Yiming Wang, MD, PhD, FRCPC

Funded by the Dick Vitale Pediatric Cancer Research Fund

Some children are born with changes in their genes that increase their risk of cancer. Doctors do not always know which children are at the highest risk or how often they should be checked. One common condition linked to childhood cancer is neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). Children with NF1 can develop tumours in the brain, nerves, and other parts of the body. They may also have other serious health problems. However, not all changes in the NF1 gene cause disease. This makes it hard for doctors to know which children need closer monitoring and which do not.Dr. Yiming Wang’s research will help answer this question. His team will build a detailed map of NF1 gene changes and their effects. Using new laboratory tools, the team will study thousands of NF1 gene variants. They will test how each variant affects the normal work of cells. This will help identify which gene changes are harmful and which are harmless.The findings could help doctors make more accurate diagnoses and reduce uncertainty for families. They could also reduce the number of unnecessary tests. Most importantly, they could help identify children who are at higher risk and need closer follow-up. This may allow dangerous tumours to be found earlier, when treatment can be more effective.In the future, this work could help doctors choose the best care for each child. It could improve the lives of children with NF1 and support better cancer care for many families.