Andrew Beharry has been promoted to Associate Professor with tenure, effective July 1st, 2023. Professor Beharry joined the University of Toronto in 2016 and holds an appointment at the Department of Chemical and Physical Sciences at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) and the Graduate Department of Chemistry.
The Beharry Lab focuses on creating novel cancer therapies, such as developing new drugs and improving current diagnostic tools. Since the standard treatment for cancer, particularly chemotherapy and radiation, does not effectively treat some cancers. Their endeavors include creating photo-activable drugs, novel photosensitizers to enhance photodynamic therapy, and fluorescent chemosensors for diagnosis and drug screening. This transformative research could increase the survival rates for cancer patients who could not benefit from traditional treatments.
My sincere appreciation goes out to my trainees who have contributed to the current progress of my research program. Special thanks to my mentors, Prof. Andrew Woolley (Ph.D. Supervisor) and Prof. Eric Kool (Postdoctoral Supervisor), who provided me with the core training that enabled me to get to this stage in my career. I also thank my undergraduate professor, Philip Johnson, whose teaching had first sparked my interest in biological chemistry.
-Andrew Beharry on his promotion
In addition to his research, he actively partakes in various community and campus engagement initiatives. These include serving as an advisor for the UTM Cancer Awareness Student Organization, participating in cancer fundraising events such as Relay for Life, and playing basketball with fellow staff, students, and faculty at UTM.
His innovative cancer research has earned him the UTM Research Prize and the Connaught New Researcher Award. Various grants have supported his projects, such as NSERC Discovery, New Frontiers in Research Fund, Cancer Research Society and the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada.