Robarts Research Institute scientist Paula Foster and Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry’s David Litchfield will receive more than $885,000 to fund innovative research projects to understand how cancer cells spread through the body and why cancer cells continue to divide in an uncontrolled way that other cells do not.

Foster will study how cancer cells metastasize (spread to other parts of the body) through the body’s lymphatic system. Although lymph nodes can be surgically inspected to see if a cancer has spread, little is known about how cancer cells travel through these organs. Foster’s group will use high-tech imaging (MRI) and nanotechnology to study this process.

Litchfield will study how cancer cells communicate, prompting them to continue growing in the absence of normal cellular cues. Litchfield’s work may help find new targets for anti-cancer drugs.

“Right here in London ground-breaking cancer research is happening,” says Angie Woodcock, Manager, Elgin Middlesex Unit, Canadian Cancer Society. “Both of these outstanding researchers are based at The University of Western Ontario, so it is very exciting to see those dollars supporting the work of London researchers.”

The two newly funded projects at Western are in addition to seven projects currently being supported by the Canadian Cancer Society in London. These other projects, previously awarded, will receive a total of $730,000 for this fiscal year from the Cancer Society.

Over the past five years, researchers in the London area have been awarded more than $5.6 million in cancer research funding.