Leslie Sutherland, Ph.D.
Career Scientist 

Current Positions
Career Scientist, Research Program, Regional Cancer Program of the Hôpital Régional de Sudbury Regional Hospital, Sudbury, Ontario

Associate Professor, Division of Medical Sciences, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Sudbury, Ontario

Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Laurentian and Lakehead Universities, with cross appointment to the Dept. Chemistry/Biochemistry and the Dept. Biology, Laurentian University

Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa

Education/Training
2000-2001 Research Scientist II, Segfried and Janet Weis Center for Research, Geisinger Clinic, Danville, PA, USA

1999-2000 Postdoctoral Fellow, The Pennsylvania State University, Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA, USA

1995-1998 Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Biological Sciences, Keele University, Staffordshire, England

1994  Postdoctoral Fellow, Laboratoire de Biologie Moleculaire et Cellulaire, University de Bourgogne, Dijon, France

1989-1994 PhD., University of Ottawa

1987-1988 Laboratory Manager, Molecular Genetics Program, Clarke Institute of Psychiatry, Toronto

1986-1987 Intermediate Research Technician II, Ontario Cancer Institute, Toronto

1984-1987 M.Sc. University of Guelph

1983-1984 B.Sc. Honours year, University of Guelph

1979-1981 B.Sc. Dalhousie University

Research Investigations
RBM5-related factors and cancer

The regulation of programmed cell death, or apoptosis, is fundamental to normal cellular homostasis. The balance between elimination of unnecessary or abnormal cells, and inhibition of apoptosis in normal cells is important for growth and development. Deregulation of apoptosis is one of the hallmarks of cancer. In fact, some tumour suppressor genes inhibit tumour growth by promoting apoptosis, while some oncogenes promote tumour growth by inhibiting apoptosis. One tumour suppressor that functions by promoting apoptosis is RBM5.

RBM5 is highly homologous to both RBM6 and RBM10, two proteins about which almost nothing is known The pre-mRNAs of both RBM6 and RBM10 are alternatively spliced, a process which appears to have significance in breast carcinogenesis. In my lab we pursue structure/function studies relating to RBM5, RBM6 and RBM10, in order to determine their mechanism of action and relationship to cancer.

Research Funding
Cancer Care Ontario
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
    (NSERC) 2009-14
Northern Cancer Research Foundation