EDI Spotlight Series: Crizza Ching on her research, lessons learned and grad school highlights
In our EDI Spotlight Series we feature different lived experiences and perspectives on equity, diversity and inclusion from members of our IMS community.
Crizza Ching, She/Her
In this spotlight, we hear from Crizza, a PhD candidate conducting cancer and cardiovascular research under the supervision of Drs. Jason Fish and Dinesh Thavendiranathan at Toronto General Hospital Research Institute.
What extracurricular activities are you involved in?
Within the IMS, I am a member of the EDIIA Committee and its High-School Outreach Subcommittee. I am also one of the student co-leads for the annual Ori Rotstein Lecture in Translational Research and IMS Scientific Day. Outside of IMS, I am involved with the UHN STEM pathways, a high-school outreach program which aims to instill STEM interest in youth. I am also part of the Toronto RIOT team, an organization that spreads awareness of cancer and on-going research. I am also heavily involved with the Cardiovascular Sciences Collaborative Specialization at U of T and the Canadian Cardio-Oncology Network.
How did you become interested in cancer and cardiovascular research?
I have always been interested in cancer and cardiovascular research due to my educational background and personal experiences. It wasn’t until I joined Dr. Fish and Dr. Thavendiranathan’s lab that I got introduced to cardio-oncology. I realized that cardio-oncology is an important overlap of both of my research interests. Many cancer treatments can cause long-term damage to the heart, ultimately leading to heart failure and other cardiovascular complications. The mechanisms driving these are currently unknown. An aggravating cardiovascular disease on top of cancer causes a significant burden in quality of life. At times, cancer treatment has to be modified or stopped which can also hinder survival.
My PhD project aims to uncover the underlying molecular mechanisms of cardiotoxicity, with the goal of identifying potential biomarkers that can be used in the clinic to identify patients at risk before they progress into overt heart failure. This research might also unveil novel therapeutic targets that can be used as cardioprotective management strategies without compromising cancer survival. The more I got involved, the more I realized the timely importance of this work.
What is an empowering lesson you have learned?
“Fear is not a bad thing; using it as a reason to avoid doing something that matters is.” It took me a while to really grasp this idea, but employing this lesson in everything I do contributed the most to my personal and professional growth. I used to be scared of presenting, meeting new people, taking on leadership roles, trying new protocols in lab, and the list goes on! If I hadn’t pursued these because of fear of failing or embarrassment, I would not have made progress in my career, nor would I have formed the meaningful relationships that I have today.
What has been the highlight of graduate school so far?
I would say it’s the privilege of working with such a diverse group of individuals in both my research and extracurricular activities who share the same passion as I do. Before I started graduate school, I thought this would be a very independent journey, but I quickly realized that collaboration and working with others is key to growth and progress. It helped me look at things from different perspectives, be a better scientist, leader, and the best part is that I made friends along the way! I have now come to appreciate that the best ideas emerge when diverse minds come together, and that’s how we can truly make a difference.
If you are an IMS community member who would like to take part in the EDI Spotlight Series, please reach out.
