Cancer research relies on communication and teamwork

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​Don't believe everything you see on TV.
​Scientists don't toil away by themselves in an empty lab all day.
We work together in teams of students, postdoctoral fellows, research associates and professors. We share ideas, engage in brainstorming sessions, troubleshoot each others' problems and seek out critical feedback. All of this input helps us refine our thoughts and come up with new ways to improve our
​understanding of cancer.

Lab Leaders

A professor heads up each research team.
The professor oversees all of the work in their lab, brainstorms new project ideas with their trainees, writes research papers to share their research with other scientists
​and applies for grants that fund the work in the labs.

Postdocs and Lab Associates

Postdoctoral research fellows, research associates and technicians are the senior members of the lab. They perform much of the hands on research in the lab, generate and test new ideas, oversee daily operations in the lab and help train and mentor the students they work with.

Graduate Students

Graduate students perform a lot of the hands on research in most labs, generate new ideas with their professors, and develop new ways of testing their ideas. These student researchers are working towards their MSc or PhD degrees, which require that they make novel contributions to science. 

Undergraduate Students

Undergraduate students participate in research either as part of research projects for their degrees or as volunteers who want to gain experience in research. Undergraduates work closely with graduate or postdoc mentors who teach them how to do research and develop ideas.

Training and mentorship are vital for cancer research

​Cancer research is powered by passion, hard work and new ideas. 
Trainees bring dedication and fresh eyes to cancer research and are invaluable to the process.
Mentorship and training are central to cancer research because they develop people who have the practical and intellectual skills necessary for science to excel.
Trainees learn from more senior lab members while guiding their more junior peers. Working together in this way ensures that cancer research is performed by strong teams who are committed to seeing both the research and each other succeed.