Megan Mitchell, a PhD student in the Department of Physiological Sciences at Stellenbosch University (SU), walked away with the prestigious Wyndham award for the best oral presentation at the annual conference of the Physiology Society of Southern Africa (PSSA) recently.

Megan is the fourth student from the cancer research group, led by Prof Anna-Mart Engelbrecht, to win the award. One of the former winners, Dr Ben Loos, is now a lecturer in the department, while another lecturer, Dr Bali Sishi, was a runner-up. Both of them had prof Engelbrecht as study leader.

As part of her research, Megan investigated the micro-environment of tumours and its effect on the progression of cancer and the resistance to therapy. Although the design of cancer chemotherapy has become increasingly sophisticated, it has not resulted in a cure of the majority of patients with metastatic disease.

Megan explains: “Cancer is extremely complex. There are, for example, genetic differences in tumours, even from the same tissue of origin. Furthermore, the interaction between the non-malignant cells and the cancer cells in the tumour micro-environment contribute to disease progression and drug resistance. I am interested in the interactive signalling between these cells and how it contributes to therapy failure."

For the first time, she could show that cancer cells communicate with non-malignant cells in the tumour micro-environment to secrete factors. It seems that this interaction promotes the spreading and aggressiveness of cancer (metastasis).

They are one of few research groups internationally to study not only cancer cells, but also their interactions with cells in their immediate environment. This type of research forms the very early stages of novel approaches to treat cancer.

Megan, who matriculated from the Cambridge Academy in Witbank, says she first enrolled in paramedic studies because she wanted to become a medical doctor. But after facing the intensity of road accidents, she changed her mind from wanting to become a medical doctor to doing medical research instead.

She plans to complete her PhD by the end of the year, after which she wants to pursue a career in cancer research.

More about the Wyndham award

The award, presented for the first time in 1986, is named in honour of Professor Cyril Wyndham, a South African internationally known for his work on heat stress physiology. Every year, the award goes to the young researcher with the best oral presentation in the Physiological Sciences at the conference. Out of the more than 250 attendees, 36 students took part in the competition this year.

On the photo above, PhD student Megan Mitchell (left) with her study leader, Prof Anna-Mart Engelbrecht.