Breast Cancer & RNA Therapeutics: Exploring Inclusive Research and Career Opportunities

On Wednesday, October 22nd, a very special event took place, hosted by the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute (GCI) and DNA to RNA (D2R), in partnership with the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation, and Audace au Féminin. Centered around equity, diversity and inclusion in breast cancer research and careers, the evening titled “Breast Cancer & RNA Therapeutics: Exploring Inclusive Research and Career Opportunities” featured two insightful discussion panels—one focused on inclusive research pathways and RNA-based therapeutics, and the other on patient care and equitable access to new treatments.

Trina Johnson, PhD., Deputy Director of the GCI, and Giovanna Sebastiani, Director of Administration at D2R, offered welcoming remarks that highlighted the importance of collaboration across disciplines and communities to drive meaningful change.

We then had the privilege of hearing from breast cancer survivors Jennifer Fitzpatrick and Mélissa Nelson, who opened the evening by sharing their powerful personal stories and continued to enrich the discussions with their insight throughout the panels. This empowering event aimed at fostering discussions on how RNA therapeutics and breast cancer research can work along with equity, diversity, and inclusion practices to push further the fight against breast cancer.

The first panel explored the growing field of genomic-guided RNA therapeutics and how inclusive research environments can foster innovation. The GCI’s Hellen Kuasne, PhD., Research Associate in the Morag Park Laboratory, and Alice J. Nam, Ph.D. candidate in the William Muller Laboratory, joined fellow panelists to discuss how to better integrate EDI in our research from developing research projects to day-to-day laboratory practices.

The second panel turned to patient perspectives, focusing on the expectations and needs of individuals living with breast cancer and the challenges of ensuring equitable access to precision medicine.

The GCI is incredibly proud to have taken part in this empowering event and to continue supporting meaningful discussions that bridge research, patient experience, and community engagement. By advancing both scientific excellence and inclusion, we aim to help deliver more impactful results for patients and communities affected by all cancers.