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...
Allen-Vercoe group publishes book chapter on Fusobacteria.
Graduate students Avery Robinson and Jacob Wilde contributed to a book chapter with Emma Allen-Vercoe that covers many aspects of Fusobacteria...
Avery Robinson and Greg Higgins awarded Canada Graduate Scholarships
Pop some champagne and toast Avery Robinson and Greg Higgins of the Allen-Vercoe lab! Avery won a Canada Graduate Scholarship - 3-year Doctoral...
45 is the New 50
On October 27, 2020, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force issued a recommendation that colorectal cancer screening of individuals at average risk...
Dr. Kimmie Ng on the death of “Black Panther” actor Chadwick Boseman and Young-Onset CRC
As a result of the tragic and untimely death of actor Chadwick Boseman from colorectal (CRC) cancer there has...
IL-22 Pathway Identified as a New Target in Colon Cancers with Mutant KRAS
Work from Dr. Fiona Powrie’s group at University of Oxford has identified an interaction between the receptor for the immune...
Co-Investigator and Advocate Dr. Laura Porter shares notes from the ASCO 2020 Virtual Meeting
I attended the virtual annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) May 29-31, 2020. I have attended multiple ASCO...
My Search for New BALOs
Bdellovibrio-and-Like Organisms (BALOs) are bacteria that have a unique lifestyle; they are predatory bacteria that attack and kill other bacterial...
Biomarker for Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer (LARC) Identified from the Gut Microbiome
A team led by VHIO Principal Investigator and OPTIMISTICC scientist Dr. Paolo Nuciforo has found an association between the persistence of...
Dr. Josep Tabernero receives National Research Award
Congratulations to Co-Investigator Josep Tabernero, MD, PhD, Director of Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), for receiving...
Dr. Matthew Meyerson is an AACR Team Science Awardee
Congratulations to Co-Principal Investigator Matthew Meyerson, MD, PhD, who recently shared in the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)...
E. coli & its relationship to colon cancer
Cayetano Pleguezuelos Manzano, Jens Puschhof, and Axel Rosendahl Huber (Hubrecht Institute and Princess Maxima Center) describe their work, recently...
Does the microbiome promote human cancer?
Dr. Matthew Meyerson (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute) presents his group’s work on the cancer microbiome for the Connect:Science seminar series.
Dr. Kimmie Ng interviewed on the Today Show
Dr. Kimmie Ng, founding director of the Young Onset Colorectal Cancer Center at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, is interviewed on the Today Show about...
Grand Challenge Summit 2020
It was my pleasure to attend the Grand Challenge Summit 2020 at Windsor, UK in February. I was representing the Optimisticc Team with fellow patient...
Let’s Talk Patient Advocacy
Dr. Laura Porter speaks about her experiences with colon cancer and with patient advocacy at the Global Colon Cancer Association 2020 Colorectal...