
Master's Research Project
Illuminating Medulloblastoma
An educational animation about a novel route of medulloblastoma metastasis
Project Concept
Medulloblastoma is the most common childhood brain cancer. It has one of the highest mortality rates of paediatric cancers and currently has no targeted treatments. Cancer cells that break off from the primary tumour, known as metastases, are the leading cause of treatment failure and death in medulloblastoma patients.
For over a century, scientists assumed that medulloblastoma metastases travel exclusively in cerebrospinal fluid; however, novel research published by the Taylor Lab at SickKids Hospital in Toronto may revolutionize our understanding of this disease and offers promising leads for the development of new therapies.
Committee
Dr. Michael Taylor | MD, PhD, FRCS(C)
Dr. Craig Daniels | Hons BSc, PhD
Prof. Nick Woolridge | BFA, BScBMC, MSc, CMI, FAMI
Prof. Marc Dryer | Hons BA, MSc, MScBMC
Audience
Scientific Community: Graduate students, oncologists, researchers, and physicians
Lay Audience: Families of medulloblastoma patients, grant panels, people with interest
Background
The Story
For over a century, scientists believed medulloblastoma only spread through cerebrospinal fluid. New research reveals that medulloblastoma can spread through blood as well!
The Significance
Understanding that metastases can travel in a previously unknown way is critical for the development of therapies, disease management, and prognosis.
The Problem
Despite its significance, scientists are largely unaware of this new mechanism. Additionally, there is currently a lack of treatments that target metastases.
The Solution
Research has show that 3D animation can be an effective way to disseminate research findings to the community and increase interest in scientific topics.
The proposed solution — a 3D animation — will be used to visualize novel research on the circulatory route of medulloblastoma metastasis in order to achieve the following goals:
1
Disseminate this research to the scientific community
2
Generate interest
to fuel further research
3
Educate a lay audience (e.g. families of patients)
Pre-Production
Production



















Storyboard
Modelling
Animation
Composite




