Cancer Research Breakthrough could help prevent breast cancer in high-risk women Posted on June 29, 2016February 25, 2018 by Carly du Toit Cancer researchers at Walter and Eliza Hall Institute have discovered that an existing medication could prevent breast cancer in women carrying a faulty BRCA1 gene. By pinpointing the cells that give rise to breast cancers in women who have inherited a faulty version of the BRCA1 gene, researchers have identified that the drug denosumab may have the potential to prevent breast cancer from developing. If confirmed in clinical studies, this would provide a non-surgical option to prevent breast cancer in women with elevated genetic risk. People who carry a faulty BRCA1 gene are at high risk of developing aggressive breast cancer. Currently, many women with the gene mutation choose surgical removal of their breast tissue and ovaries to reduce their chance of developing cancer. Using samples of breast tissue donated by women carrying the faulty gene, Ms Emma Nolan, Professor Jane Visvader and Professor Geoff Lindeman were able to pinpoint the cells that give rise to breast cancer. “Cancer precursor cells in BRCA1-mutant breast tissue had many similarities to aggressive forms of breast cancer,” said PhD student Ms Nolan. “These cells proliferated rapidly and were susceptible to damage to their DNA – both factors that help them transition towards cancer. We were excited to discover that these pre-cancerous cells could be identified by a marker protein called RANK.” Professor Lindeman, who is also a medical oncologist at The Royal Melbourne Hospital, said the discovery of RANK as a marker of cancer precursors was an important breakthrough because inhibitors of the RANK signalling pathway were already in clinical use. “An inhibitor called denosumab is already used in the clinic to treat osteoporosis and breast cancer that has spread to the bone,” he said. “Which is what led us to investigate what effect RANK inhibition had on the cancer precursor cells in BRCA1-mutant breast tissue.” The research team showed that RANK inhibition switched off cell growth in breast tissue from women with a faulty BRCA1 gene and curtailed breast cancer development in laboratory models. “We think this strategy could delay or prevent breast cancer in women with an inherited BRCA1 gene mutation,” Professor Lindeman said. A clinical trial has already begun to investigate this further. A concurrent study led by an Austrian group had also identified the importance of RANK. Both studies suggest that targeting RANK offers hope to women at high genetic risk for breast cancer. Professor Visvader said the discovery had its basis in more than a decade of investigations of breast stem cell function. “By thoroughly dissecting how normal breast tissue develops, we have been able to pinpoint the precise cells that are the culprits in cancer formation,” she said. “It is very exciting to think that we may be on the path to the ‘holy grail’ of cancer research, devising a way to prevent this type of breast cancer in women at high genetic risk.” The Australian Cancer Research Foundation has supported WEHI by providing three grants, totalling AUD 5.5million towards cutting edge cancer research equipment and technology. The research was published in Nature Medicine. The original news post was published on the WEHI website.
New research study explains how cancer cells resist treatment Posted on May 31, 2016February 25, 2018 by Carly du Toit Cancer researchers at grant recipient, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI) in Melbourne have worked out how a new class of anticancer drugs kill cancer cells. The finding also helps explain how cancer cells may become resistant to treatment. Dr Zhen Xu, Professor David Huang, Dr Stefan Glaser and colleagues studied a class of anti-cancer drugs called BET inhibitors, which are considered promising new drugs for the treatment of blood cancers such as leukaemia and lymphomas. BET inhibitors reduce tumour growth by blocking BET proteins, a family of proteins that control whether genes are switched on or off. Although it has been known that BET inhibitors are effective at halting tumour growth, it has been unclear whether the drugs kill cancer cells outright. The research team found that when tumours are treated with drugs, some resistant cancer cells can survive and continue to grow, leading to disease relapse. In the process, they identified potential ways in which cancer cells may develop resistance to BET inhibitors. The experiments revealed that BET inhibitors principally act to kill cancer cells through the process of programmed cell death (apoptosis). For BET inhibitors to successfully kill lymphoma and myeloid leukaemia cells the presence of a protein called BIM, which brings on apoptosis, was critical. “We found that when apoptosis was impaired, for instance by the loss of BIM, the BET inhibitors were no longer effective,” Dr Xu said. “This suggests that cancer cells that acquire mutations in genes that drive apoptosis will lose sensitivity to BET inhibitors and thus will be able to survive treatment, leading to disease relapse.” Dr Glaser said that knowing how BET inhibitors worked could help researchers develop improved strategies for using these drugs to treat cancer. “Understanding how the drugs work gives us the opportunity to investigate new treatments, for example by using combination therapies, or altering the dosage and timing of treatment to prevent drug resistance from emerging,” Dr Glaser said. The original news post was published on the WEHI website. The Australian Cancer Research Foundation has supported the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute by providing three grants, totalling AUD 5.5million, towards cutting edge cancer research equipment and technology.
Melbourne researchers trial new leukaemia treatment Posted on March 8, 2016February 25, 2018 by Carly du Toit In a world-first clinical trial, Melbourne medical researchers have shown that patients with an advanced form of leukaemia can achieve complete remission with a new tablet treatment.The trials were conducted at The Royal Melbourne Hospital and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, in collaboration with the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, as well as trial sites in the US. Clinical trials of the potent new anti-cancer drug Venetoclax showed it was effective in killing cancer cells in people with advanced forms of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) when conventional treatment options had been exhausted. Seventy-nine percent of those involved in the trial had promising responses to the new therapy – including twenty percent who went into a complete remission. A small number of patients had such a profound response that even very sensitive tests were unable to detect any remaining leukaemia in their bodies. CLL is one of the most common forms of leukaemia, with around 1,000 people diagnosed with this type of cancer in Australia every year. More than 350,000 people were estimated to have been diagnosed with leukaemia in 2012 worldwide, with incidence rates varying across the world. The drug has been granted priority review status by the US Federal Drug Agency (FDA) for treating some types of CLL. The designation is granted to medicines that the FDA has determined to have the potential to provide significant improvements in the treatment, prevention or diagnosis of a disease. Venetoclax was developed based on a landmark discovery made in the 1980s by Walter and Eliza Hall Institute scientists that a protein called BCL-2 promoted cancer cell survival. Venetoclax was co-developed for clinical use by US pharmaceutical companies AbbVie and Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, and was discovered as part of a joint research collaboration that involved Walter and Eliza Hall Institute scientists. Professor Andrew Roberts, a clinical haematologist at The Royal Melbourne Hospital and cancer researcher at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, said the drug works very specifically by overcoming the action of BCL-2. “Most trial patients responded positively to the therapy, showing substantial reductions in the number of leukaemia cells in their body. Many patients have maintained this response more than a year after their treatment began, and some patients remain in remission more than four years on,” Professor Roberts said. “High levels of BCL-2 protect the leukaemia cells from dying, so leukaemia cells can grow and become resistant to standard treatments. Venetoclax selectively targets the interaction responsible for keeping the leukaemia cells alive and, in many cases, we’ve seen the cancerous cells simply melt away.” Professor John Seymour, Chair of the Haematology Service at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre says, “The fact that a targeted drug, given on its own, can produce such a profound reduction in the leukaemia burden in the patient, to the point we cannot find leukaemia cells even with our best tests, underscores what a powerful strategy targeting the BCL-2 gene is.” These results set the foundation for building towards the dream of a cure for CLL. Phase 2 and phase 3 studies are currently being undertaken to test Venetoclax across a range of blood cancers globally, including at many sites in Australia. The Australian Cancer Research Foundation has supported cancer research at Walter and Eliza Hall Institute and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre by providing three major grants to both institutions, totalling AUD 12.5m. This news was first published on the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre website.
Cancer research uncovers promising new cancer drug Posted on March 1, 2016February 25, 2018 by Carly du Toit Cancer researchers at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute in Melbourne have uncovered how nutlins, a type of small molecule inhibitor, contribute to cancer cell death. Until now, it was unknown whether nutlins were killing cancerous cells or suppressing them temporarily. In early clinical trials for treating blood cancers, Dr Liz Valente, Dr Brandon Aubrey, Professor Andreas Strasser and team discovered that nutlins are able to stop cancer growth by activating the body’s natural cancer-suppressing mechanism. They stimulate a gene called P53 to trigger programmed cell death of blood cancer cells while avoiding some of the damaging effects of chemotherapy. Dr Aubrey, who is also a clinical haematologist at The Royal Melbourne Hospital, said the discovery reinforced that nutlins were a promising new treatment for blood cancer. They also provided invaluable information for a more personalised approach to patient care. “Our findings will help identify which patients are most likely to benefit from nutlins and which types of cancers are most likely to respond to nutlins as a treatment,” Dr Aubrey said. “Understanding in detail how the drugs work will help in the design of better clinical trials and bring the world closer to more precise and personalised medical treatments for cancer.” Professor Strasser said previous research around P53 showed that one of the properties of the gene was to protect the healthy cells in the body. The gene has been identified as a major barrier to developing cancer. “Without the ‘help’ of P53, a damaged cell can be allowed to multiply, leading to cancer development. P53 lies dormant in many types of cancer – that do not have mutations in P53 – and the nutlins work through re-awakening its activity.” Professor Strasser said knowing more about what nutlins were capable of was a critical step towards developing more refined treatments for cancer. “By understanding how nutlins are killing cancer cells, we can begin to formulate their best possible use, including choosing the best partner drugs to combine the nutlins with,” Professor Strasser said. The research has been published in the journal Cell Reports. To view the original news article was published on the WEHI website, click here. The Australian Cancer Research Foundation has supported WEHI by providing three grants, totalling AUD 5.5million towards cutting edge cancer research equipment and technology.
Breakthrough cancer research technologies to advance treatments Posted on September 23, 2015March 14, 2018 by Carly du Toit With support from the Australian Cancer Research Foundation, the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute has today unveiled the $2.5 million ACRF Breakthrough Technologies Laboratory which will help researchers uncover new insights into how cancer develops, and how it can be more effectively treated. This is the third ACRF grant awarded to Walter & Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research. These grants were awarded 2001, 2010 and 2014 with a combined value of $5.5 million to help researchers make breakthroughs in genomics, as well as breast, lymphoma and lung cancers. The ACRF Breakthrough Technologies Laboratory is Australia’s first dedicated cancer laboratory to use ‘CRISPR/Cas9’ technology to target and directly manipulate genes in cancer cells. The facility will be used by researchers from WEHI and the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre (VCCC) partners to enhance and accelerate research into many of Australia’s most common, and most deadly, cancers including cancers of the blood (leukaemia, lymphoma), breast, ovary, lung and bowel. The director of the WEHI, Professor Doug Hilton, said the ACRF Breakthrough Technologies Laboratory would provide an enormous boost to Australia’s cancer research efforts. “It has become clear that technologies such as CRISPR/Cas9 can accelerate new breakthroughs in understanding cancer and developing new treatments.” “The generosity of ACRF and its donors has allowed us to equip our research teams with precisely the tools they need to advance their research,” Professor Hilton said. Mr Tom Dery, Chairman of the ACRF Board said “We are proud to enable the ground-breaking research conducted at the ACRF Breakthrough Technologies Laboratory. The facility will help to accelerate new treatments for people with cancer in Australia and worldwide.” The contributions Australian researchers are making to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer are very significant. “More than 14 million people around the world were diagnosed with cancer last year, including more than 125,000 Australians,” Mr Dery said. Professor Jim Bishop, Executive Director of the VCCC, said the ACRF Breakthrough Technologies Laboratory represented a critical addition to the Victoria’s cancer research capabilities. “The facility provides our researchers with unparalleled access to world-leading technology.” “The strength of the VCCC lies in the close ties it fosters between the laboratory-based, clinical and other researchers in its partner organisations. This means that discoveries made in the ACRF Breakthrough Technologies Laboratory will be translated into new treatments for cancer as rapidly in Melbourne as anywhere in the world,” Professor Bishop said. The VCCC is an alliance of ten successful Victorian organisations committed to cancer care: the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne Health (including The Royal Melbourne Hospital), The University of Melbourne, The Royal Women’s Hospital, The Royal Children’s Hospital, Western Health, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne Austin Health and Murdoch Children’s Research Institute. The original article was published on the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute website, click here to view.
Cancer patients could benefit from blood disorder treatment Posted on April 12, 2014February 25, 2018 by Carly du Toit Cancer scientists at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI) have recently discovered an existing treatment for a blood disorder could potentially also treat stomach and bowel cancer – two of the most common cancers worldwide. Pre-clinical trials have found an existing class of medicines called ‘JAK inhibitors’ reduce the growth of inflammation often associated with stomach and bowel cancer. JAK inhibitors are currently being used to treat myelofibrosis and are currently in clinical trials for the treatment of other conditions such as leukaemia, lymphoma, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. By understanding the way molecules are involved in promoting the survival and growth of cancer cells, researchers have been able to identify which of these molecules can be targeted with potential anti-cancer treatments. The research team at WEHI discovered that certain types of bowel and stomach cancer were influenced by proteins, called JAKs, which helped with the cancer growth and formation. Dr Emma Stuart, Dr Tracy Putoczki and Associate Professor Matthias Ernst from the WEHI made this discovery. “It was exciting to discover that when JAKs were blocked with existing medications (JAK inhibitors), bowel and stomach cancer growth in experimental models was slowed, and many of the cancer cells were killed,” Dr Stuart said. The discovery of JAK inhibitors has stemmed from research into the links between inflammation and cancers of the digestive tract. “Recently we have begun to unravel the complex signalling that occurs in inflamed tissues, such as when a person has a stomach ulcer or suffers from inflammatory bowel disease, and how this drives cancer development,” said Dr Stuart. This discovery of a treatment that already exists which can be safely and successfully inhibited in patients is very promising. The Australian Cancer Research Foundation is dedicated to funding research which leads to better treatment outcomes for all types of cancer, and we are proud to have provided millions of dollars in funding to the team of researchers working at Melbourne’s WEHI. These findings have been published in the journal Molecular Cancer Therapeutics.
Existing blood disorder medicine shows promise in treating certain stomach and bowel cancers Posted on February 18, 2014February 25, 2018 by Carly du Toit Cancer scientists at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI) have recently discovered an existing treatment for a blood disorder could potentially also treat stomach and bowel cancer – two of the most common cancers worldwide. Pre-clinical trials have found an existing class of medicines called ‘JAK inhibitors’ reduce the growth of inflammation often associated with stomach and bowel cancer. JAK inhibitors are currently being used to treat myelofibrosis and are currently in clinical trials for the treatment of other conditions such as leukaemia, lymphoma, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. Continue reading “Existing blood disorder medicine shows promise in treating certain stomach and bowel cancers”
70% of cancer patients have new hope through WEHI discovery Posted on January 9, 2014February 25, 2018 by Carly du Toit A discovery led by Australian researchers at Melbourne’s Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI) has given new hope to those suffering from certain types of lymphomas as well as other types of blood cancers and some solid tumours. For these types of cancers, which are driven by a cancer-causing protein, ‘MYC’, Dr Gemma Kelly, Dr Marco Herold, Professor Andreas Strasser and their research team at WEHI have uncovered a promising treatment strategy. MYC affects up to 70 per cent of human cancers, including many leukaemias and lymphomas. It is responsible for cancerous changes in cells by forcing them into abnormally rapid growth. But the WEHI research team have discovered that MYC activity is co-dependent on another protein, called MCL-1. Continue reading “70% of cancer patients have new hope through WEHI discovery”
Unprecedented success in trialling new adult leukaemia therapy Posted on December 13, 2013February 25, 2018 by Carly du Toit A new, potentially life-saving drug has raised new hope for patients in advanced stages of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia – one of the most common types of adult leukaemia in Australia. In many cases this cancer becomes resistant to traditional treatment methods such as chemotherapy. This is because of its high levels of a “pro-survival” protein called BCL-2 that render cancer cells, according to Walter and Eliza Hall Institute haematologist Prof. Andrew Roberts “basically indestructible”. Continue reading “Unprecedented success in trialling new adult leukaemia therapy”
Research news: spring 2013 Posted on September 16, 2013February 25, 2018 by Carly du Toit In the spring edition of the Research Review: Research advances building precision tools for diagnosis and cancer surgery. Breast cancer treatment could be enhanced with an existing anti-leukaemia compound. ‘Junk’ DNA and its role in cell growth and development
WEHI researchers identify an exciting new approach to the treatment of stomach and bowel cancers Posted on August 16, 2013February 25, 2018 by Carly du Toit Melbourne researchers from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI) have identified a potential new drug target (a molecule called interleukin-11) for the treatment of bowel and stomach cancer, which are two of the most common cancers worldwide. When a tumour develops in the stomach or bowel region, the normal (non-cancerous) tissues around it often becomes inflamed producing many different molecules, including two particular (related) cytokine molecules: interleukin-11 and interleukin-6. Interleukin-6 has long been in the spotlight in terms of cancer research, as it is known to promote the spread of cancer cells. In fact, anti-cancer agents that block interleukin-6 are already in clinical trials for ovarian, kidney, prostate and breast cancers. However, interleukin-11 has only been thought to have a minor role in the growth and spread of cancers. Continue reading “WEHI researchers identify an exciting new approach to the treatment of stomach and bowel cancers”
Treatment for breast cancer enhanced with anti-Leukaemia compound Posted on July 9, 2013February 25, 2018 by Carly du Toit More than two decades of research at the Walter and Eliza Hall institute (WEHI) in Melbourne has culminated in a potentially life-saving discovery for women with the most common form of breast cancer. In the late 1980s scientists at the WEHI identified a “pro-survival” protein called BCL-2 that helps cancer cells to become immortal and resist treatments such as chemotherapy. This work has contributed to the development of a compound which neutralises this vital cancer protein, and it is now in clinical trials to treat some types of leukaemia. But latest news from the WEHI is that this compound has even more potential. In 85% of women with oestrogen receptor-positive (or ER-positive) breast cancer, researchers have found very high levels of the very same BCL-2 protein. Using the world-class facilities made possible through ACRF funding they were able to trial this ant-cancer compound in pre-clinical ER-positive breast cancer models, and found that it was successful when combined with an existing breast cancer drug, Tamoxifen. Continue reading “Treatment for breast cancer enhanced with anti-Leukaemia compound”
Discovery brings hope for new tailor-made anti-cancer agents Posted on April 25, 2013February 25, 2018 by Carly du Toit Researchers at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI) Melbourne have played a key role in developing a novel chemical compound which blocks a protein that has been linked to poor treatment responses in cancer patients. The development of this compound is an important step towards designing a potential new anti-cancer agent, which will help to significantly reduce resistance to therapy. The compound targets the function of a protein which prevents cells from dying. Cell death is an important safeguard against cancer development, but once cancer cells start growing, they can produce high levels of this protein which prevents this natural process. This also reduces the effectiveness of chemotherapy and other anti-cancer treatments, and has been associated particularly with poorer outcomes in patients with lung, stomach, colon and pancreatic cancer. Dr Guillaume Lessen (pictured) who co-led the study, together with Prof. Keith Watson and Prof. David Huang from the ACRF Chemical Biology Division at WEHI and colleagues Dr Peter Czabotar and Prof. Peter Colman, said: “We were very excited to see the team’s work culminate in a compound that specifically inhibits the protein.” Continue reading “Discovery brings hope for new tailor-made anti-cancer agents”
Congratulations to ACRF medical research advisor, Professor Doug Hilton Posted on October 6, 2011February 25, 2018 by Carly du Toit Director of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Professor Douglas Hilton has been awarded the Milstein Award in Florence, Italy. The Milstein Award is considered to be the pinnacle of scientific achievement in interferon and cytokine research, which involves the study of the immune system and cell communication. We congratulate Professor Hilton on this most prestigious award and thank him for his contributions to cancer research. Continue reading “Congratulations to ACRF medical research advisor, Professor Doug Hilton”
Promising news for treating aggressive breast cancers Posted on July 18, 2011February 25, 2018 by Carly du Toit Researchers at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI) have found a new anti-cancer agent called ABT-737 that targets and neutralises Bcl-2 “pro-survival” proteins in cancer cells. The project was undertaken at WEHI’s world-class cancer centre, which has received significant ACRF funding over the last five years. This funding allowed researchers to better study the characteristics of proteins from the Bcl-2 family which are found at high levels in up to 70% of breast cancers – including typically aggressive ‘triple negative’ breast cancers – and work to prevent cell death, even in cells that have been damaged by chemotherapy. Continue reading “Promising news for treating aggressive breast cancers”
Blood stem cells discovery to boost cancer research progress Posted on February 21, 2011February 25, 2018 by Carly du Toit A study partially funded by the Australian Cancer Research Foundation (ACRF) creates opportunities in the way some cancer patients can be treated. The blood stem cell discovery has been made by scientists from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI) in Melbourne. Led by Professor Doug Hilton, Dr Samir Taoudi and their research teams, the scientists discovered that the Erg gene is key to blood stem cells’ unique ability to self-renew. Research in blood stem cells allows scientists to develop new strategies to combat disease of the blood cells, like leukaemia. Continue reading “Blood stem cells discovery to boost cancer research progress”
ACRF awards $8.5 million to 4 world-class cancer research initiatives Posted on December 12, 2010February 25, 2018 by Carly du Toit Australia’s best scientists have been given a major boost in their fight against cancer, with the announcement of $8.5 million worth of grants from the ACRF to the nation’s finest research institutions. The Foundation awarded a total of three grants – to $2million grant to The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (Melbourne), $2.4million to Western Australian Institute for Medical Research and $1.6million to Monash Institute of Medical Research (Melbourne). This is in addition to the ‘top-up’ grant of $2.5 million the ACRF pledged earlier to The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, a joint facility of the Garvan Institute of Medical Research and St. Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney. Continue reading “ACRF awards $8.5 million to 4 world-class cancer research initiatives”
2010 ACRF grant recipients Posted on December 12, 2010February 25, 2018 by Carly du Toit The 2010 ACRF grants – totalling $8.5 million – will fund two new cancer divisions, a scanner for imaging tumour development and state-of-the-art genomic technologies. Since 1987 the Foundation has provided 41 grants totalling almost $71 million to Australian cancer research institutes ($48 million of which has been awarded in the last six years). This year four grants have been awarded to four cutting edge research projects around the country. Continue reading “2010 ACRF grant recipients”
ACRF funds landmark discovery Posted on November 1, 2010February 25, 2018 by Carly du Toit At the Australian Cancer Research Foundation (ACRF), we love to see results and that’s why we’re investing more than ever in world-class equipment and infrastructure for research into cancer. Since 1987 we’ve provided 41 grants totalling almost $71 million to Australian cancer research institutes ($48 million of which has been awarded in the last six years). We profile some of the latest breakthroughs: 1) In a landmark discovery, scientists at the Walter & Eliza Hall Institute have discovered the links between breast cancer risk and exposure to female hormones. This breakthrough research project – partially funded by a $5million ACRF grant – found that breast stem cells, despite lacking receptors for the female hormones oestrogen and progesterone, are still extra sensitive to sustained exposure to these hormones. 2) ACRF funding means researchers at the Garvan Institute are now closer to ‘switching off’ the gene identified as causing prostate cancer, following a world-first detailed description of gene expression in prostate cancer cells. ACRF has now awarded two research grants to the Garvan, the latest of $5million in honour of Lady (Sonia) McMahon. 3) Researchers at the Queensland Brain Institute’s ACRF Brain Tumour Research Centre are saving patients’ lives by safely taking primary tissue samples directly from patients and separating tumour cells from contaminated normal tissue, blood cells and cellular debris – made possible with numerous scientific instruments funded by ACRF.
Spreading the load of cancer research Posted on June 6, 2009February 25, 2018 by Carly du Toit The influence and support of the Australian Cancer Research Foundation (ACRF) is set to spread further with the news that three of the four major cancer research centres in the running for support this year have made the cut for the first time. All of the centres involved are on the list of qualifiers for ACRF’S multi-million dollar annual funding program which supports projects which will have a global impact on cancer research. The three new finalists are The Children’s Medical Research Institute (CMRI) with University of Newcastle NSW, The Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Sydney and the Centre For Cancer Biology South Australian Pathology and the University of Adelaide. A fourth organisation, the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute Melbourne (WEHI), which in the past has received more than $6 million in two successful grant applications in both 2002 and 2006, is also up for consideration. Continue reading “Spreading the load of cancer research”
