Fighting Epidermal Skin Cancers By Targeting Epidermal Clones That Accumulate Mutations
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,149,373.00
Summary
Common skin cancers such as basal and squamous cell carcinomas (BCC and SCC) are by far the most frequent cancer worldwide and require over a million interventions per year in Australia. This project will identify the skin cells that are most susceptible to give rise to cancer if excessively exposed to the sun and explores ways to prevent cancer formation. This will inform on new strategies to prevent new skin cancer development.
Identifying The Mechanism Of The G2 Phase UV Checkpoint And Repair Response Commonly Defective In Melanoma
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$569,656.00
Summary
The UV component of sunlight is the major environmental factor driving the development of melanoma. UV radiation can directly mutate genes resulting in their inability to perform normal functions which may contribute to cancer. Despite the high number of mutations directly attributable to UV radiation, the mechanisms known to repair these mutations are generally normal in melanoma. This research will investigate a repair mechanism we have identified that is commonly defective in melanomas.
Synthetic Lethality Screen Targeting A Defective Checkpoint In Melanoma
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$552,121.00
Summary
All cancers have defects in the mechanisms that regulate normal cell growth and division. These defects provide a growth advantage for the cancer, but can also be an Achilles Heel. In this project we will investigate targeting a defective control mechanism we found in a high proportion of melanomas. We will identify genes that when inhibited combine with the defective control to specifically kill tumour cells with this defect. Normal tissue is protected by its intact regulatory mechanism.
Understanding The Role Of SSB1 In Embryonic Development And Genome Maintenance
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$620,716.00
Summary
Normally DNA exists as a double helix where two strands are zipped together. When single-stranded (ss) DNA is exposed during various cellular processes it can be easily damaged and degraded by cellular enzymes, but is protected by ssDNA binding proteins (SSBs). We have identified two new SSBs (SSB1 and SSB2) that play a crucial role in DNA repair and will investigate the role and physiological function of these important proteins.
Rad50 Protects The Integrity Of The Genome To Minimise Disease Risk
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$524,222.00
Summary
Exposure to both endogenous products of metabolism as well as a variety of exogenous agents (UV, X-rays) increases the risk of cancer and other diseases. This project is designed to further investigate a novel defect in the Rad50 gene that predisposes to genetic instability and cancer. In short we have described for the first time a patient with a defect in the Rad50 gene. This information will assist in understanding our defence systems against oxidative stress to reduce the risk of disease.
Structural And Biochemical Investigation Of The Bloom�s Complex, Defective In Bloom�s Syndrome
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$184,661.00
Summary
Bloom�s Syndrome is a rare inherited disorder that results in greater than 90% risk of developing cancer by the age of 25. The gene that causes Bloom�s Syndrome, called BLM, protects cells from cancer-causing mutations hence affected individuals develop the same types of cancers as the general population, only much faster. We will investigate the properties of the BLM gene product and understand how it protects us from cancer, and may influence some forms of cancer treatment.
Defining Biomarkers Of Colorectal Cancer Prevention By Dietary Agents And Translation To Human Intervention Studies
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$632,924.00
Summary
This research will explore dietary agents for their ability to regulate the damage to DNA that is responsible for causing bowel cancer. The plan is to identify a dietary approach that will effectively reduce the risk of colon cancer. The science will be tested in animal models followed by initial human experiments aimed at testing the relevance to humans.