SCCOHT-SMARCA4 Registry & Biobank
Our Objective
To collect clinical information and biological samples that support research to improve our knowledge of SCCOHT and SMARCA4 gene variants with the goal to improve outcomes for patients.
Our Contributors
Dr. William Foulkes, MBBS, PhD, FRCPC
Prinicipal investigator
Dr William Foulkes is a cancer geneticist who has collaborated with medical professionals worldwide for >25 years to improve understanding of hereditary cancers, including SCCOHT. He created this Registry to answer the need for better resources to study this rare cancer.
Melissa Tachdjian, BA
Clinical Research Coordinator
Melissa is the front line coordinator who communicates directly with Registry participants. She answers all questions, collects and curates participant information and coordinates with the biobank manager to acquire biological samples from participants.
Céline Domecq, MSc
Research Assistant
Céline is the biobank manager, she collects and processes all biological specimens in the biobank. She conducts some experimental procedures and collaborates directly with our scientific partners to share samples and expertise.
Nancy Hamel, MSc
Lab Manager
Nancy oversees administrative aspects of the Registry such as finances, ethics, and legal agreements for sharing Registry resources with other researchers. She also coordinates with the various team members to integrate the different activities of the Registry.
Leora Witkowski, PhD
Clinical Molecular Geneticist
Leora’s PhD work, under Dr Foulkes’s supervision, led to the discovery in 2014 that variants in SMARCA4 cause SCCOHT. She now focuses on SMARCA4 variant classification to improve the usefulness and accuracy of genetic testing for the disease.
Sidong Huang, PhD
Biochemist & Collaborator
Sid is our biochemistry expert and the Registry’s primary scientific partner. His research, which started before the creation of the Registry, involves identifying druggable targets that can improve treatments for patients with SCCOHT.
Provided By
The Eve Appeal
Charity
The Eve Appeal is the leading UK national charity funding research and raising awareness into the five gynaecological cancers – womb, ovarian, cervical, vulval and vaginal. They provided the funding that supported the creation of our Registry.
https://eveappeal.org.uk/
Small Cell Ovarian Foundation
The Foundation’s mission is to raise awareness for ovarian cancer, provide information to patients and their families, and to fund research into this dreadful disease. They collaborate with us to reach out to persons eligible to participate in our Registry.
https://smallcellovarian.org/
Katie Oppo Research
Fund
Their purpose is to fund research that targets the causes of ovarian cancer and investigates viable, ground-breaking avenues of prevention, treatment and cure. They collaborate with us to raise awareness about our Registry to potential participants and end users.
https://teamkatieoppo.org
Research Institute-McGill University Health Centre
The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) is a world-renowned biomedical and hospital research centre located in Montreal, Quebec. This is the institution where our research facilities are located. The institute provides the space, infrastructure and administrative support that allows us to do our work.
Department of Defense Rare Cancer Research Program
https://cdmrp.army.mil/rcrp/defaultThis competitive funding program awarded our team financial support to further develop our Registry and integrate it into an international Network for Rare Tumors of the Ovary (NRTO). * Inclusion on this web page does not constitute expressed or implied endorsement by the Department of the Army, Department of Defense, or the U.S. government.*