A North Island College faculty member has received national funding to support hands-on learning and cancer research education for students.

Rishi Somvanshi, a Biology and Island Pre-Health Science faculty member at NIC, has been awarded a $10,000 grant from Prostate Cancer Foundation Canada.

The funding will be used to design new lab activities for third-year Island Pre-Health and Associate of Science students.

The grant focuses on curriculum innovation and knowledge translation, helping students connect classroom learning with real-world biomedical research.

The funding will be used to purchase samples, reagents and other essential supplies needed for laboratory work related to prostate cancer research and diagnostic techniques.

While prostate cancer is the initial focus, the lab model is designed to be adaptable and could be used to study other diseases in the future, including breast cancer.

The labs are intended to link biochemistry, molecular biology and clinical diagnostics, giving students experience with techniques such as identifying disease markers in tissue samples and using bioinformatics tools to analyze protein structures and mutations.

The course is part of NIC’s Island Pre-Health Science Advanced Diploma, which launched in 2023 and prepares students for further education in fields such as medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and physiotherapy.

Prostate Cancer Foundation Canada noted that the project will contribute to improving care related to prostate cancer while helping train the next generation of researchers.

For more information, visit North Island College.