The pace of discovery is going unbelievably fast"
- James Watson
As a cancer genomics researcher at BC Cancer's Genome Sciences Centre (GSC) in Vancouver, Canada, I use and write software to analyze and interpret DNA sequence data from cancer patients
Much has changed in technology and goals since I started my career in genomics in 2000. From Sanger sequencing of SARS, frogs, mice and human genomes or segments of, to 'Next-generation' Illumina sequencing of human cancer.
Over the last 20 years, at the GSC, I have coordinated teams of up to 10 staff in bioinformatics with database development, analysis pipelines, software development, research studies (including two I played a large role in that led to important discoveries), and QA (quality control) of our data and pipelines. I’m first author on 2 publications in scientific journals and co-author on 56 other refereed articles including 5 on brain cancer.
I am currently studying the use of AI (Artificial Intelligence) in cancer research and treatment. This can allow for less invasive and earlier detection of cancer.
Much has changed in technology and goals since I started my career in genomics in 2000. From Sanger sequencing of SARS, frogs, mice and human genomes or segments of, to 'Next-generation' Illumina sequencing of human cancer.
Over the last 20 years, at the GSC, I have coordinated teams of up to 10 staff in bioinformatics with database development, analysis pipelines, software development, research studies (including two I played a large role in that led to important discoveries), and QA (quality control) of our data and pipelines. I’m first author on 2 publications in scientific journals and co-author on 56 other refereed articles including 5 on brain cancer.
I am currently studying the use of AI (Artificial Intelligence) in cancer research and treatment. This can allow for less invasive and earlier detection of cancer.
Some of my research highlights and projects of interest (first author papers or those in which I had a larger role):
In addition to my research work, I have been involved in patient care projects in various of capacities
- My first primary author publication in 2002
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC117194/ - I stayed up to 4am on my own to complete the full genome of the SARS coronovirus in record time in April 2003
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/300/5624/1399.long
See "Cracking the SARS genome" under Media - Linux journal article of the SARS sequencing
http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/6977 - Example of how whole genome sequencing used to determine cancer treatment
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2945784/ - A piece of software I wrote in 2014, JAGuaR, to help facilitate RNA-sequencing analysis
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4111418/
http://www.bcgsc.ca/platform/bioinfo/software/jaguar
Brain Cancer - Oligodendroglioma - research project I was heavily involved in to generate and analyze the first ever genome and RNA sequences of adult oligodendroglioma brain cancer which led to our discovery of a common mutation CIC in this type of brain cancer
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3246739/
Publication: Concurrent CIC mutations, IDH mutations, and 1p/19q loss distinguish oligodendrogliomas from other cancers*
Semantic Scholar
The Journal of Pathology
* We received the Jeremy Jass Prize for For Research Excellence in Pathology - DIPG - A diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) is a tumour located in the pons of the brain stem
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24705252 - Medulloblastoma - common malignant brain tumour in children
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26760213 - Molecular Profiling Reveals Biologically Discrete Subsets and Pathways of Progression in Diffuse Glioma
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26824661 - Comprehensive, Integrative Genomic Analysis of Diffuse Lower-Grade Gliomas
New England Journal of Medicine - Simvastatin Increases Temozolomide-induced Cell Death by Targeting the Fusion of Autophagosomes and Lysosomes
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31545550/
In addition to my research work, I have been involved in patient care projects in various of capacities
- What matters most to patients about primary healthcare: mixed-methods patient priority setting exercises within the PREFeR (PRioritiEs For Research) project
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31292175