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The Cancer Warrior Unleashed
DR. Pamela Ohashi
co-Director, Tumor
Immunotherapy Program
Dr. Pamela Ohashi is driven by the desire to cure cancer.
Her positive outlook and dedication to innovation pushes her
research forward. As a graduate student, Dr. Ohashi worked
with Dr. Tak Mak when he cloned the T-cell receptor in 1984.
Being part of that key discovery allowed Dr. Ohashi to continue
to build her career doing research in this new, exciting field.
Dr. Ohashi’s research focuses on understanding ways to
regulate and improve the immune response to cancer. New
strategies and mechanisms are being uncovered that will help
control immune responses and may be applied to enhance the
immune attack on cancer. In addition, her team has developed
techniques to grow tumor-infiltrating T-cells. This is important
in two ways: it gives us insights into what is going on inside a
tumor and importantly can also be used as a therapy to treat
patients.
Dr. Ohashi knows teamwork is key to finding a cure.
Together, she and her colleagues at The Princess Margaret are
implementing new clinical trials and building a team of experts
with a goal to provide personalized cancer medicine.
DR. Lillian Siu
co-Director, Tumor
Immunotherapy Program
Dr. Lillian Siu is always prepared to take on
a challenge. A medical oncologist for the past 20
years, she is determined to advance treatment
to provide patients with the best possible care.
For Dr. Siu, that comes in the form of
personalized cancer medicine. This uses
molecular profiling and genomics to target
cancer cells specific to each patient.
Immunotherapy is no different. Dr. Siu is
focused on identifying patient-specific markers
to determine whose immune system will
respond to a particular drug.
Dr. Siu is involved in three major programs
focusing on drug development, cancer genomics
and tumor immunotherapy. As both a scientist
and clinician, Dr. Siu is actively involved in
immunotherapy clinical trials and leads genomics
initiatives and immunotherapy trials at Princess
Margaret Cancer Centre.
Cancer Experts
