Tailoring Targeted Therapy To DNA Repair-defective High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$802,247.00
Summary
Ovarian cancer is a major cause of cancer death in women because current treatments are inadequate. Half of aggressive ovarian cancers have abnormalities in DNA repair and should be susceptible to new PARP inhibitor therapy, yet not all those respond. By developing a new model of studying human ovarian cancers in mice, we can discover markers to predict which ovarian cancers will respond best to these exciting new treatments.
The Oligoadenylate-RNAseL Pathway May Provide A Specific And Low Toxicity Approach To Therapy For Breast Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$439,314.00
Summary
We have discovered that a pathway used to fight viral infections can be triggered to produce massive cell death in the mammary gland. We hope to be able to trigger this response in breast cancers through the strategic combination of available drugs. If successful this project will establish a new therapeutic strategy for breast cancer.
Therapeutic Targeting Of The Colorectal Cancer Epigenome
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$537,045.00
Summary
Enhancer RNAs (eRNAs) are a new class of noncoding RNA molecules that have been linked to diverse functions that impinge on cancer, but their clinical relevance is unknown. Our work shows that distinct eRNAs are expressed in a subset of cancer and predict which cancer will respond to a cancer therapeutic agent called a BET inhibitor. Our proposal uses sophisticated preclinical models and cutting edge technology to investigate the functional role of enhancers and enhancer templated RNA in cancer.
Targeting A Master Regulator Of Tumour Cell Plasticity As A New Adjuvant Therapy For Prostate Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$780,338.00
Summary
Prostate cancer (PCa) claims the lives of over 3,000 Australian men each year. This highlights the urgent need to identify new molecular targets that can be developed as additional therapies for men with PCa. Our team has identified the protein, Zeb1, to be highly expressed in aggressive and treatment resistant forms of PCa. This study aims to characterise the role of Zeb1 in the lethal progression of PCa and to develop a new therapeutic agent to inhibit the production of ZEB1 by cancer cells.
We have identified genetic abnormalities in 5% of breast cancers that fall in a novel DNA element called BIME1. This proposal aims to determine whether these genetic abnormalities contribute to breast tumourigenesis and which genes and pathways are affected by these mutations. The outcomes of this proposal may lead to the development of novel therapies for breast cancer or could influence the choice of existing therapies for patients that harbour these genetic abnormalities.
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common causes of cancer-associated death in the world. We aim to understand why some CRC patients stop responding to EGFR therapy. In particular, we will study small molecules called cytokines that are produced by the tumour microenvironment and determine if the inhibition of these cytokines can over-come the acquired resistance to therapy. Our goal is to identify new ways to improve the current treatment options for CRC patients.
EphA3 Is A Marker Of Glioma Stem/progenitor Cells And A Potential Target For Therapy.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$585,860.00
Summary
EphA3 is a cell surface marker which is enriched on glioma ‘propagating’ stem cells (GSCs) and furthermore has a functional role in regulating GSC differentiation and fate determination. EphA3 therefore provides a novel therapeutic target for high-grade glioma.
Improving Treatment Of Non-small Cell Lung Cancer: Suppressing Cell Division Cycle Associated Protein 3 (CDCA3)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$194,446.00
Summary
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. This project will establish the worth of suppressing the molecule ‘cell division cycle associated protein 3’ (CDCA3) in lung cancer. To do so, we will adjust the levels of CDCA3 in animal lung cancer models and treat the tumours with chemotherapy and the novel drug CX-4945. We expect that reduced levels of CDCA3 combined with CX-4945 and/or chemotherapy in NSCLC patients will benefit patient outcome.
ADAM Metalloprotease Inhibition For Treatment Of Colorectal Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$770,925.00
Summary
Colorectal cancer (CRC) causes over 4000 deaths/year, typically from developing drug resistance and spreading to other organs (metastasis). These processes involve tumour cells called cancer stem cells (CSCs), which rely on specific cell surface proteins for survival and function. We are developing antibodies against one of these type of proteins, to test in mouse models of CRC. These already show promise in targeting CSCs and inhibiting drug-resistance and metastasis in mice.
A Functional In Vivo ShRNA Screen For Regulators Of Breast Cancer Metastasis.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$555,417.00
Summary
Breast cancer is generally incurable if detected after the tumour has spread to other organs. The genes driving the tumour cells to other sites have not been clearly resolved. This project aims to accelerate the discovery process by using a genome wide functional screen to identify genes that control the spread of breast cancer. If successful, this project could lead very quickly to identification of genes that might be good targets for new therapy against advanced breast cancer.