The vision of a maverick one-time refugee to Australia will once again pay dividends for those in the fight against cancer.
The Australian Cancer Research Foundation, set up by Sir Peter Abeles, awarded its largest ever grant of $5 million to a consortium of leading cancer research institutes to support work in Melbourne that will bring new hope to cancer sufferers.
The grant was awarded in honour of Sir Peter to an alliance comprising the Royal Melbourne Hospital, the Royal Women’s Hospital, the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and The University of Melbourne (Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences).
ACRF chairman Tom Dery made the presentation to an audience at that included the Governor of Victoria Professor David de Kretser, Victorian Minister for Health David Andrews, Minister for Innovation Gavin Jennings, ACRF Trustees, Lady (Sonia) McMahon, Carrillo Gantner AO, Greg Camm. Dr Roby Abeles (daughter of Sir Peter Abeles), Sir Gustav Nossal and leading Cancer research scientists and workers.
`The ACRF is funding great research across Australia, but none better than here in Victoria – this new $5 million research grant takes the amount we’ve awarded to Melbourne cancer research centres to over $16 million – this includes funds to St Vincents, Ludwig, WEHI, Austin, Murdoch Childrens, the Royal Melbourne, and just a few weeks ago $2.5 million to the Peter MacCallum,’’ Dery told the audience.
“The new consortium is using our grant to establish the ACRF Centre for Therapeutic Target Discovery, officially opening today and potentially forming a scientific cornerstone of the first comprehensive cancer centre established in Australia. This will create an innovative Australian-first collaborative and integrated cancer research centre, where clinicians, diagnosing and treating cancer patients, will work closely with scientists researching the disease.’’
Dery explained the new initiative signifies the beginning of an Australia-first integrated cancer research project which is expected to widen in scope to encompass new research approaches.
“The hallmark of top-quality science is to have a team of people with a huge variety of skills working on a problem,” Mr Dery added. “The most exciting thing about this Centre is that it brings together a stellar team of specialists with different perspectives who are really committed to making cancer breakthroughs”.
Former Holocaust survivor and “Australian of The Year’’ Sir Peter Abeles established the ACRF IN 1984. Now in its 25th year, the Foundation has awarded $50 million to leading cancer research projects Australia wide.
More about the research here . Bio Sir Peter Abeles here . About the ACRF here .
For further information and interviews contact ACRF Media: Paulie Stewart +61 (0) 430031630, David Brettell +612 (02) 9223 7833 or criddington@acrf.com.au
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