Research Institute: Diamantina Institute, University of Queensland
Amount granted: $3.2 million
Year granted: 2007
ACRF’s funding saw the creation of a unique, integrated genetics and genomics facility on the Princess Alexandra Hospital campus, aiming to boost and integrate cancer gene discovery, gene characterisation and translation to clinical practice.
Professor Ian Frazer, whose research led to the development of the cervical cancer vaccine, conducted a major research program on cervical cancer genetics utilising the resources of the ACRF Comprehensive Cancer Genomics Facility.
Advances in genomics and genetics revolutionised our understanding of cancer and led to the identification of new therapeutic targets and biomarkers. ACRF’s grant funded a wide range of unique state of the art equipment and clinical material collections, establishing a fully integrated genomics facility which, in turn, provided novel insights into a number of important cancer types.
Director of Research: Professor Tom Gonda, Senior Researchers: Professor Ian Frazer and Professor Colleen Nelson
What your donations have achieved
Cervical cancer vaccine
We gave initial seed funding to Professor Ian Frazer’s research into the cervical cancer (HPV). Over 150 million doses of vaccine have been delivered worldwide to date.
The pill that melts away cancer
Our long term support of cancer research at WEHI has led to a treatment that melts away certain advanced forms of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. It has been approved for clinical use in the US, European Union and Australia and is being trialed for other types of cancer.
Personalised cancer diagnosis
In 2015, we awarded $10 million seed funding to an ambitious cancer proteome project that aims to provide each cancer patient a personalised treatment plan within 36 hours. This will improve treatment outcomes and help avoid unnecessary treatments.
Zero childhood cancer
We are one of the founding partners of the initiative that will tackle the most serious cases of infant, childhood and adolescent cancer in Australia. It is a key step towards the program vision of one day helping to cure 100% of children with cancer.
