Benjamin Lok, MD

Physician-scientist, thoracic oncologist (radiation). DNA repair, novel therapeutics, resistance mechanisms. @pmcancercentre @RadMedPM @PMResearch_UHN @UofTDRO

[Benjamin Lok, MD @BenLok]

1. Rebooting twitter (last tweet 7yrs ago!) for lab, now an apt time for intro #threads on Lok lab's bckgrnd. Mission is to improve the outcomes of lung cancer patients by developing novel therapeutic strategies(esp. related to DNA repair) + understanding resistance mechanisms

[UHN Research @UHN_Research]

Researchers at @PMResearch_UHN have identified a potential new target to enhance radiation therapy for #SmallCellLungCancer.

Blocking HDAC3 protein function makes cancer cells more sensitive to radiation.

🔗 Read more: https://t.co/98WNq5wV6g

[Princess Margaret Cancer Centre Research @PMResearch_UHN]

A team led by Dr. @BenLok @UHN has found a new target to enhance radiation therapy in small cell lung cancer. By removing the function of gene HDAC3, cancer cells became more sensitive to radiation and tumour growth was inhibited:

https://t.co/aIPDy9kYky;
https://t.co/CgOONdnsii

[Princess Margaret Cancer Centre Research @PMResearch_UHN]

🧬 The team also found that PRMT inhibitor could improve SCLC treatment outcomes from an epigenetic point of view: A PRMT inhibitor (MS023) disrupts splicing, increases DNA damage & shows strong synergy with chemo & radiation.

Published in Neoplasia: https://t.co/4r60aOwsWC

[Princess Margaret Cancer Centre Research @PMResearch_UHN]

🔬 New strategy to boost immunotherapy for small cell lung cancer (SCLC): Combining PARP inhibitors + radiotherapy activates immune pathways & boosts T cell-attracting chemokines, discovered by @BenLok’s team at @UHN @pmcancercentre.

Read in @NatureComms: https://t.co/0TZpb86kQX

[Benjamin Lok, MD @BenLok]

Thanks @hansenhe7 + @NSonenberg for their expertise and generous collaboration, and support by @ConquerCancerFd , @IASLC , @tfri_research among other funders!

And congratulations to 1st author Xiaozhuo Ran, co-authors, and lab!
@UofTDRO @RadMedPM @PMResearch_UHN @UHN

3/3

[Benjamin Lok, MD @BenLok]

Our latest lab paper is here!

"PARP inhibitor radiosensitization enhances anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy through stabilizing chemokine mRNA in small cell lung cancer"

https://t.co/QeCRxNeAxz
https://t.co/D5Nh4NAzK5
@NatureComms
1/3

[Benjamin Lok, MD @BenLok]

How do immunogenic radiosensitizers work?

Unexpectedly, we found they also decrease a mRNA degrader, EIF4E2, ultimately contributing to increased T cell attractant chemokines and immunotherapy efficacy in preclinical models.

2/3

[Gerry Hanna @gerryhanna]

Is PARPi safe with consolidative RT in ES-SCLC?
🔊Seems so

Ph1 presented by @BenLok at #ASTRO24 of Talazoparib concurrent with RT.

👉MTD of talazoparib with RT is 1 mg
👉5% Grade 3 and 55% Grade 1-2 oesophagitis
👉No new safety signals

⏭️Future combos with IO and BiTEs

[Henning Willers, MD, FASTRO @HenningWillers]

#ASTRO24
Terrific early morning #lungcancer session🫁‼️

@BenLok reporting on tolerability of PARPi with IMRT as consolidation in patients with ES-SCLC🙏

Important to restrict esophagitis‼️

Excellent basis for future development of PARPi in this space👍 #LCSM

[Henning Willers, MD, FASTRO @HenningWillers]

Pleasure to run into @BenLok at #ASTRO24 👍

@Advances_ASTRO & @IJROBP #RadBio Section editors committed to promoting robust & translational radiation biology research 😊😊

📢And we welcome your submissions🙏🙏

@sueyom @RachelJimenezMD

[Advances, an ASTRO Journal @Advances_ASTRO]

Keep your 👀's on @Advances_ASTRO Editorial Board and give us a follow because there is more content headed your way! #ASTRO24 @khintenlang @JillRemickMD @BenLok @mirandalammd @stevebraunstein @mknoll_md @ACurreyMD @JingZeng98195 @KrishanJethwa @RachelJimenezMD

[Advances, an ASTRO Journal @Advances_ASTRO]

Connect with Editor-in-Chief, @RachelJimenezMD at the ASTRO Meter Board, happening now at the ASTRO Resource Center! Learn more about the future of the journal and how to get involved! #ASTRO24 @BenLok @KrishanJethwa @stevebraunstein @HenningWillers

[Advances, an ASTRO Journal @Advances_ASTRO]

We’re here on the first day of #ASTRO24, bringing you educational content from our journal! Follow & spread the word!

[Advances, an ASTRO Journal @Advances_ASTRO]

Welcome to Advances in Radiation Oncology's X account! Follow us here to read about the latest advances in our field and to learn about innovative scholarship emerging from our specialty! #ASTRO24

[Benjamin Lok, MD @BenLok]

Congratulations to @lillian_siu for being this year's @ASCO David Karnofsky Memorial Award #ASCO24 recipient 🏆+ delivering an inspiring award lecture!🎇🎆 @pmcancercentre @PMResearch_UHN @UHN @akeithstewart

[Benjamin Lok, MD @BenLok]

Congratulations to @MeredithGiulia1 on being inducted as a Fellow of @ASCO - a big honor 🏆🏆🏆 All of us at @RadMedPM @UofTDRO @pmcancercentre @PMResearch_UHN @UHN are very proud of you 🎉🎊🎉 @DKirschMDPhD @ldawsonmd @akeithstewart #ASCO24

[IJROBP - The Red Journal @IJROBP]

No SUNSET on this ultracentral trial of 60 Gy in 8 fractions
<7% grade 3-5 AEs, ~90% local control
Online at: https://t.co/f4Hhb5vFvI
@MeredithGiulia1 @BenLok @DrAlexLouie @HoudaBahig @DrBezjakRO @ScottBratman @drdavidpalma

[iacovos michael 🇨🇦 @IacovosMichael]

This week marks 1 year since we initiated NET tissue biobanking. Today, we received tissue samples from the 40th patient.
We want to take this opportunity to express our deep gratitude to all the patients who have generously donated samples.
@HalletJulie @CureNETs @tfri_research

[Benjamin Lok, MD @BenLok]

Proud to be a part of this cohort and to be promoted at @UofTDRO - congrats to my fellow colleagues!🎉🎉🎉 @CathCoolens @jenncroke @alexandrarink2 @daniellerodin #TeodorStanescu @dr_vesi and thanks to mentors, colleagues, and my family for all their support+encouragement! 🙏

[Radiation Oncology @UofTDRO]

We are delighted to announce the successful promotion of seven faculty in UTDRO for the current academic cycle! Join us in congratulating them on their well-deserved achievements! @CathCoolens @jenncroke @BenLok @alexandrarink2 @daniellerodin #TeodorStanescu @dr_vesi @ldawsonmd

[Benjamin Lok, MD @BenLok]

@freddyeescorcia Thanks @freddyeescorcia !