Cancer patients tour stem cell research lab

Touring McMaster Universitys stem cell research labs felt like a real-life science fiction movie for Moses Cook. Like a surreal trip inside his own head.

And in a sense, it was the Hamilton teen was diagnosed with a brain tumour two years ago. And after he completed radiation treatments a couple months ago, the 16-year-old decided he wanted to see what goes on behind the scenes of cancer care.

Its so surreal, he said Friday afternoon, touring the labs where his own tumour was studied. Its just so crazy to know this is where this work is done.

The Sherwood student in remission now has wanted to be a neurosurgeon since long before his diagnosis, and is fascinated, still, by the science of it all.

Dr. Sheila Singh was happy to show him around.

As both a pediatric neurosurgeon and stem cell researcher, Singh is accustomed to the clinical and the scientific sides of cancer. She organized the tour for patients like Cook and their families to see the research in action at Macs Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute.

There arent that many people that get to see it from both sides, she said. Its really a huge pleasure to have a foot in both worlds.

The research at McMaster is unique most labs use cells from mice but Singhs uses primary human brain tumour stem cells from patients like Cook.

Before surgery, these patients agreed to donate leftover brain tissue or tumours to the lab for medical research. And Singh wanted to show the patients just how their donations are used.

I thought, Wouldnt it be great for them to tour the lab and see exactly what happens with (their tissue)? How we study it and what productivity their tissue has generated, Singh said.

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Cancer patients tour stem cell research lab