Cynthia Hawkins

Senior Scientist 
Cell & Systems Biology, The Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre

Dr. Cynthia Hawkins is a neuropathologist-scientist at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), with a clinical practice devoted specifically to paediatric neuropathology and a laboratory devoted exclusively to paediatric brain tumor research.

In the last five years, she has published over 50 papers related to paediatric brain tumors. Dr. Hawkins has made contributions relevant to a spectrum of paediatric brain tumors with a particular focus on glioma. She has served as the central reviewer for a Canadian national study of AT/RT, a recurrent high-grade glioma/ ependymoma trial through COG and serve as the paediatric central pathology reviewer for the Collaborative Ependymoma Research Network (CERN). In summary, Dr. Hawkins has a demonstrated record of accomplished and productive research projects as well as clinical expertise in the field of pediatric neuro-oncologic pathology. 

Research

Brain tumors are the largest group of solid tumours and the leading cause of cancer-related death in childhood. The most devastating are paediatric high-grade astrocytoma (pHGA), including diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG). These are incurable tumours with a median survival under two years. They respond poorly to conventional therapy and drug trials based on adult HGAs have not succeeded.

The discovery of recurrent histone mutations (H3K27M and H3.3G34R) in pHGA by us and others provided important clues regarding the role of epigenetic in the pathogenesis of these cancers. But despite these important genetic findings, there is still no effective treatment for these children.

The Hawkins lab is particularly interested in understanding what drives these tumours and how we can use this information to develop new therapies.

Education and experience

• 2025: President, Canadian Association of Neuropathology, Toronto, ON, Canada
• 2025: President Elect, International Society of Neuropathology, Toronto, ON, Canada
• 2025: Head, Division of Pathology, Department of Paediatric Laboratory Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
• 2020: Medical Director of Translational Molecular Pathology, Department of Paediatric Laboratory Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
• 2020: Garron Family Chair in Childhood Cancer Research, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
• 2014: Senior Scientist, Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
• 2013: Professor, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
• 2008–2013: Associate Professor, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
• 2007: Principal Investigator, Cell and Systems Biology, Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
• 2004–2008: Scientist-Track Investigator, Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
• 2002–2008: Assistant Professor, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
• 2002: Staff Neuropathologist, Department of Paediatric Laboratory Medicine, Division of Pathology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
• 2002: FRCPC, Neuropathology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
• 1997: MD, Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
• 1996: PhD, Physiology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
• 1992: B.Sc., Physiology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada

Achievemetns

• 2025: Elected to Royal Society of Canada (RSC), Ottawa, ON, Canada
• 2025: Alumni of Distinction Award, Western University, London, ON
• 2024: Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, Ottawa, ON
• 2021: William L. Gerald Award, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
• 2021: Richard G. Hegele Award for Excellence in Research and Innovation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
• 2020: Garron Family Chair in Childhood Cancer Research, SickKids, Toronto, ON
• 2011–2020: Lucien J. Rubinstein Award, American Association of Neuropathologists 
• 2010: Lotte-Strauss Prize, Society for Pediatric Pathology 
• 2009: Lucien J. Rubinstein Award, American Association of Neuropathologists 
• 2003–2007: Eli-Lilly/CCO/CIHR Clinician Scientist Award 
• 1999–2000: Mary Tom Award, Canadian Association of Neuropathology 

1. Buczkowicz P, Hoeman C, Rakopoulos P, Pajovic S et al. Genomic analysis of diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas identifies three molecular subgroups and recurrent activating ACVR1 mutations. Nature Genetics. 2014 May;46(5):451-6.
2. Khuong-Quang DA, Buczkowicz P, Rakopoulos P, Liu XY et al. K27M mutation in histone H3.3 defines clinically and biologically distinct subgroups of pediatric diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas. Acta Neuropathol. 2012 Sep;124(3)439-447. 
3. Zarghooni M, Bartels U, Lee E, Buczkowicz P et al. Whole-genome profiling of pediatric diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas highlights platelet-dericed growth factor receptor alpha and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase as potential therapeutic targets. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2010 Mar10;28(8)1337-1344.

See a full list of Cynthia Hawkins' publications

Funding

• b.r.a.i.nchild
• Brain Cancer Canada
• Canadian Cancer Society
• Canadian Cancer Society Research Institute (CCSRI)
• Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
• ChadTough
• Genome Canada
• Meagan Bebenek Foundation
• Ontario Genomics Institute
• Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR)
• Rally Foundation
• Terry Fox Research Institute
• We Love You Connie Foundation