Dr. Emma Allen-Vercoe: The Importance of Microbes to Human HealthIn a recent podcast by the Centre for Inquiry Canada, Emma Allen-Vercoe talks about...
Future Leaders Conference
OPTIMISTICC Trainees Attend CGC Future Leaders Conference in Barcelona From Nov. 2-4, 2022, 14 OPTIMISTICC trainees joined members of other Cancer...
Importance of Patient Engagement in Research
In a recent editorial Laura Porter discusses the importance of patient engagement in research in a publication titled The Importance of Patient...
Western Diet and CRC
In a recent publication Kota Arima and other OPTIMISTICC team members published a paper Western-Style Diet, pks Island-Carrying Escherichia coli,...
New review about colorectal cancer and the microbiome
In a recent review by Slater Clay and other OPTIMISTICC team members, titled Colorectal cancer: the facts in the case of the microbiota they review...
Colorectal Cancer and the Microbiome Webinar
Colorectal Cancer & the MicrobiomeIt’s becoming increasingly clear that colorectal cancer – the third most common cancer worldwide – is...
Mr. Barry D Stein received the 2021 Canadian Cancer Research Alliance’s award for Exceptional Leadership in Patient Involvement in Cancer Research.
Barry is the President and CEO of Colorectal Cancer Canada and a patient advocate on our OPTIMISTICC team. He received this award for his tireless...
Metatranscriptomics (“MTX”) is a powerful method for measuring microbial gene expression
Metatranscriptomics (abbreviated "MTX") is a powerful method for measuring the gene expression (functional activity) of many members of a microbial...
BRAF mutation changes the characteristics of colorectal cancers in a mouse model
In a recent publication, the Sears lab showed that introduction of the BRAFV600E mutation into mice colonized with enterotoxigenic Bacteroides...
New Link Between Red Meat Consumption and CRC
The Giannakis and Ogino labs have published a new study in Cancer Discovery that describes a mutational signature associated...
Organoids and Organs on Chips and the Microbiome: A New Review
In a new review in Cell Host & Microbe, Jens Puschhof and Cayetano Pleguezuelos-Manzano, from the lab of Hans Clevers, describe advances in...
CRC Screening Guidelines in US to Begin at Age 45
The US Preventive Services Task Force has lowered the age for routine colorectal cancer screening. The recommendation follows months of discussion...
Thriving as a Patient Advocate: Balancing Unseen Burdens
Watch Dr. Laura Porter's presentation at the 2nd Annual Global Colon Cancer Association's 2021 Congress Thriving Patient Advocate | Global...
A microbiome signature for colorectal cancer
A collaboration of the Quirke and Huttenhower labs has led to the publication of two papers, in Clinical Cancer Research and Genome Medicine, that...
Dr. Cindy Sears is named 2021 Women of ID Honoree
The Infectious Diseases Society of America Foundation has recognized OPTIMISTICC Co-Investigator Dr. Cindy Sears, as a 2021 Women of ID honoree for...
Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month Inspires Team OPTIMISTICC
Team OPTIMISTICC kicked off Colon Cancer Awareness month at our March 5 team meeting, where we honored Dress in Blue Day by photographing ourselves...
Changing policy to save lives
What seemed to be impossible at the age of 40 became a reality in October of 1995. Married with three young children 7, 9 and 13 years old, and...
Reducing numbers, saving lives
I was diagnosed with Bowel Cancer following an emergency presentation with a rectal haemorrhage. I had severe complications immediately post-surgery...
How I became an advocate
I was diagnosed with IV Colon Cancer in 2005 just after turning 41. I had been to my primary doctor 5 months earlier complaining of blood in my...
My story as a CRC patient
It was in 2002-03 Christmas time when I suffered continuous gastrointestinal troubles. I’m a psychologist, a professional who, at that time, was...