Meet Professor Rama Khokha

The Cancer Research Society is fortunate to be able to lean on a Scientific Advisory Committee. Comprised of accomplished experts in cancer research from various backgrounds who participate on a voluntary basis, the role of this committee is to advise the Society on all scientific matters, in particular the priorities and design of our programs, including selection criteria for projects to be funded and on strategic partnerships.

We are delighted to introduce to you Prof. Rama Khokha, an esteemed member of the Scientific Advisory Committee, an accomplished researcher, and a past grant recipient of the Society (1989/1990).

Prof. Khokha is a Professor in the Department of Medical Biophysics at the University of Toronto, holder of the CCS 2014 Robert L. Nobel Prize for outstanding achievements in basic biomedical cancer research, and author of more than a hundred and sixty peer-reviewed scientific publications. Her domain of expertise is cancer research, with a longstanding interest in deciphering the molecular basis of cancer.

In our Q&A with the Professor, we discovered that her passion for science dates back to her high school studies. What really ‘hooked her’ on cancer research though, was her postdoctoral work on cell transformation and cancer cell dissemination which was published in the leading journal ‘Science,’ one of the multiple testaments to the value and high quality of her findings. From that moment onwards, the focus of her research has been ‘natural culmination of curiosity around the next set of [scientific] questions.’ Her most recent interest lies in developing strategies for intercepting cancer in the early stages and prevention: two areas of cancer science that are still understudied. Prof. Khokha’s research is very applied, so much so that her recent study on pancreatic cancer has allowed the discovery of new biological insights that are now being explored in two clinical trials.

She says ‘my time serving on the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Cancer Research Society has been rewarding as I have helped shape funding support by expanding yearly allotted budgets, supporting new initiatives, and prioritizing fellowships for early career researchers. These three areas are critical for advancing discoveries and research in Canada and continuing to position us as global leaders.’

Like most scientists these days, Prof. Khokha is worried about the steady erosion of funding dedicated to fundamental research: ‘basic research fuels and ignites discovery and innovation by opening our eyes to the unprecedented concepts yet to be delineated in biology and beyond.’ Hence, the importance of philanthropy: ‘[it] supports innovation, often allowing us to explore ideas deemed too basic or risky despite their revolutionary potential. Donors’ generosity tremendously accelerates our ability to pursue important ideas that eventually seed translational studies, ultimately providing hope for patients and families.’ We echo the Professor’s gratitude to our donors, thanks to whom the Cancer Research Society is able to make a tangible difference in supporting fundamental cancer research.