Page 7 - Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre Annual Report 2023 to 2024

v STIGATORS
Dr. Sean Egan
Senior Scientist, Principal Investigator
Dr. Cynthia Hawkins
Senior Scientist, Principal Investigator
LABORATORY PERSONNEL
Busra Canik, Graduate Student
Chen Chen, Graduate Student
Afnan Munshi, Graduate Student
Sumayya Abdul Qadir, Graduate Student
Vithuran Sivatheepan, Graduate Student
Idil Temel, Postdoctoral Fellow
Amanda Loch, Research Technologist
Kelvin (Wei) Wang, Research Technologist
Dr. Egan’s research explores how genomic
changes join forces to drive cancer. The
biological and pathological effects of any
oncogenic mutation are profoundly altered by
the presence of cooperating mutations. Using
genomic screens in mouse mammary tissue,
the lab uncovered tumour suppressor genes
that, when reduced to one copy, team up with
known cancer driver genes. These discoveries
suggest new paths for anti-cancer therapies.
The Egan lab also engineers mouse
chromosomes to mimic common cancer-
related gains or losses of entire chromosome
arms. Additionally, they investigate how
dysregulated antiviral Apobec3 proteins cause
cancer by modelling Apobec3 overexpression
in transgenic mice to see how these proteins
trigger disease. Overall, Dr. Egan’s lab seeks
to (i) reveal networks of mutations that work
together to form tumours, (ii) uncover how
changes in chromosome arms fuel cancer,
(iii) understand how Apobec3 proteins
boost tumour progression, and (iv) pinpoint
weaknesses in cancer cells caused by these
mutations that can be targeted for treatment.
Research Support: Canadian Cancer Society Research Institute,
Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Cancer Research Society,
National Institutes of Health, SickKids Garron Family Cancer Centre,
United States Department of Defense
The Hawkins Lab studies gliomas in children,
adolescents, and young adults to understand
how these tumours develop, progress, and
can be accurately diagnosed and treated.
Their work has clarified key molecular
features of paediatric low-grade gliomas,
the most common glioma type in children.
They also focus on high-grade astrocytomas
(pHGA), including DIPG and diffuse midline
glioma (DMG) – aggressive tumours with a
median survival of less than two years and
poor response to standard therapies. Trials
based on adult gliomas have largely failed
in this population. The lab helped discover
recurrent histone mutations (H3K27M,
H3.3G34R), revealing the epigenetic basis
of these diseases. Still, effective therapies
remain elusive. Current research investigates
the proteogenomic landscape of pHGA
and how tumour cells interact with their
microenvironment in space and time – factors
that drive tumour initiation, progression,
and resistance. The goal is to translate
these insights into more effective, targeted
treatments for young patients battling these
lethal brain tumours.
Research Support: b.r.a.i.n.child, Canadian Cancer Society, Canadian
Institutes of Health Research, ChadTough Foundation, Genome Canada
& Ontario Genomics Institute: Genomic Applications Partnership Program
(GAPP), Meagan Bebenek Foundation, Rally Foundation for Childhood
Cancer Research, SickKids Garron Family Cancer Centre, The Cure Starts
Now Foundation, We Love You Connie Foundation
LABORATORY PERSONNEL
Liam Hewson, Graduate Student
I-Chen Ho, Graduate Student
Eric Kim, Research Student
Benjamin Laxer, Graduate Student
Adrian Levine, Graduate Student
Alessia Portante, Graduate Student
Tamara Sandouka, Graduate Student
Stefanie-Grace Sbergio, Graduate Student
Wajeeha Zaheer, Graduate Student
Linmao Zheng, Graduate Student
Pallavi Pilaka, Postdoctoral Fellow
Arun Vadivel, Postdoctoral Fellow
Yoshiko Nakano, Clinical Fellow
Bernardo Lopez Rioz, Research Fellow
Laura Canty, Research Project Coordinator
Cyril Li, Clinical Research Project Coordinator
Sanja Pajovic, Research Associate
Suba Rana, Research Technologist
Richard Yuditskiy, Research Technologist
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