Brandon University is proud to announce that graduate student Carter Williamson, working in the Breast Cancer Cell & Molecular Research Lab of Dr. Mousumi Majumder at Brandon University, has been awarded a 2025–2026 Research Manitoba Master’s Studentship Award. This highly competitive award supports master’s students across the province and provides them with funding to advance their research. Brandon University - September 25, 2025 Exploring why some TNBC cells survive chemotherapy Williamson’s work focuses on triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), one of the most aggressive and difficult-to-treat forms of breast cancer. Unlike other subtypes, TNBC lacks hormone and HER2 receptors that doctors typically target in treatment, leaving chemotherapy as one of the only available options. Unfortunately, many patients do not respond to chemotherapy, or their cancer eventually becomes resistant to the drugs. Williamson’s project explores how the metabolism of TNBC cells changes when exposed to chemotherapy, particularly to the commonly used drug doxorubicin, in order to uncover why some cancer cells survive treatment and how resistance develops. “I’m deeply honoured to receive the Master’s Studentship Award from Research Manitoba,” said Williamson. “This support will let me devote more time to exploring how TNBC cells change their metabolism during treatment resistance, and work toward finding markers that could help clinicians anticipate resistance and tailor treatments. It’s a big step forward for my research and for the patients who stand to benefit.” Funding supports breakthroughs in cancer resistance Dr. Majumder, who holds a Canada Research Chair (Tier II) in Genotoxicology, praised the achievement. “Carter’s project is exactly the kind of innovative, translational cancer biology work that we strive for in the Majumder Lab. His effort to dissect metabolic adaptations in TNBC and to tie those into potential biomarkers is not only scientifically rigorous, but holds real promise for improving therapeutic outcomes. We are very proud of his achievement and looking forward to where this research leads.” The Research Manitoba Master’s Studentship Award provides $20,000 in funding over one year, allowing students to focus on their studies and research while contributing to Manitoba’s growing research landscape. For Williamson, the award will support detailed experiments comparing TNBC cells that are sensitive to doxorubicin with those that have developed resistance, measuring differences in cell survival, metabolic activity, and gene expression. The ultimate goal is to better predict which cancers are likely to resist treatment and to reduce the need for high doses of toxic chemotherapy. Institutional support strengthens cancer research at Brandon U “As Dean of Science, I extend my sincere congratulations to Carter,” said Dr. Chris LeMoine. “Awards like this enhance Brandon University’s research profile, foster student success, and strengthen our capacity for impactful science right here in Brandon. We look forward to the contributions Carter will continue to make, both in the lab and in the broader scientific community.” Dr. Bernadette Ardelli, Vice-President (Research and Graduate Studies) at Brandon University, also celebrated the news. “This award is a wonderful recognition of both Carter’s dedication and the supportive research environment at BU,” she said. “The University is committed to nurturing talent and enabling bold research endeavours. We congratulate Carter, Dr. Majumder, and the entire team for earning this distinguished Studentship.” Williamson’s research highlights Brandon University’s growing reputation in health and biomedical research, and demonstrates how graduate students are making discoveries with the potential to improve cancer treatments and patient outcomes across Manitoba and beyond.