Research

Ongoing research programs in the Terry Fox Laboratory encompass a wide spectrum of disciplines in biomedicine and the life sciences, including biochemistry, cell and developmental biology, immunology, molecular genetics, human pathology, molecular medicine and gene therapy. Current emphasis is on the development of new technologies and their use to address fundamental questions in the control of cell growth and differentiation, aging, and gene regulation with particular focus on hematology/oncology.

Facilities

Extensive facilities and equipment exist to support the research needs of the Terry Fox Laboratory. This has been made possible by a tradition of equipment sharing and the creation and joint management of many common facilities. These include facilities for recombinant DNA technology and DNA sequencing, preparation and isolation of monoclonal antibodies, expression of recombinant proteins, protein purification and characterization, light and fluorescence microscopy, cytogenetic analysis, and a specialized media preparation service. In addition, the Terry Fox Laboratory manages three core facilities; the Centre for Genetic Modelling of Health and Disease,  The Flow Cytometry Core Facility , and a Level 3 Containment Facility. All staff have access to a rodent-holding facility located one floor below the lab, in which numerous inbred strains of mice are bred and maintained under stringent isolation conditions. This facility is also equipped with modern X-ray and Cesium irradiation equipment and has an associated transgenic mouse producing facility. The group is served by an extensive computer network connected to approximately 200 nodes of computing devices with full internet access. Word processing, graphics, statistics, slide preparation, patient data management, and analysis of DNA sequence and flow cytometry data capabilities are available. Several of the computers in this network are specifically dedicated for use by trainees.

Support

The establishment of the Terry Fox Laboratory as a new Unit in the British Columbia Cancer Research Centre was sparked with a donation in 1980 of $1,000,000 from the provincial government to the Terry Fox Marathon of Hope. This donation, together with subsequent generous contributions from the British Columbia Cancer Foundation, the Canadian Cancer Society, the British Columbia Cancer Agency, the P.A. Woodward Foundation, the British Columbia Order of the Eastern Star, the British Columbia Health Care and Research Foundation, the University of British Columbia, Mr. Joseph Cohen, the Variety Club, and members of the banking community, enabled the renovation and equipping of 20,000 square feet of modern laboratories. Core support is provided jointly by the British Columbia Cancer Agency, the British Columbia Cancer Foundation, and the University of British Columbia. Research is funded exclusively by peer-reviewed operating grants to the senior faculty with some additional direct support to staff and trainees in the form of competitive career awards, studentships and fellowships. The total amount of this support is currently approximately $4,000,000 per annum, provided primarily by the National Cancer Institute of Canada, the Medical Research Council of Canada, the British Columbia Health Research Foundation, the National Institutes of Health (USA), the Leukemia Research Fund, and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).