Growing up in Lloydminster, a town of some 31,000 on the Alberta-Saskatchewan border, Clark Thomson never imagined that one day he would be working to solve the mysteries of metastatic breast cancer in a big-city research laboratory.
“In small communities like the one I come from, most people go into the ‘trades’ once they graduate from high school,” he says.
But when it was Thomson’s turn to graduate and begin plotting his own future, it was McGill University, across the country in Montreal, that held the most appeal.
However, such a move would have been difficult to contemplate without the financial support he received through the Best in the West awards program. Since its inception in 2008, this donor-funded program has supported more than 330 students from Canada’s four western provinces.
“I am incredibly grateful that I was able to study at McGill – thanks in large part to the Best in the West scholarship I received,” says Thomson. “The chance to live in a large and culturally diverse city like Montreal has broadened my horizons and given me a fresh perspective on the world.”
After graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Anatomy and Cell Biology in 2019, Thomson decided to remain at McGill and pursue a Master’s degree in Biochemistry. As part of his studies, he is conducting research at the Goodman Cancer Institute (GCI), one of the country’s most renowned hubs of cancer research.
“Like many people working in the cancer research field, there is a personal aspect that motivates me – in this case it is studying breast cancer,” says Thomson.
It is research that he is deeply passionate about.
Working in the lab of Peter Siegel, an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine and Associate Director of the GCI, Thomson studies mouse and human models of breast cancer metastasis – the spread of cancer cells from the primary tumor to sites throughout the body. Once this occurs, the disease is largely incurable.
“Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a particularly aggressive and difficult to treat sub-type. Our lab has identified a specific protein that is highly expressed on the surface of cancer cells and facilitates the spread of breast cancer from its initial tumor to other sites in the body.”
For Bruce Lennox, Dean of the Faculty of Science, where Thomson did his undergraduate degree, the Best in the West program benefits both McGill and award recipients.
“It makes us a national university, and this program is an enabler. It’s telling students ‘You should look at McGill. You didn’t think about McGill? You could get funding.’”
“I think that this type of program is intrinsically a leadership program because five and 10 and 15 years from now, I guarantee you that you’re going to see the list of these Best of the West students and they’ll be in leadership positions in this country. I’m certain of it.”
While moving across the country to attend McGill was an exciting step for Thomson, leaving his home, family and friends did not come without its lonely moments. “When I arrived in Montreal I knew no one, and I was kind of flying blind,” says Thomson.
He joined the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) and helped coordinate social events like Halloween and Super Bowl parties. “Working on these activities was lots of fun and helped me build a little family of friends in Montreal.”
Thomson, a keen athlete, was a member of the Varsity Track and Field team but decided after one year to focus more of his time and energy on academics and research. He also helped out at large campus events like Orientation and Science Frosh Week and got involved in the Winter Carnival – an event close to his heart, as it doubles as a fundraiser for cancer research.
Looking to the future, Thomson plans to continue in the field of cancer research. “When I started working in a lab, it was a big aha! moment for me. I knew right away that I had found my niche – and something that I want to pursue.”
Stay tuned for more updates this fall as McGill officially launches a new campaign in support of the Best in the West awards program. In the meantime, you can support the campaign today through your next gift to McGill using the giving link below.