BC cancer researcher receives cancer research award

Vancouver, BC – Dr Wan Lam, senior scientist at the BC Cancer Agency (BCCA), is the recipient of the prestigious 2006 William E Rawls Prize for his innovative cancer research. He was awarded the prize at the BC Cancer Agency’s annual awards banquet on November 24.

Sponsored by the Canadian Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute of Canada, the William E Rawls Prize is awarded to an investigator whose work has led to important advances in cancer control within the past decade. The prize comes with $1,000 for the recipient and $20,000 for their research.

Dr Lam is well known for his work on the genetic causes of a variety of cancers including lung, oral, breast and lymphoma. His focus on early-stage cancer continues to advance our understanding of the genetic alterations that trigger cancer, and this is leading to progress in early diagnosis and treatment.

He has also developed a new microarray technology that has made it possible to see the entire human genome at once in 32,000 overlapping DNA segments. This technology, which makes is easier to detect the gain or loss of key genes in tumour genomes, has revolutionized cancer gene discovery and is now used by researchers all over the world.

“We are fortunate to have such an innovative scientist like Dr Lam as part of our research team at the BC Cancer Agency,” says Dr Victor Ling, vice president of discovery, BC Cancer Agency.

Dr Lam has established interdisciplinary collaborations with researchers in Canada and around the world. He is also a clinical associate professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.