2009 Grant Recipients
2009 GRANT RECIPIENTS
In 2009 through our collaboration with Cancer Australia, Cure Cancer Australia will co-fund over $900,000 in vital seed funding to 12 exceptional cancer researchers . This years contribution to the cancer research community takes our funding total to over $11 million dollars.
Essential to Cure Cancer Australia's mission to support researchers at the most promising point in their careers, our grant recipients have less than 7 years post-doctoral experience. These talented men and women underwent a rigorous application process involving Cure Cancer Australia's Medical Grants Advisory Committee, the NHMRC and Cancer Australia to ensure only very high quality applications were recommended to the Board of the Foundation. Receiving a grant from Cure Cancer Australia gives them the vital support they need to develop their careers and to allow them to be at the forefront of cancer research and in the labs performing their essential work.
The research projects being supported this year span different areas of cancer research including: melanoma, finding improved treatments for leukaemia, investigating an important side effect of chemotherapy, pancreatic cancer, a new method for making sure cancer treatments reach their target, children's cancer, breast and ovarian cancers, prostate, bowel and liver cancer, and cancer cells.
Cure Cancer Australia is a non-profit organisation which relies on the contribution of many individuals and businesses who have generously donated, raised funds, or volunteered their services. Funds were raised for research through various channels including Macquarie Group Foundation, the Can Too Program, Denton Family Trust, Young Cure Cancer Australia Carnivale Ball, Team Brett and the Brett Levien Sarcoma Cancer Foundation, Peats Bite, Worlds Best BYO, Blackmores 3 Island Race, Pink Frangipani Ball, Workplace Giving, Christmas cards, bequests and corporate and general donations. We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to our supporters for their continued generosity. To download a summary of our 2009 Grant recipients click here
To download our researcher profiles click here
Our exceptional 2009 grant recipients are:
DR KELLY AVERY-KIEJDA
Macquarie Group Foundation Cancer Fellow - To read more on Kelly click here.
How a gene that provides powerful protection against cancer gets neutralised in melanomas.
Melanoma is a major health problem in Australia because it is highly resistant to treatment. A tumour suppressor gene, called p53, provides powerful protection against cancer and is essential for the killing of cancer cells by therapeutic treatments. The p53 gene does not function properly in melanoma and the possible reasons for this remain unknown. We will study how smaller forms of p53 (isoforms) neutralize the function of p53. This study will provide us with a better understanding of why p53 does not function properly in melanoma and why melanoma fails to respond to treatment. This may lead to more effective treatments for melanoma.
DR NIKOLAS HAASS
Grant funded by the Denton Family Trust - To read more on Nikolas click here
Melanoma stem cells
Melanoma is the most aggressive skin cancer and is highly resistant to conventional therapy. The prognosis for metastic melanoma remains dismal with a survival of 6-10 months. Melanoma stem cells may be responsible for the therapy resistance. In this planned study, as an alternative to chemotherapy, which has very low success rates, we want to establish a more specific targeted therapy inhibiting certain mechanisms in tumour cells and tumour stem cells to block melanoma growth and spread.
DR PHOEBE PHILLIPS - To read more on Phoebe click here
Factors influencing the growth of pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer is a leading cause of death in Australia with most patients dying within a few months after diagnosis. Surgery, chemotherapy or radiation have limited benefit. Clearly, novel therapeutic approaches are needed for this disease. This project studies the cells involved in the local tissue reaction around pancreatic cancer. These cells may determine the progression of cancer. Modulation of their behaviours may limit pancreatic cancer growth, thereby improving clinical outcome.
DR ELEANOR AGER - To read more on Eleanor click here
How bowel cancer spreads to the liver
The spread of cancer (metastasis) to the liver is the leading cause of death in patients with colorectal cancer. Recent studies suggest that inhibitors of the Renin Angiotensin System (RAS) can reduce tumour growth and metastasis. RAS blockade may, therefore, provide a cheap and effective adjunctive treatment for colorectal cancer. This study will establish the role of the RAS in the normal liver and in tumours and the mechanisms by which RAS blockade inhibits the growth and spread of tumours.
DR AMBER ALSOP - To read more on Amber click here
Finding improved treatments for leukaemia
CLL is the most common form of leukaemia in adults in the Western World. Many patients develop resistance to current chemotherapies. The development of novel therapies for these patients is hampered by the limited platforms for pre-clinical testing of new drugs or combination therapy regimens. We propose to overcome this by establishing a new in vivo model of CLL and will demonstrate its utility for testing new therapies, thereby hastening the introduction of new therapies to the clinic.
DR RACHEL GIBSON - To read more on Rachel click here
Investigating an important side-effect of chemotherapy
Many cancer patients suffer from diarrhoea as a result of their treatment. This is known as mucositis. There are few treatment options for this major clinical problem as the mechanisms causing its development are not fully understood. The aim of this project is to study how the gut bacteria are affected by chemotherapy and if the "good" bacteria and "bad" bacteria present influence the development of diarrhoea. This is highly significant as it will allow for targeting of new treatments.
DR KARA PERROW - To read more on Kara click here
A new method for making sure cancer treatments reach their target
This project aims to develop a new generation of novel targeted cancer therapeutics based on potent toxins coupled to a delivery agent that selectively identifies and targets a critical marker of malignancy. This marker is known to be present in high concentrations on cancer cells but not normal cells, providing a key point of selectivity. It is anticipated that this strategy will therefore specifically deliver the novel toxins to tumours and significantly reduce toxicity related side effects.
DR IVAN IVETAC - To read more on Ivan click here
A gene involved in breast and ovarian cancers
PIK3CA (a signalling enzyme) mutations are frequently found in a number of common human tumours including breast, ovarian and colorectal cancers. We will utilise a novel mouse model created in our laboratory to understand the role of PIK3CA mutations in cancer development. Understanding the mechanisms by which PIK3CA mutations initiate and/or potentiate tumour growth will allow the rational design of novel anti-cancer agents that specifically target this important cancer pathway.
DR ANDREA MARKUS - To read more on Amber click here
Why genes are regulated differently in cancer cells
Normal growth of human cells must be regulated precisely on a genetic level. Genes have to be translated into proteins by a complex mechanism. Even slight changes in this mechanism can result in uncontrolled growth of the cells and will eventually cause cancer. How and why this happens is still not fully understood. This project will investigate some of the factors that can derail on the complex track from gene to protein and will look at their involvement in the development of cancer.
DR ULLA SIMANAINEN - To read more on Ullaclick here
Hormones that may protect against prostate cancer
Glucocorticoid hormones act via glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and typically stop dividing cells from multiplying, and may directly restrict the growth of prostate including prostate cancer. GR is reduced at early stage of prostate cancers and we hypothesise that its loss increases the abnormal proliferation of prostate epithelial cells and leads them to become cancerous. If this is true, this would create wider and more optimal use of glucocorticoids in treating advanced prostate cancer.
DR JORDANE MALATERRE - To read more on Jordane click here
Protecting childrens brains against side-effects of radiotherapy treatment for cancer
Up to 40% of treated young cancer patients suffer long term cognitive loss that manifests as lowered intelligence quotients, reduced learning and memory performance. Our objectives are: i) understand the biological processes of irradiation induced damage to the young brain and ii) evaluate therapeutic interventions in a brain focused irradiation model in young mouse that help in reducing long-term radiation side-effects that will translate in children following radiotherapy.
DR VANESSA BONAZZI - To read more Vanessa click here
Finding more of the genes that normally protect against melanoma
Melanoma is a cancer with universally poor prognosis once metastases have developed. There are no truly effective therapies for secondary melanoma and current treatment regimens generally rely on non-selective cytotoxic drugs. There is an urgent need to develop more targeted approaches to treat this disease, but this requires a more comprehensive knowledge of the genes and cellular pathways that are disrupted. Through this project we will identify several new genes involved in the development and progression of melanocytic tumours. This will shed light on some of the mechanisms underlying melanoma tumorigenesis and will therefore point to potential molecular targets which may be useful for the rational design of therapies to treat melanoma.
