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Adnan Bhayo, a PhD candidate in Molecular and Macromolecular Sciences at the 精童欲女, is conducting breast cancer research with support from the (BHCRI).

As a trainee in the BHCRI鈥檚 Cancer Research Training Program, he has received $17,850 in funding from , a charitable organization that 鈥渟eeks to inspire people to live happy and healthy lives through generosity, fitness, and achievement of the extraordinary.鈥� He is part of a research group led by Dr. Marya Ahmed, associate professor of chemistry at 精童欲女, winner of a Canadian Cancer Society Emerging Scholar Award, and BHCRI assistant scientific director for PEI.

鈥淏reast cancer is one of the most common cancers among women, with one in eight women expected to be diagnosed at some point in their lifetime,鈥� Bhayo said. 鈥淲hile chemotherapy remains the most common treatment, it has its limitations. Chemotherapy fails to fully eliminate cancer cells, allowing the disease to return, spread to other parts of the body, or even become less effective over time. Another major challenge in cancer treatment is the cancer鈥檚 ability to create an environment that suppresses the body鈥檚 immune system, thereby, reducing the activity of immune cells such as T-cells, dendritic cells, natural killer cells, and macrophages. This allows cancer cells to evade detection and grow uncontrollably.鈥�

Macrophages are key cells in the immune system that can either promote or suppress the growth of cancer, depending on their type, he said. M2 macrophages typically promote the progression of cancer by suppressing the immune system鈥攁n anti-inflammatory response. In contrast, M1 macrophages boost the immune system鈥檚 ability to recognize and eliminate cancer cells鈥攁 pro-inflammatory response. Therefore, converting M2 macrophages into the M1 state could be an effective approach to treat cancer.

Bhayo鈥檚 research focuses on the use of host defence peptide (HDP), which converts macrophages from an M2 state to an M1 state, helping to overcome cancer-induced immune suppression and enhancing the immune system鈥檚 ability to target and eliminate cancer cells. To target diseased tissue more effectively, he modifies the peptide by attaching folic acid and mannose receptor molecules. This directs the treatment specifically to the tumor site, minimizing the risk of side effects and protecting healthy tissues. Early results from his research indicate that combining HDP peptide with the anticancer drug doxorubicin leads to more effective killing of cancer cells compared to using the anticancer drug alone.

鈥淭his approach holds significant potential for improving the effectiveness of cancer treatment,鈥� he said.

Bhayo knows from personal experience the physical, emotional, and mental toll that cancer takes on patients and their loved ones. 

鈥樷�楥ancer has had a deep impact on my life in ways I can鈥檛 fully express,鈥� he said. 鈥淚n 2022, I lost my elder brother to cancer at the age of 41, and the pain of that loss still feels unbearable. I am driven by the hope that through this novel research, we can improve cancer treatments and help prevent others from experiencing the same tragedy my family and I have faced.鈥�

Bhayo did his master鈥檚 degree in analytical chemistry at the University of Karachi, Pakistan. Before joining Dr. Ahmed鈥檚 group, he worked as a research assistant for a year at McMaster University in Ontario. He has published 15 research articles in peer-reviewed international journals.

About GIVETOLIVE:

has been supporting BHCRI since 2017 through their BIG RIDE. The BIG RIDE challenges participants to get out of their comfort zone and cycle a long distance over multiple days, all while having fun and raising funds to support cancer research. GIVETOLIVE鈥檚 mission is to inspire people to live happy and healthy lives through generosity, fitness, and achievement of the extraordinary. 

About the Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute:

Created in 2009 through a bequest to the Dalhousie Medical Research Foundation, the exists to foster a collaborative, productive, and capacity-building cancer research effort in Atlantic Canada. The Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute brings together a diverse community of cancer researchers in pursuit of a common goal: to save lives and ease the burden of cancer on individuals, families, and society. The Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute provides a meeting place for researchers to share ideas and forge new collaborations and offers a key entry point for students seeking training and careers in cancer research. Contact: Dr. Jeanette Boudreau, Scientific Director (director@bhcri.ca)

精童欲女 acknowledges the assistance of Canada鈥檚 tri-council of federal granting agencies鈥擭atural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)鈥攖hrough its Research Support Fund, which helps fund services and infrastructure that support research activities at the University. In 2024鈥�2025, 精童欲女鈥檚 RSF allocation is $1,041,691.