Research Institute: Griffith University Institute for Glycomics
Amount granted: $2.6 million
Year granted: 2021

The ACRF International Centre for Cancer Glycomics will be a unique hub of exciting and revolutionary cancer glycomics research. Within this facility, world-leading experts in both the fields of basic cancer science and applied clinical cancer research combine resources, utilising specialised equipment and the latest technologies to decipher the cancer glyco-code. The cancer glyco-code plays a major role in tumour development, progression and immunotherapy susceptibility.

Glycomics is the study of the carbohydrate or sugar language within our body. Every cell is decorated with these sugars, which are essential to our health and wellbeing.

The study of sugars – glycomics – is a relatively new field of study that will build on genomics (genetics), proteomics (cellular proteins), lipidomics (lipids and fats), and metabolomics knowledge gained from past research. Glycomics is now a rising star thanks to the development of new tools to effectively identify sugar structures and their involvement in disease. This improved knowledge and understanding could lead to the invention of new drugs, vaccines and diagnostics to treat, prevent or diagnose cancer.

This new Glycomics Centre will focus on generating new knowledge that will advance our understanding of cancer glycobiology and enable the translation of this knowledge into the next generation precision diagnostics and therapies to fight cancer, which impacts millions of patients and their families globally.