Scientist profiles G-L

Dr. Mary Jane Lim-Fat is a neuro-oncologist who specializes in the treatment of primary brain tumors and neurological complications of cancer. She has a particular clinical and academic interest in the young adult brain tumor population and patients transitioning from pediatric to adult neuro-oncological care.

Education:

• Master of Science, Epidemiology. Harvard Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States (2019-2021)
• Neuro-Oncology Fellowship. MGH-DFCI-BWH Neuro-Oncology Fellowship Program, Dana Farber Harvard Cancer Center, Boston, MA, United States (2018-2020)
• Adult Neurology Residency. Postgraduate Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada (2012-2018)
• Doctor of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada (2008-2012)
• Bachelor of Science (Honours), Life Science, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, Canada (2004-2008)

Appointments and Affiliations:

• Associate scientist, Evaluative Clinical Sciences, Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute
• Lecturer, department of medicine, Division of Neurology, U of T
• Co-lead, city-wide AYA CNS rounds

Research Focus:

• Correlation of molecular and imaging biomarkers with clinical outcomes in brain tumors
• Adolescent and young adult CNS oncology
• Clinical trials

Research Summary:

My research interest is in studying the association between molecular and imaging predictors of clinical outcomes in glioma to elucidate patterns of response and resistance. I also have a particular research interest in young adult patients with CNS tumors, in an effort to find novel and more precise treatment strategies for this unique population.

Selected Publications:

See current publications list at PubMed.

• Lim-Fat MJ, Maralani PJ. Is there an optimal MRI surveillance schedule for patients with high grade glioma after standard of care therapy? Neuro Oncol. 2021 Mar 1:noab053. doi: 10.1093/neuonc/noab053. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33674870.
• Lim-Fat MJ, Song KW, Iorgulescu JB, Andersen BM, Forst DA, Jordan JT, Gerstner ER, Reardon DA, Wen PY, Arrillaga-Romany I. Clinical, radiological and genomic features and targeted therapy in BRAF V600E mutant adult glioblastoma. J Neurooncol. 2021 Mar 1. doi: 10.1007/s11060-021-03719-5. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33646525.
• Iorgulescu JB et al (including Lim-Fat MJ). Concurrent Dexamethasone Limits the Clinical Benefit of Immune Checkpoint Blockade in Glioblastoma. Clin Cancer Res. 2021 Jan 1;27(1):276-287. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-20-2291. Epub 2020 Nov 25. PMID: 33239433.
• Lim-Fat MJ, Nayak L, Meredith DM. Genomic Biomarker Assessment in Gliomas: Impacts of Molecular Testing on Clinical Practice and Trial Design. Surg Pathol Clin. 2020 Jun;13(2):209-215. doi: 10.1016/j.path.2020.02.003. Epub 2020 Apr 7. PMID: 32389262.
• Touat M et al (including Lim-Fat MJ). Mechanisms and therapeutic implications of hypermutation in gliomas. Nature. 2020 Apr;580(7804):517-523. doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-2209-9. Epub 2020 Apr 15. PMID: 32322066.
• Lim-Fat MJ, Wen PY. Glioma progression through synaptic activity. Nat Rev Neurol. 2020 Jan;16(1):6-7. doi: 10.1038/s41582-019-0290-1. PMID: 31745299.