AKR1C3 As A Potential Biomarker For Sensitivity Of T-lineage Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia To The Pre-prodrug PR-104
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$327,797.00
Summary
Multiagent chemotherapy is the most effective modality for the treatment of childhood ALL, the most common paediatric malignancy. Despite dramatic improvements in survival over the past 40 years, relapsed ALL remains one of the most common causes of death from disease in children. Therefore, innovative strategies are needed to benefit those children who respond poorly to established therapy. This application will test a novel therapy for a very aggressive subtype of childhood leukaemia.
Deciphering Mechanisms Of Disease Evolution In Melanoma
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$845,093.00
Summary
In many patients, cancers are ever-changing, even after they have formed. This explains why many cancers can spread beyond the point of cure by surgery and why they can become resistant to treatments. This project will use patient melanomas and laboratory modelling to understand how melanomas change as they grow and spread. The results will be used to identify the nature of evolutionary changes in cancer in order to predict and even exploit them in treatment.
Molecular Subtype Specific Therapy In High Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$832,254.00
Summary
High grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) is the most common type of ovarian cancer, accounting for about two thirds of all deaths from the disease.Several years ago we identified distinct subtypes of HGSC (C1, C2, C4, C5) based on patterns of gene activity. We found that women with the C5 subtype generally had poor survival, and we mapped genes that were specifically active in C5 tumours. In this application we aim to develop therapies that are specifically targeted to the C5 HGSC.
Identifying Castrate-resistant Tumour Cells In Localised Prostate Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$573,047.00
Summary
This proposal addresses one of the most important challenges in cancer: what cell population ‘drives’ tumour progression, and how can it be effectively targeted? We will define the prostate cancer cells that survive androgen withdrawal therapy and investigate new ways to target them. Eliminating these important cells earlier in disease progression will lead to increased survival for men with prostate cancer.
A Novel Protease And Growth Factor Regulated Signalling System In Ovarian Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$856,743.00
Summary
Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of gynaecologic cancer death. Our project focuses on the role in ovarian cancer of a cellular receptor called CDCP1. We have previously shown that CDCP1 promotes growth and spread of ovarian tumours. Recently we have generated new data indicating that CDCP1’s activity is markedly increased by other proteins called proteases and growth factors. In this project we will define how these new pathways function, and if their blockade impedes ovarian cancer.
Novel Targeting Of Therapy-resistant Prostate Cancer Cells.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$596,978.00
Summary
Prostate cancer is treated by removing male hormones (androgens). Although the bulk of the tumour regresses, some cells remain and the cancer often grows back in an aggressive form. We will study new ways to eliminate therapy resistant cancer cells and thereby provide more lasting treatments for prostate cancer. Ultimately, we hope to inform the design of ground-breaking clinical trials that could re-shape the treatment paradigm of advanced prostate cancer.
Elucidating The In Vivo Role Of The Pro-survival Gene Mcl-1 In Mammary Gland Development And Breast Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$664,691.00
Summary
Breast cancer strikes one in 8 women by age 85 and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Despite recent improvements, the immense breast cancer burden demands new strategies that will radically improve patient outcomes. This project will address a hallmark of cancer: evasion of apoptosis. Understanding the molecular events that promote tumour survival and resistance to therapy represents a key area in cancer biology that has yet to be properly applied to breast cancer.
Cell Survival Pathways As Potential Targets In Breast Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$142,914.00
Summary
Cancer cells are characterised by their capacity for relentless growth, survival and evasion of cell death. This proposal will use patient derived xenograft models of primary breast cancer to test the hypothesis that addition of BH3-mimetics could improve response to anti-HER2 therapy. This technique involves transplantation of patient tumours into immune-compromised mice. This represents a useful method for testing new agents.
SFRP4 As A Novel Diagnostic And Therapeutic Target For Gastric Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$137,700.00
Summary
Gastric cancer is a common cancer with poor survival, but is and potentially curable when diagnosed at an early stage. However currently there are no non-invasive markers for the early detection of gastric cancer, and treatments for advanced cancer are limited. Secreted frizzled related protein 4 (SFRP4) is a protein that is thought to play a role in invasion of gastric cancer. This study will investigate the utility SFRP4 as a diagnostic test and possible therapeutic for gastric cancer.