Cancer Institute Seminar Series - Dr Sheila K. Singh

The Terry Fox Research Institute New Frontiers Program Project Grant brings together a complementary team of scientists with expertise in functional genomics, proteomics, cancer stem cell biology, human combinatorial protein and antibody engineering, brain cancer biology biocomputational research and translational drug discovery. The goal of our Glioblastoma (GBM) program is to identify new therapeutic targets that drive clonal evolution in treatment-refractory GBM, develop novel and empirical immunotherapies that harness the immune system and target specific cell surface receptors on GBM cells at the same time, and undertake preclinical evaluation of candidate therapeutic antibodies using our unique patient-derived xenograft model of human GBM recurrence. Our target discovery platform allowing for investigation of clonal dynamics through therapy delivery and tracking resistance in human GBM incorporates DNA cellular barcoding, glycocapture profiling of the cell surface proteome, RNA sequencing, and genome-wide CRISPR screening of primary and recurrent GBM. The tracking of GBM cell populations that undergo clonal evolution as a result of selective pressures exerted by standard treatments will identify the cellular composition of the recurrence, and allow us to determine the signalling pathways that drive GBM relapse. Ultimately, we will generate a translational pipeline from initial target discovery, through target validation and exploration of mechanism, to building new biotherapeutics against novel cancer targets, and preclinical testing in our patient-derived animal model of treatment-resistant GBM. A promising lead panel of biotherapeutic modalities will ultimately be translated into early clinical development, generating targeted therapies and hope for future GBM patients. 

Dr Sheila K. Singh academic profile

Host: Prof Tariq Enver

A light lunch will be served after the seminar. This seminar has been sponsored in part by the Biomedical Research Centre and Cancer Research UK

Main image: Dr Sheila K Singh, credit McMaster University