Shaping the Future of Cancer Care
Progress toward better cancer treatments is driven by patience, persistence, and a willingness to learn from unexpected results. Some discoveries answer long-standing questions, while others open new ones. Both move the field forward.
Research lays the foundation, collaboration gives it strength, and together they shape the path toward better cancer care. When discovery, clinical insight, and shared objectives come together, they create an environment where ideas move more freely, questions deepen, and understanding continues to evolve.