Research Institute: University of Sydney, Central Clinical School
Amount granted: $2.5 million
Year granted: 2014
ACRF has supported the creation of a new cancer research institute, The ACRF Image-X Institute, which aims to eradicate cancer through innovation in imaging and targeted x-ray therapy.
The institute links technological innovation with cancer research and treatment, providing a site and forum where academia, medicine, industry and government can advance the science and clinical practice of cancer treatment. The institute will bring tangible real-world benefit to cancer patients undergoing cancer imaging and treatment procedures, with three interconnected themes.
The new institute aims to revolutionise cancer imaging, creating new and better cancer imaging methods that will allow more precise delineation of where to target the radiation treatment beams. More advanced cancer imaging will increase cure rates and reduce the human and economic costs of treatment-related side effects.
It pioneers targeted radiotherapy where the x-ray beams are focused on the most aggressive and resistant cancers, increasing survival and reducing the chance of metastases.
The research will enable global access to cancer radiotherapy by developing targeted X-ray radiotherapy systems that address both the high cost and limited availability of this important treatment technology: 135 countries around the world currently don’t have access to appropriate radiotherapy treatment.
Chief Investigators: Professor Paul J. Keall, Professor Michael Barton OAM, A/Professor Michael Jackson, Professor David Thwaites, A/Professor Roger Fulton, A/Professor Kirsty Foster.
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.
