Delineating Mechanisms Of Acquired Resistance To Kinase Inhibitors And Devising Novel Strategies To Combat Therapeutic Resistance
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$437,034.00
Summary
Kinase inhibitors are some of the most successful anti-cancer agents that have emerged in the last 15 years. However, tumors become resistant to these drugs after showing initial response. Understanding mechanisms through which cancer cells become resistant to these drugs will allow us to develop effective strategies to counter it and achieve sustained responses to cancer therapy. I propose to build a research program to systematically study these mechanisms to improve cancer therapeutics.
Improving Patient Outcomes In Leukaemia By Targeting Cancer Stem Cells
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$294,763.00
Summary
Blood cancers such as acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) are among the most deadly types of cancer and new treatments are desperately needed to improve patient’s survival in these diseases. AML cancer-causing stem cells survive by turning on immortalization programs and we hope to specifically kill these AML stem cells by blocking these crucial pathways. This includes things that control the way the cells divide and the way they respond to genetic damage as well as other novel pathways.
The Molecular Mechanisms Of Abscission To Complete Cytokinesis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$380,558.00
Summary
Cytokinesis is the final stage of cell division that produces two daughter cells. Incorrect localisation and modification of proteins that regulate this process cause cell division errors potentially leading to cancer. This project will characterise how key cytokinesis proteins co-operatively function to complete cytokinesis. This research will increase our understanding of the cell division errors that contribute to cancer development, ultimately identifying new targets for cancer therapy.
Investigating The Mechanism And Consequences Of Cytotoxic Lymphocyte Detachment
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$419,180.00
Summary
Killer cells are white blood cells that destroy cancerous cells. To move to their next target they must quickly detach from a dying target. Failure of detachment results in excessive inflammation and tumour escape. This project will discover the detachment signals required to ‘release’ a locked-on killer cell. This will lead to a deeper understanding of immune pathology and new ways of treating cancer.
Role Of Integrin Signalling In Breast And Prostate Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$411,931.00
Summary
Integrins have an essential role in the control of mammary gland development and cell function. During tumour progression, integrins enable cancer cells to detach, proliferate, migrate and survive during metastasis. To test whether integrins regulate breast and prostate tumour progression, mice with mammary or prostate specific integrin deletion will be crossed with mice engineered to develop cancer. The effects of integrin loss on tumour growth and metastasis will be determined.
Discovery, Preclinical And Translational Research In Endometrial Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$451,716.00
Summary
My research program is focused on “bench to bedside” translational research in uterine cancer. Specifically, identifying the genetic aberrations underlying the development of uterine cancer, understanding the function of these genes in normal and cancer cells, providing proof of principle data that drugs targeting these defective proteins induce cancer cell death in vitro and in vivo and identifying factors associated with whether a patient will respond to one particular treatment over another.
Investigation Of Haematopoietic And Leukemia Stem Cell Self-renewal.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$415,218.00
Summary
The blood stem cell properties of self-renewal and multipotency allows for the constant replenishment of all blood components. Blood cancer stem cells use self-renewal to propagate disease, and can enter a quiescent-dormant phase to evade treatment. My research focuses on the identification and mechanisms of new genes that govern these unique blood stem cell properties, and to investigate whether these genes are also important in blood cancers.
The Hedgehog Gene As A New Drug Target For Breast Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$439,920.00
Summary
Breast cancer cells create the conditions for their own survival by communicating their needs with to the healthy cells that surround them. We have previously shown that a molecule known as ‘hedgehog’ transmits biochemical signals between the cancer cells and healthy cells. When hedgehog is ‘silenced’, tumours shrink and stop their spread. In this application, we explore the fundamental biology of Hedgehog signaling and its potential as a drug target for breast cancer.