News

We are extremely happy to announce that Arcturus has been accepted into the Materials Science & Engineering, Masters of Engineering Program at the University of Toronto! Congratulations, Arc!! Arcturus joined the lab as Research Technician in February 2020.  It became immediately apparent that Arcturus’ diverse background and experience in materials science played a vital role in our clinical study.  Our first-in-human phase II clinical trial evaluates a medical imaging device that uses fluorescence image-guided technology to visualize carcinoma in breast tissue in real-time during breast conserving surgery.  Arcturus was responsible for operating the device in the operating room and in…

The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation (https://thepmcf.ca/) is featuring “The Art of Conquering Cancer,” which discusses how art and creativity are essential components of science. The feature includes a video where Dr. DaCosta and other renowned researchers express the need to ‘think outside the box’ and explore the unknown in order for cancer research to grow and achieve breakthroughs. In addition, Dr. DaCosta is the featured image on the PMCF site. Finally, the feature includes a series of major breakthroughs that have been “driven by creativity” at the Princess Margaret. “Without new thoughts and free-thinking there would be no new discoveries.”

We are excited to welcome Zuha Qureshi back to the DaCosta Lab as a summer student. Zuha is a second-year undergraduate student at the University of Toronto, earning a degree in Human Biology and she has been a research student in our lab since 2019. Zuha has been an integral part of our clinical trial program, helping to develop a new trial investigating the facial microbiome using fluorescence image-guided technology and microbiology techniques. Zuha has also participated in a Phase II clinical trial, in which fluorescence imaging technology is used for intraoperative visualization of breast carcinoma. This summer Zuha will…

Dr. DaCosta presents invited talk entitled, “A Prospective Multi-center Phase III RCT Evaluating Intraoperative Fluorescence Imaging for Real-time Margin Assessment During Breast Conserving Surgery,” at the first Institut Curie – Princess Margaret Jamboree in May 2022, focused on breast cancer research.  This research “jamboree” was intended to foster collaborations that advance translational research across the two institutions, the Institut Curie (IC; Paris, France) and the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre (PM; Toronto, Canada).  

Our recent publication in Radiation Research, “Assessing the Accuracy of Bioluminescence Image-Guided Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy of Orthotopic Pancreatic Tumors Using a Small Animal Irradiator” is a collaboration between the DaCosta Lab and Dr. Robert Weersink. In this preclincal study, Dr. Sara Rapic (former Post-doctoral fellow) and Timothy Samuel (Ph.D. candidate) demonstrated the improved accuracy of using 3-dimensional bioluminescence imaging (BLI) to deliver targeted high dose radiotherapy in orthotopic mouse models of pancreatic cancer. This BLI image-guided precision in the delivery of radiation therapy to pancreatic tumors in vivo ensures the precision of the treatment using a novel small animal irradiator. This methodology allows us to…

Dr. DaCosta and other scientists discuss the opportunities for scientific breakthrough at PMCC as a result of the historic donation of $50 million in honour of the late Canadian philanthropist, Allan Slaight. Allan Slaight The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation announced a historic $50 million gift for cancer research in honour of the late Allan Slaight, a Canadian broadcast mogul, radio pioneer and visionary philanthropist.  This donation will establish the Allan Slaight Breakthrough Fund, generously provided by La Fondation Emmanuelle Gattuso and The Slaight Family Foundation.  Along with other scientists at PMCC, Dr. DaCosta discusses how the Allan Slaight Breakthrough Fund…

We would like to welcome a new research technician to our lab: Dr. Emily Chen, MD, Research Technician II Emily was previously part of our lab from 2009-2016, during which she helped to pioneer our first animal window chamber models to study the tumor microenvironment.  In re-joining our lab, Emily will be responsible for conducting animal surgeries involving the use of our novel window chamber systems for direct microscopy imaging of human orthotopic tumors.  Emily will also help lead the development and validation of new intravital imaging models of cancers including solid cancers (e.g. pancreatic, brain and breast tumors) and…

We would like to welcome 5 high school and undergraduate summer students who will be joining the lab this year: Ben Daynes (Aurora High School, Grade 12) Project: Developing health monitoring spectrometer with built-in light source for detection of urine biomarkers. Rachel Jacobson (Wilfred Laurier University, 1st year) Project: Investigating immunotherapy in acute myelogenous leukemia. Christos Kapetanios (Queen’s University, 2nd year) Project: Developing outreach program to educate and guide students looking for opportunities in cancer research. Zuha Qureshi (University of Toronto, 1st year) Project: Assisting with data collection and entry for the ALA Breast Cancer study Connor McFadden (Collège Français…