Friday, September 18, 2026 2 pm to 5 pm
Kids Cancer Care Office
Join us for our first-ever research day, Curiosity Lab. While adults learn about the latest pediatric cancer research, young explorers will pull on their lab coats to participate in exciting hands-on experiments.
Adult Program
Valentine, Perraton and Arthur Boardroom
2 PM to 4:30 PM
Focus: Cutting-edge research, next-generation therapies, clinical trials and better care for children with cancer.
Learn about the most recent advances in pediatric cancer research, from single-patient mRNA trials to exercise therapy and cancer vaccines.
Cancer mRNA vaccines for hard-to-treat brain tumours:
Dr. Lucie Lafay-Cousin, MD
Highlight: A Canadian first—using single-patient mRNA vaccine studies to treat children with brain tumours.Supporting the transition to community-based physical activity for adolescents affected by cancer:
Carolina Chamorro-Vina, PhD, & Chantelle Ball, MKin
Highlight: Evaluating a teen activity program designed to reduce exercise barriers, build confidence and encourage active living to help manage long-term side effects.Protecting young minds: understanding how radiation affects thinking and learning in children with brain tumours
Dr. Brandon Craig, MD, PhD
Highlight: Using advanced neuroimaging to study the brain post-radiation and improve long-term cognitive outcomes.Small voices, big impact: turning symptom screening into better care
Fiona Schulte, PhD, RPsych
Highlight: Implementing a screening tool to identify and treat emotional and physical distress early.The perfect shot: a new vaccine for childhood cancer, because difficult-to-cure should never mean incurable
Dr. Aru Narendran, MD, PhD
Highlight: Vaccines to train immune response against high-risk leukemias, rhabdomyosarcoma, ependymoma, and DIPG.Young scientists’ presentations
KCC kids supported by Scientists in School.
Highlight: Young scientists share their experiments and research findings.
Kids Program
Shaw Education Centre
2:00 PM to 4:30 PM
Focus: Hands-on exploration, experimentation and discovery led by Scientists in School.
Explore the world around you through science. Learn about the scientific methods used to identify and categorize items. Explore a touch-and-feel station and perform an actual experiment. Then present your findings to your parents and the researchers.
Exploring planet Earth
The Earth is an apple: Interactive demo on Earth’s crust and inner components Make a soil profile: Hands-on soil sieving and custom profile creation.
Exploring living organisms
Classification systems: Using dichotomous keys and magnifying glasses to identify and classify resin insect samples. Ant communication: High-energy interactive game for younger participants.
Vertebrates or invertebrates?
Hands-on exploration using real bones, furs, and moults to identify vertebrates and invertebrates.
Discovery stations (free exploration)
WOW Zoology table: Touch-and-feel station with bones, shells, and furs, etc. Don’t take rocks for granite: Geology station featuring mineral samples, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. A whole new world: Explore with stereoscopes and light microscopes with prepared slides.
Formal experiments (scientific methods for different ages)
Float, sink, or flink? OR Which beak is best?
Mealworm habitat analysis using standard choice trays.
Owl pellet dissection.Young scientists’ presentations
Presentation prep: Children compile findings and rehearse presentations with Scientists at School.
Presentations: Children present findings to the adult group.
