Dr. Katie Houlahan: Where Artificial Intelligence Meets Cancer Genome

Oct 13

3 min read

INTRODUCTION

Tumours are an abnormal mass of tissue that form when cells divide uncontrollably. These tumours can lead to serious health complications, with the most prominent being cancer. Currently there is no effective method to treat cancer due to the complexity of the disease and the varying molecular profile of the tumours. Therefore, understanding the molecular profile of the tumour in each unique individual can lead to more effective treatments for cancer. One of the leading scientists who has contributed to improving diagnoses and treatment is Dr. Katie Houlahan, who will be in this episode of “Office Hours Unplugged”.

Dr. Katie Houlahan

AFFILIATION

Dr. Katie Houlahan is an Assistant Professor at McMaster University and a Principal Investigator of the Houlahan lab. Her lab is a part of the department of Biochemistry and Biochemical Science and Centre for Discovery in Cancer Research.

ACADEMIC & TEACHING BACKGROUND

Undergraduate Study:

Dr. Houlahan attended McMaster University during her undergraduate, where she obtained a Bachelors of Science, specialized in Chemical Biology, and during this time she also had a laboratory job at the University of Toronto, where she found her passion for computational analysis.

Graduate Study:

Dr. Houlahan attended the University of Toronto to complete her Ph.D in Medical Biophysics under supervisor Dr. Paul Boutros. Her thesis asked the question of how germline polymorphisms contribute to the somatic variability of prostate cancer.

During the 4 years of her Ph.D she published 16-peer reviewed papers in journals such as Nature, Cell and Nature Medicine. Upon graduating she had received several awards including the Walker/Marshall Prize, recognizing her achievement in Medical Biophysics.

Post-Doctoral Training and Teaching Career:

Upon receiving a Ph.D Dr. Houlahan went on to becoming a Post-Doctoral Fellow at Stanford University under the guidance of Dr. Christina Curtis. She continued to explore the effect of inherited variants on tumour evolution with a focus on how they influence immune surveillance.

Upon completion of her post-doctorate she returned to McMaster University in 2024 to continue her career in research and education. Dr. Houlahan is currently an Assistant Professor at McMaster University where she runs a bioinformatic course, while maintaining her own lab.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

The Houlahan lab currently focuses on the integration of large scale, diverse tumour muti-omic data with machine learning models. Within the lab there have been several ongoing projects with two of the most notable being germline-mediated immunoediting and Pangenome DNA alignment.

Multi-omic data has the ability to analyze the bigger picture instead of looking at parts in isolation. Using machine learning models these high-dimensional analyses can be compressed into readable analytics for practical uses. These outputs can then be useful in finding treatments and understanding tumour systems as a whole instead of individually.

AWARDS & LEADERSHIP

Canadian Graduate Scholarships (2016)
CIHR Vanier Scholarship (2017)
Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship (2022)
American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) NextGen Star (2024)
Gairdner Early Career Investigator Award (2024)
Walker/Marshall Prize (2021)

EPISODE OVERVIEW

In this episode of “Office Hours: Unplugged” we will explore the academic journey of Dr. Katie Houlahan, as well as struggles within her specialized field. With topics ranging from data privacy to the complexity of tumour analysis, the episode provides insight on the difficulties and achievement of cancer genomics. We will also be provided life advice on how overcoming rejection and struggles can lead to great personal growth in both academia and ones personal life. Please join us in welcoming Dr. Katie Houlahan to this episode of “Office Hours: Unplugged” and we hope you all enjoy it.