Dr. Poul Sorensen is the recipient of the 2024 Doctors of BC Terry Fox Medal, a prestigious award recognizing outstanding individuals who have achieved success in clinical practice, research and/or teaching to advance cancer care. A distinguished scientist at the BC Cancer Research Institute (BCCRI) and professor in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of British Columbia (UBC), Dr. Sorensen was selected based on his remarkable contributions to the field of pediatric cancer research and in translating scientific discoveries into clinical practice.
Dr. Sorensen is an internationally renowned expert on childhood cancers, particularly the biology and genetics of high-risk solid tumours in children and young adults. His laboratory has discovered many novel genetic alterations in childhood cancers and breast tumours, and several of his publications are among the most highly cited sarcoma research articles on PubMed. His team’s findings have advanced our understanding of how certain proteins can transmit signals that may cause cells to become cancerous, and this research has translated into new diagnostic tests for specific tumours.
One particular achievement was his lab’s discovery of a recurrent genetic feature in human tumours called an NTRK fusion, which often plays a key role in the development of certain cancers. This discovery led to Health Canada and FDA approval in 2018, and now worldwide approval, of a first-in-class NTRK fusion inhibitor drug called Larotrectinib (brand name Vitrakvi).
