Training the Next Generation of Cancer Researchers

“Cancer research work is generational,” says Dr. Munir Rahim in the Faculty of Science. He is an early career researcher whose lab attracted major funding for breast cancer research in 2021-2022. The focus of research in the Rahim lab is to understand how the immune system detects and responds to virus-infected cells and cancer cells. They study a type of white blood cells called natural killer (NK) cells, which specialize in finding and eliminating diseased cells in the body. This research is already advancing understanding of the biology of these immune cells and will have an impact on immunotherapies for cancers and viral infections. But for Dr. Rahim, it is not just about the research results themselves, but it is also about training cancer researchers for the future. “In my lab,” Dr. Muir observes, “Students learn how to work with tissue samples, model organisms and established cell lines, and this includes how to ethically handle patient data and tissues as well as perform experiments. They also learn to collaborate with doctors and hospitals to generate real-world results.” Researchers in the Rahim lab include talented graduate and undergraduate students, who are supported with funding from the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council; and the Cancer Research Society in partnership with the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, WE-SPARK Health Institute, and the Windsor Cancer Centre Foundation; and donations from Katelyn Bedard Bone Marrow Association. The lab congratulated its first two graduates in 2022, and as a supervisor, Dr. Rahim knows that his role is critical. “Our cancer immunology discoveries are just one part of advancing cancer research. It is important to me to ensure that students have the skills to make the next generation of discoveries, too.”

Dr. Munir Rahim focuses on the long-term future of cancer research.