Faculty member appointed to Hold’em for Life professorship in cancer research

In July 2024, Dr. Rachel Soyoun Kim, an assistant professor in the ob-gyn department and gynecologic oncologist at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, was named by Temerty Faculty of Medicine as Hold’em for Life Early Career Professor in Cancer Research.

The Hold’em for Life Charity Challenge partnered with Temerty Medicine and its affiliated hospitals in 2007 to advance cancer research and education. The Hold’em professorship is for a three-year term.

Her research focus is in endometrial cancer (cancer of the uterine lining), one of the most common gynaecologic cancers in Canada. Specifically, her research interests include molecular classification of gynecologic malignancies and cancer genomics. She completed a MHSc in Translational Research from the Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology, where she gained insight about bridging the gap between basic and clinical patient-oriented research.

We connected with Kim to learn more about her research and plans for the professorship.

Tell us about your current research in endometrial cancer.

My focus is on how we can improve patient outcomes by better understanding the tumour biology. Rather than an outdated ‘one size fits all’ approach, learning about each patient’s tumour biology will allow us to provide individualized care. In young patients, for example, that means addressing their obesity-led carcinogenesis through novel approaches. In older patients, that means examining their tumours’ molecular profile to see how we can best tailor their surgical treatment. It also means looking at innovative solutions to monitor patients for recurrences.

What are your goals for your professorship?

I want to continue to build our Comprehensive Endometrial Cancer Research Program. This means launching various clinical and translational research initiatives. For example, we are working on building a comprehensive endometrial cancer registry that will hold important information about our patient's disease and will serve as a foundation to answer future research questions.

With the funding that comes with the position, we will be able to conduct studies that will directly benefit our patients! That’s an exciting and inspiring prospect. 

How did it feel to receive the news from Hold ‘em? 

I was so excited! I was still on maternity leave at the time, and receiving this recognition was a great way to return to work!

It’s a huge honour, this professorship, and I feel I couldn’t have done it alone. I work with a fantastic research team as well as six other gynecologic oncologists at UHN who have been extremely supportive since the beginning of my career. I want to extend my special thanks to my mentor and colleague Dr. Sarah Ferguson, who has been instrumental in my journey as a clinician-investigator.