Hakem, Razqallah

Biography

Dr. Hakem is a Senior Scientist at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and a Professor at the Department of Medical Biophysics at the University of Toronto. He received his Ph.D degree from the University of Aix-Marseille II, France. He completed post-doctoral training at Howard Hughes Medical Institute/Washington University Medical School, Saint Louis in the US and the Amgen Research Institute in Toronto. Dr. Hakem started his faculty position in 1998 and has focused the research of his laboratory on cancer mechanisms. Using cancer genetics he has identified novel tumor suppressor genes (e.g. RNF8, MUS81 and PIRH2) and has also investigated the mechanisms of function and regulation of some major human tumor suppressor genes (e.g. BRCA1 and P53). Dr. Hakem is a world-class expert in cancer genetics, cell signaling and molecular oncology. His work has been published in leading journals including Cell, Science and The Journal of Experimental Medicine. Several of his former trainees have faculty positions or influential jobs in the private sectors.   Dr. Hakem is a Senior Scientist at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and a Professor at the Department of Medical Biophysics at the University of Toronto. He received his Ph.D degree from the University of Aix-Marseille II, France. He completed post-doctoral training at Howard Hughes Medical Institute/Washington University Medical School, Saint Louis in the US and the Amgen Research Institute in Toronto. Dr. Hakem started his faculty position in 1998 and has focused the research of his laboratory on cancer mechanisms. Using cancer genetics he has identified novel tumor suppressor genes (e.g. RNF8, MUS81 and PIRH2) and has also investigated the mechanisms of function and regulation of some major human tumor suppressor genes (e.g. BRCA1 and P53). Dr. Hakem is a world-class expert in cancer genetics, cell signaling and molecular oncology. His work has been published in leading journals including Cell, Science and The Journal of Experimental Medicine. Several of his former trainees have faculty positions or influential jobs in the private sectors.  

Research Interest

The focus of our research is to characterize novel genetic risk factors, cell signaling and molecular oncology mechanisms that drive development and progression of human cancer. We also aim to identify novel strategies to improve cancer therapy. Deregulation of cell signaling pathways not only impairs development and differentiation; it also frequently drives the development of human cancers. Therefore, our laboratory is investigating the role in cancer of different key siganling pathways including the DNA damage response, NOTCH, WNT, and the HIPPO pathways. Cancer genetics and biochemistry are fundamental to our research. Mouse models, murine and human tumor lines that we have generated, and biopsies from cancer patients are being employed to conduct our studies. Using a multidisciplinary approach that involves scientists, clinicians, pathologists and bioinformatics experts we work towards our long-term goal of contributing to better diagnosis and therapy for cancer patients.