Two Researchers Receive the Cherbaka Scholarship from the HMR Foundation

Mathieu Neault & Mary E. McQuaid

For several years, the Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont (HMR) Foundation has recognized the work of researchers specialized in the improvement of diagnostics and care of patients suffering from leukemia.

Thus, it is for their efforts in the fight against leukemia that Mathieu Neault and Mary E. McQuaid, both working at HMR Research Centre, have each been awarded a $2,500 scholarship.

Find out more about their research:

Mathieu Neault, Ph. D.

Postdoctoral fellow — Laboratories of Dr. Frédérick A. Mallette and Dr. Heather Melichar

Pediatric leukemia remains the most prevalent form of cancer among children in Canada despite recent advances in the field. Using cutting-edge biotechnological tools, the research team has developed a mouse model that reproduces the characteristics of the disease in humans. This model will help to decipher the cellular mechanisms that lead to cancer; the ultimate goal being the development of new strategies for a cure.

Mary E. McQuaid, Ph. D.

Postdoctoral fellow — Laboratory of Dr. Hugo Wurtele

Several types of leukemia produce 2-hydroxyglutarate (2HG), a molecule that contributes to the development of cancer but is not produced by normal cells. Through her research, Mary E. McQuaid has discovered that 2HG compromises the mechanisms through which cancer cells copy their DNA, a necessary step for their proliferation. Investigating this molecule’s mechanisms of action will provide a better understanding of leukemia cell development and enable the implementation of therapeutic strategies to target them more specifically, which may help reduce side effects.

The Jeffrey Michael Cherbaka Scholarship is intended for graduate students and physicians undergoing postdoctoral education at the HMR. The purpose of the scholarship is two-fold:

• High-level clinical training of researchers to improve the diagnostics and care of patients suffering from leukemia
• Research training in order to foster the development of innovative therapies to treat leukemia