Page 10 - Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre Annual Report 2023 to 2024

PRINCIPAL INVES
Dr. James T. Rutka
Director, The Arthur and Sonia Labatt BTRC,
Principal Investigator
Dr. Uri Tabori
Senior Scientist, Principal Investigator
Dr. Rutka’s laboratory focuses on paediatric
brain cancers, particularly Diffuse Intrinsic
Pontine Glioma (DIPG), a highly aggressive and
fatal brainstem tumour. By analyzing key genetic
changes and immune pathways, the team aims
to develop combination therapies that cross
the blood-brain barrier and stop tumour growth.
A central strategy involves MR-guided Focused
Ultrasound (MRgFUS), which temporarily opens
the blood-brain barrier to deliver drugs directly
to the tumour while sparing healthy tissue.
LABORATORY PERSONNEL
Catherine Lin, Graduate Student
Olga Sirbu, Graduate Student
Michael Taccone, Graduate Student
Chiara Zhang, Project Student
Naohide Fujita, Postdoctoral Fellow
Andrew Bondoc, Sr. Research Project Manager
Stacey Krumholtz, Medical Illustrator
Sergio Simoes, Research Associate
Christian Smith, Operations Manager
Beyond chemotherapy, the lab explores
MRgFUS’s potential to enhance immunotherapy.
They are adapting this delivery method to
support immune checkpoint inhibitors and
novel compounds identified through synergy
screens in patient-derived models. These
tools enable rapid evaluation of tailored drug
combinations based on each patient’s tumour
profile. Ultimately, Dr. Rutka’s team seeks to
improve outcomes for children with DIPG and
other lethal brain tumours by combining precise
molecular targeting with advanced ultrasound-
based delivery – working toward more effective,
durable, and less toxic treatment options.
Dr. Uri Tabori leads the Neuro-Oncology
program at SickKids and holds the Garron
Family Chair in Childhood Cancer Research.
A Professor at the University of Toronto, he
bridges clinical care, basic science, and
clinical trials to improve cancer outcomes.
His research focuses on early detection,
intervention, and treatment for children and
young adults at risk of brain tumours, with a
particular emphasis on low-grade gliomas.
He also leads the International Replication
Repair Deficiency Consortium, which supports
diagnosis, care, and clinical trials for children
with hypermutant cancers in over 50 countries.
These trials explore immune checkpoint
inhibitors and novel therapeutic combinations,
while his lab develops animal models and
biomarkers to advance immunotherapy. Dr.
Tabori co-leads the paediatric low-grade glioma
taskforce, identifying new molecular targets
and treatments. His internationally recognized
contributions have earned numerous awards.
Research Support: b.r.a.i.n.child, Brain Cancer Canada, Canadian
Institutes of Health Research, Meagan’s HUG (Meagan Bebenek
Foundation), Nelina’s Hope, SickKids Garron Family Cancer Centre,
The Wiley Fund, We Love You Connie Foundation
Research Support: AACR Stand Up To Cancer, Alex’s Lemonade Stand
Foundation, BioCanRx, Brain Canada, b.r.a.i.n.child, C17 Research Network,
Canadian Cancer Society Research Institute, Canadian Institutes of
Health Research, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Children’s Oncology
Group, Genome Canada, Kindred Foundation, LivWise Foundation,
Meagan Bebenek Foundation, National Cancer Institute, PLGA Foundation,
Public Health Institute, SickKids Garron Family Cancer Centre (GFCC),
St.Baldrick’s Foundation, The Anticancer Fund, The National Institutes of
Health Research, The V Foundation for Cancer Research, United States
Department of Defense
LABORATORY PERSONNEL
Zoya Aamir, Graduate Student
Yuan Chang, Graduate Student
Ayse Bahar Ercan, Graduate Student
Nicholas Fernandez, Graduate Student
Jacalyn Kelly, Graduate Student
Ofek Lin, Graduate Student
Vienna Mazzoli, Graduate Student
Logine Negm, Graduate Student
Sunam Mander, Research Fellow
Nuno Miguel Nunes, Postdoctoral Fellow
Melyssa Aronson, Genetic Counsellor
Vanessa Bianchi, Program Manager
Brian Chung, Clinical Research Project
Assistant
Owen Crump, Research Technologist II
Jose Rafael Dimayacyac, Bioinformatician
Sheradan Doherty, Clinical Research Project
Manager
Melissa Edwards, Clinical Research Project
Manager
Emma Gatoni, Research Technologist II
Nemanja Ilic, Research Technologist
Martin Komosa, Research Project Coordinator
Olha Kos, Research Technologist II
Lucie Stengs, Clinical Research Project
Coordinator
Cindy Zhang, Research Project Manager
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IMAGINE 2023-24