~Shared on behalf of Dr. David Anderson, Dean, Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Jeannie Shoveller, Interim Vice-President, Research, Nova Scotia Health, and Susan Mullin, President & CEO of QEII Foundation~
On behalf of the Faculty of Medicine, Nova Scotia Health, and the QEII Foundation we are pleased to announce that Dr. Carman Giacomantonio has been appointed the Gibran & Jamile Ramia Endowed Chair in Surgical Oncology Research, effective July 1, 2024, for a five-year term.
Dr. Giacomantonio, who is a surgical oncologist at the QEII Health Sciences Centre, professor of surgery and pathology at Dalhousie University and a senior clinician scientist of the Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, completed his medical degree at Memorial University in Newfoundland followed by his surgical residency training and a master's degree in Pathology, both at Dalhousie. He went on to complete subspecialty training in general surgical oncology at the University of Calgary before returning to Dalhousie to practice as a surgical oncologist and clinical scientist in 1999.
Dr. Giacomantonio’s early research pioneered intra-tumoral immunotherapy, using a tuberculosis vaccine to stimulate immune responses against tumors, with findings published in 2004. In 2014, he established a lab in the Department of Pathology in partnership with Dr. Paola Marcato, focusing on innovative cancer immunotherapies. In 2023, he began collaborating with Sona NanoTech Inc. to explore Gold NanoRod-based targeted hyperthermia for cancers like melanoma, breast cancer, and colorectal cancer. His team has submitted findings for publication and is planning a first-in-human clinical trial of this hyperthermia therapy for metastatic melanoma in 2025.
As Ramia Chair in Surgical Oncology, Dr. Giacomantonio will be responsible for establishing and fostering a program of world-class research in cancer within the Department of Surgery. This role will involve securing and sustaining peer-reviewed and other research funding to drive innovative studies on the causes, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of malignant diseases. He will identify and collaborate with research teams across disciplines, fostering a network of skilled experts to elevate research quality and productivity. In addition to leading original research, he will provide mentorship within the local cancer research community, promoting research training opportunities for emerging investigators. He will also serve as an ambassador for the Department of Surgery and the Faculty of Medicine, advancing regional, national, and international cancer research initiatives and partnerships.
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Giacomantonio on this appointment.
Dr. David Anderson
Dean, Faculty of Medicine
Dr. Jeannie Shoveller
Interim Vice-President, Research, Nova Scotia Health
Susan Mullin
President & CEO of QEII Foundation
