Support of cancer research in Australia turns ideas into information

Each year, ACRF challenges the Australian cancer research community to propose projects that are bold and have the potential to make a significant impact on cancer prevention, detection and treatment.

Eleven projects were submitted from across the country and evaluated by ACRF’s esteemed Medical Research Advisory Committee who were impressed by the quality and vision of the applications. From these, four were chosen to receive grants.

“Thanks to the generosity of our many supporters from around Australia each year we are able to award high-impact grants, allowing Australia’s best scientists to embark on ground-breaking research projects. These initiatives in cancer research cover all types of cancer and speed up discoveries, ultimately working to save lives by saving time,” said Professor Ian Brown, CEO of Australian Cancer Research Foundation.

The recipients of the annual ACRF grants in 2016 are:

• ACRF Tumour Heterogeneity Program – $2 million to learn more about the mutation, internal variation, location and the impact of time on growth and treatment of tumours. Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre (VCCC), VIC

• ACRF Tumour Metabolism Laboratory – $2.5 million to determine the differences in nutrient metabolism by cancerous and normal cells to improve cancer treatments. Centenary Institute, NSW

• ACRF Cancer Ultrastructure and Function Facility – $2.3 million to provide microscopes that can see cancer cell behaviour and their response to drugs in order to stop the spread of cancer. Institute for Molecular Biosciences University of Queensland, QLD

• ACRF Blood Cancer Therapeutics Centre – $1.2 million to develop a national program to improve patient outcomes for multiple myeloma and acute myeloid leukaemia. Monash University, VIC

Since its inception, 32 years ago, ACRF has awarded $129.1 million in grants to Australian cancer research institutes across the country to pay for infrastructure and equipment.

Funding from ACRF has helped get some of the most successful cancer research projects get off the ground, including the early support of the research that led to the cervical cancer vaccine.

ACRF is dedicated to funding research in Australia that has the power to make significant breakthroughs in cancer diagnosis and treatment and will continue to fund cutting-edge treatment until cancer no longer poses a threat to the health of Australians.