How This Is Building Me, hosted by world-renowned oncologist D. Ross Camidge, MD, PhD, is a podcast focused on the highs and lows, ups and downs of all those involved with cancer, cancer medicine, and cancer science across the full spectrum of life’s experiences.

In this episode, Camidge sat down with Dajan O'Donnell, PhD, who is the director of Research Partnerships at Cancer Research Society in Montreal, Canada.

Camidge and O'Donnell discussed O’Donnell’s journey into science. After being steered away from a career in science during grade school but re-igniting his interest in the field as a young adult, O'Donnell earned a PhD in neurology and neurosurgery and then worked for AstraZeneca, where he helped build a Montreal-based research unit from scratch that specialized in identifying novel targets for chronic pain. O’Donnell’s transition to the nonprofit sector was sparked by the closure of AstraZeneca’s Montreal site and a personal diagnosis of a desmoid tumor that required multiple aggressive surgeries, an experience that fueled his passion for supporting research that directly affects patients. Before joining Cancer Research Society, O'Donnell worked for Exactis Innovation, where he navigated complex provincial health care barriers to create a national molecular registry for patients with cancer.

Since joining Cancer Research Society, O’Donnell has expanded the organization's reach. Despite its relatively small size, Cancer Research Society is highly efficient, focusing almost entirely on funding research across all cancer types. Under O'Donnell's leadership, the organization’s financial commitment to cancer research has increased. Currently, O’Donnell is spearheading an unprecedented initiative to support investigator-initiated clinical trials in Canada. By leveraging partnerships with other agencies and foundations, this project aims to enhance clinical trial capacity across the country. This initiative serves as a cornerstone of O'Donnell's legacy as he prepares to transition into an advisory role over the next few years.

How This Is Building Me, hosted by world-renowned oncologist D. Ross Camidge, MD, PhD, is a podcast focused on the highs and lows, ups and downs of all those involved with cancer, cancer medicine, and cancer science across the full spectrum of life’s experiences.

In this episode, Dr Camidge sat down with Alex Alvarez, a board-certified civil trial lawyer who specializes in tobacco litigation and jury selection. Camidge and Alvarez discussed Alvarez's career path, which he attributes to a deep-seated passion for upholding justice. Alvarez’s professional life began early, when he became one of the youngest police officers in Miami. After working in patrol during a period of significant civil unrest, he moved into the detective bureau, eventually joining the homicide division. There, he worked on high-profile investigations. During a federal trial for corrupt officers, Alvarez served as the lead investigator and sat at the counsel table, an experience that inspired him to become a trial lawyer.

Although Alvarez initially planned to be a prosecutor, a prominent trial lawyer convinced him to enter private practice, focusing on high-end products liability and medical negligence. Alvarez eventually founded his own firm and became a leading figure in tobacco litigation. His cases focus on corporate malfeasance, arguing that tobacco companies engineered cigarettes to be addictive. He also sues for fraud, citing the industry’s history of denying the health risks associated with cigarettes and the marketing flaws surrounding "safer" cigrette alternatives. A master of jury selection, Alvarez has tried several tobacco cases. He emphasized the importance of finding jurisdictions where jurors are less likely to blame the smoker and more likely to hold corporations accountable.

Alvarez's law firm is a family-run business involving his children and relatives. Today, Alvarez is shifting toward consulting and mentoring the next generation of lawyers to continue the fight against tobacco.