Welcome to my website!
|
Here you’ll discover my journey from exploring the mysteries of Loop Quantum Gravity to breakthroughs in Cancer research, as well as my personal thoughts on navigating science and life as a woman in STEM.
Explore, engage, and feel free to connect if you’re on a similar journey or share similar passions-- I’d love to hear from you! - Lu |
What is The Unified Theory of Cancer?
The term “Unified Theory of Cancer” initially started as a light-hearted joke while discussing my journey from exploring unified theories in physics, such as Loop Quantum Gravity and String Theory, to studying Immuno-Oncology. Over time, however, the term gained deeper meaning.
When I began working with cancer, the first question I encountered was, "What type of cancer would you like to study?" Every cancer type is distinct, with unique characteristics and challenges. My response was ambitious but sincere: "I want to study all of them! I want to cure them all!" This led me to ask myself: What’s the common denominator among all cancer types? What unifies them? The answer, I realized, is the immune system.
The immune system is the body’s natural defence mechanism against foreign invaders, including pathogens and abnormal cells. It plays a critical role in immune surveillance, identifying and eliminating precancerous or malignant cells. However, cancer cells have evolved sophisticated mechanisms to evade or suppress the immune response, allowing them to grow unchecked.
Immuno-Oncology seeks to harness the immune system’s innate abilities to fight cancer across all types. The unifying principle is this: every cancer type interacts with the immune system. By focusing on immune mechanisms, we can address the universal biology that underlies cancer progression, rather than targeting specific mutations or tissue types. This makes the immune system a central, unifying element in cancer research and treatment.
When I began working with cancer, the first question I encountered was, "What type of cancer would you like to study?" Every cancer type is distinct, with unique characteristics and challenges. My response was ambitious but sincere: "I want to study all of them! I want to cure them all!" This led me to ask myself: What’s the common denominator among all cancer types? What unifies them? The answer, I realized, is the immune system.
The immune system is the body’s natural defence mechanism against foreign invaders, including pathogens and abnormal cells. It plays a critical role in immune surveillance, identifying and eliminating precancerous or malignant cells. However, cancer cells have evolved sophisticated mechanisms to evade or suppress the immune response, allowing them to grow unchecked.
Immuno-Oncology seeks to harness the immune system’s innate abilities to fight cancer across all types. The unifying principle is this: every cancer type interacts with the immune system. By focusing on immune mechanisms, we can address the universal biology that underlies cancer progression, rather than targeting specific mutations or tissue types. This makes the immune system a central, unifying element in cancer research and treatment.
The idea of the "Unified Theory of Cancer" reflects my belief that the immune system is the common denominator uniting all cancer types. Just as unified theories in physics aim to connect the fundamental forces of nature, enhancing the immune system’s ability to fight cancer has the potential to impact all cancer types.
By combining immuno-oncology, advanced immunotherapies, and interdisciplinary approaches—bridging physics, mathematics, computational modelling, and biology—I hope to make a significant difference in cancer research and treatment.
In essence, because the immune system operates in the same way across the body, strengthening it through a multidisciplinary approach could help combat any type of cancer. That’s why I see it as a “unified theory” for treating cancer—it brings everything together under one approach.