International fellows
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Junkoh Yamamoto
I have been working as a research fellow at BTRC under the supervision of Dr. Rutka since September, 2009. I am a graduate of Hamamatsu University School of Medicine in Japan. I entered the training program in neurosurgery at Hamamatsu University School of Medicine in 1996. During my residency, I achieved a PhD in photodynamic therapy for malignant glioma, especially in the pathogenesis of cytotoxic effect in singlet oxygen. I received my Japanese Neurosurgical Board in 2002 and worked as assistant professor of Clinical Neurosurgery at University of Occupational and Environmental Health in Japan with an interest in the biology of human brain tumours. Currently, I currently investigating molecular mechanisms in malignant glioma, in particular the role of the interleukin-13 receptor in glioma.
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Shoichi Nagai
I joined BTRC in September 2008. Prior to joining SickKids I was engaged in clinical neurosurgery work at Totama University Hospital in Japan. My work was focused on the treatment of adult malignant brain tumours, including glioma, primary central nervous system lymphoma and metastatic brain tumours. I pursued my PhD at the Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Japan, studying molecular biology, specifically malignant glioma. My thesis was on NF-kappaB. I am pleased to have the opportunity to pursue both a clinical and research career in tumours as it gives me the ability to understand the clinical problems and address them through research. Since joining the BTRC I have spent my time studying regulatory molecules for the dynamics of actin cytoskeleton under Dr. Rutka. Through this research I hope to understand the molecular mechanism of glioma invasion.
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Livia Garzia
I received a degree in medical biotechnology from the University of Naples in Italy in 2002. I then went on to pursue my PhD in life sciences at the Open University in Cambridge, UK. My research has been focused on two nervous system tumours – medulloblastoma and neuroblastoma – in which I studied altered non-coding RNAs involved in the disease pathogenesis. I have always been interested in how basic research can impact the outcome of severe diseases like paediatric brain cancers. I have always felt that better integration between clinicians and researchers and new tools to improve the tumours therapy is extremely important. Dr. Taylor’s exciting new model of medulloblastoma which recapitulates the progression of the human pathology inspired me and I am thrilled to be starting a research fellowship in his group to study and improve this genetic model of medulloblastoma. I believe that our research will provide the scientific community with a new powerful tool to develop new anti-cancer drugs and treatments.