Development Of A Comprehensive Model For Colorectal Cancer Risk Prediction
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$317,012.00
Summary
Bowel cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in Australia. While the average lifetime risk is 1 in 20, this is a great difference in individual risks. Screening and early detection can prevent 90% of bowel cancer deaths. We need to know who is at high-risk and therefore can be targeted for screening. In this project, I will develop the first tool that can predict precisely an individual’s personal risk of bowel cancer.
Translating Synchrotron Microbeam Radiation Therapy Into A Clinical Reality For Cancer Patients
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$337,896.00
Summary
The aim of this project is to translate an experimental radiotherapy technique, known as microbeam radiotherapy, into a clinical reality for the benefit of cancer patients world-wide. I propose to achieve this aim by working at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in France. The ESRF is Europe’s most powerful synchrotron light source, where a multi-disciplinary team of scientists and physicians are collaborating to treat the first human cancer patients with synchrotron radiation.
A Prospective Study Of Familial Psychological Adjustment And Service Needs On Completion Of Childhood Cancer Treatment.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$307,041.00
Summary
Up to 80% of children with cancer survive into adulthood, yet little research has explored the needs of children and their families when a child completes cancer treatment. This project will describe these needs, and plot distress and resilience in families in the first 12 months after cancer treatment ends. The study will identify predictors of positive and negative outcomes after treatment and develop an intervention to reduce distress and enhance resilience in families after childhood cancer.
Deriving Actionable Strategies To Enhance Cancer Immunotherapy Response
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$447,193.00
Summary
Cancer immunotherapy is an increasingly common treatment used to treat several types of advanced cancers. Whilst it can be dramatically effective in a minority of patients, many patients do not respond to the treatment and our ability to predict who will not benefit is limited. This project aims to study distinct aspects of tumour immunology in patients receiving immunotherapy treatments in order to identify better predictors and more widely-effective immunotherapy treatment strategies.
Defining Steps In The Molecular Pathogenesis Of Lung Cancer Using Immortalized Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$374,344.00
Summary
Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death worldwide and is caused by abnormalities in DNA. This project aims to further our understanding of this disease by altering known cancer-related genes and studying their effect on lung cancer development. This project also aims to identify novel genes in lung cancer as well as tumour expression profiles which can predict response to chemotherapy agents. In summary, this research will identify new gene targets for therapeutic agents.
People With HIV Still Die Young – Preventing Non-AIDS-associated Comorbidity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$408,768.00
Summary
There are over 36 million people in the world infected with HIV. While people with HIV can now live an almost normal life through the use of medication, they have a very high risk of heart problems, cancer and other common illnesses. It is important to find ways of reducing the cost of treating these common illnesses and to make sure that people with HIV can live a long, happy life. This project aims to find the best ways to stop people with HIV getting heart trouble or dying from liver cancer.
The Role Of Support Services, Diet And Exercise In Alleviate Distress In Women With Ovarian Cancer And Their Partners
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$304,794.00
Summary
A significant proportion of ovarian cancer patients and their partners experience elevated levels of distress. Determining if particular services, diet or exercise are effective in alleviating this distress will help to inform service provision and clinical practice. This research approaches this issue by firstly evaluating use of psychosocial services, diet and exercise in relation to quality of life, and secondly by piloting a lifestyle intervention for patients and partners with distress.