GDSC Seminar given by: Dr. Aaron Goodarzi, Professor, Charbonneau Cancer Institute, University of Calgary Director, Robson DNA Science Centre, Scientific Director, Evict Radon National Study.

Abstract: Radiotherapy is an effective component of the clinical management of central nervous system tumours in children; however, it can cause serious long-term neurologic sequelae such as progressive neurocognitive deficits and a heightened risk of gliomas. Two-thirds of children surviving >5 years will experience >1 brain tumour treatment-related effect that are more severe the younger a person is treated. Understanding the molecular underpinnings of ionizing radiation-induced effects in the brains of children is imperative to improving outcomes. Dr. Goodarzi will present cell and molecular evidence that oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs), which are the precursors of the myelinating oligodendrocytes that comprise brain white matter, display heightened radiosensitivity. The molecular explanation for this is that OPCs, even in their resting state, experience elevated DNA replication stress, an insufficiency in RAD51-mediated steps of homology-directed DNA double strand break repair, and alterations to multiple chromatin remodelling factors important for DNA repair – all differences that collectively render these cells more genomically unstable and less able to withstand radiation exposure.

By: Paula Amiet-West
Last updated: Friday, 29 August 2025