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Dr Ian Chin-Sang
One of the most pressing issues facing
cancer patients, doctors and researchers
today is how to stop the spread of cancer.
The spread, or metastasis, of cancer cells
from their original site to other parts of the
body is a major cause of cancer death
and yet it remains one of the leastunderstood pieces of the cancer puzzle.
Canadian Cancer Society researcher Dr
Ian Chin-Sang hopes that by studying a
simple animal, he can help solve this
complex problem in humans.
Dr Chin-Sang is researching how cells
move inside a tiny, microscopic worm to identify what genes and cellular
signals are involved when cancer cells invade neighbouring tissue and
distant organs.
Specifically, he is focusing on the communication between a group of
proteins that control normal cell movement and a gene that normally
keeps cells from turning cancerous.
Dr Chin-Sang suspects these proteins have found a way to “turn off” this
important gene, silencing its control over cell movement and allowing
cancer cells to spread unchecked.
Ultimately, he hopes his research will provide essential information for
better diagnosis, treatment and even prevention of cancer, such as
developing new therapies that target the activities of these proteins and
genes to stop cancer in its tracks.
And like many other scientists studying worms, flies or even yeast in
their cancer research, Dr Chin-Sang is used to people’s surprise that we
can learn so much about human cancers from these small organisms.
“Many of the genes involved in cell movements in worms and humans
are the same – in that way we’re all related,” says Dr Chin-Sang, who is
also a biology professor at Queen’s University in Kingston. “Therefore, if
we can understand how this gene functions in this worm, we have a
better chance of understanding how it functions in humans.”
Dr Chin-Sang has been funded by the Canadian Cancer Society since
2003 and he also volunteered as an expert reviewer for the Society’s
most recent grant application process, considered the gold-standard in
Canada.
Last modified on: 04 July 2006
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