On November 22nd, 2022, TAISM’s STEM club visited Dr. Sirin’s cancer research lab at SQU to learn about the impact our school’s Terry Fox donations have had on the search for a cure for cancer. 

Dr. Sirin and her colleagues walked the members of our club through their process and allowed us to ask many insightful questions. In addition, our members viewed real, aggressive and non-aggressive cancerous cells through a microscope. Dr. Sirin has offered to teach the members of the STEM club how to use the laboratory equipment so that we can volunteer and be a part of her research.

Dr. Sirin and her team work in SQU in the cancer research department. They dedicate their time and hard work toward finding the cure for cancer. In SQU, the researchers use advanced equipment, such as a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) thermocycler, to learn about cancer while searching for clues toward a cure. In Oman, the rates of women developing breast cancer are significantly higher than the global average. Female Omani cancer patients develop breast cancer, on average, at age 47 whereas the global average is 62. Dr. Sirin and her colleagues’ work is extremely important as understanding why Oman and other GCC countries’ citizens get cancer at higher rates could be what allows our world to finally find a cure for cancer. Every year the TAISM students, faculty, and families maintain the tradition of fundraising through the Terry Fox Run. TAISM is a major contributor for Dr. Sirin’s lab, and not only raises funds but spreads awareness of the importance of cancer research. 

Dr. Sirin and her colleagues’ work is extremely important as understanding why Oman and other GCC countries’ citizens get cancer at higher rates could be what allows our world to finally find a cure for cancer.

With my personal experience in the lab, I am in awe of the amazing work Dr. Sirin and her colleagues are doing with their research. Also, I am excited to participate in the volunteer training opportunities Dr. Sirin has graciously offered the TAISM STEM Club. I am so happy to be a part of the TAISM Terry Fox run because I know that our commitment will benefit the researchers, our community, and the world. I encourage everyone to watch the video at the top of this page, to see Dr. Sirin and her team explain this amazing work themselves.  - Guest article by Eva Bonde, TAISM Senior and HS STEM Club Founder

This year’s Terry Fox Theme is “Together we are STRONGER!”