Postovit named Premier Young Researcher

Congratulations to Dr. Lynne-Marie Postovit of the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology for being named Canada's Premier Young Researcher by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) at an awards ceremony in Ottawa.

"The Government of Canada congratulates Dr. Postovit on this outstanding accomplishment," said Canadian Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq. "She has established herself as one of the brightest minds in health research today and has become a wonderful role model for young Canadians who want to pursue careers in science."

Dr. Postovit, an Assistant Professor of cell biology, studies how micro-environmental signals, particularly oxygen levels, influence the behaviour and development of cancer stem cells. Dr. Postovit has identified a novel oxygen signaling pathway and has discovered that cancer stem cells use specific factors to sustain their plasticity and aggressiveness. Her work has yielded over 20 publications to date and she has presented her findings at several international conferences.

"Dr. Postovit is making a mark in the field of cancer stem cells," said Dr. Alain Beaudet, President of CIHR. "By studying how the low-oxygen environments in tumours promote metastasis in cancer cells, her work may lead to exciting new approaches to treating cancer."