
OUR MISSION
To fund Australia’s brightest and most innovative medical researchers and clinicians in their efforts to provide all cancer patients with Precision cancer treatments and to help create access to new techniques and integrated comprehensive data for medical researchers and physicians.

Dr. Belinda Yeo
Clinician Scientist, Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute

OUR ASPIRATION
To ensure precision treatment for ALL new cancer patients, whatever the cancer, regardless of location, age, income or status. It is our vision that patients are offered the right treatment, first time, every time. And that, at the cusp of a post-genome revolution, Australia can show the world how Precision Medicine is done.
PRECISION MEDICINE
THE RIGHT TREATMENT FOR EVERY CANCER PATIENT
Every cancer is different for every body. Precision Medicine, using current, widely available technologies, offers the tantalising prospect of analysing a tissue sample and treating cancer with the right drug, first time, every time. This increases positive treatment outcomes, decreases treatment times and saves countless millions on ineffective treatments. The data from each sample also helps us further map cancer genetically.

Prof. David Thomas
Director Centre for Molecular Oncology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Uni. of NSW; CEO Omico (Australian Genomic Cancer Medicine Centre); Laboratory Head Genomic Cancer Medicine, Garvan Institute of Medical Research
HERE ARE THE INCREDIBLE CANCER VANQUISHING PROJECTS WE SUPPORT.

2013 - extant
THE CONNIE JOHNSON BREAST CANCER RESEARCH LABORATORY
INSTITUTION: The Garvan Institute of Medical Research
CHIEF RESEARCHERS: Assoc. Prof. Elgene Lim & Assoc. Prof. Alex Swarbrick
SYNOPSIS: The Connie Johnson Laboratory performs clinically focused laboratory research, aiming to better understand the heterogeneity in breast cancer, and identifying novel ways to treat breast cancer.


2023 - 2026
UTILISING THE LATEST TECHNOLOGIES TO SHED LIGHT ON THE COMPLEX DYNAMIC BETWEEN GENOTYPE AND PHENOTYPE
INSTITUTION: Children's Cancer Institute
CHIEF RESEARCHERS: Rob Salomon & Assoc. Prof. Paul Ekbert & Assoc. Prof.Mark Crowley
SYNOPSIS: The development of minimally invasive tests that monitor disease progression in children and young adults and guides the subsequent change of treatment.


2023 - 2026
IMPROVING CANCER OUTCOMES IN RURAL AND REMOTE AUSTRALIA
INSTITUTION: Macquarie University
CHIEF RESEARCHERS: Prof. Howard Gurney; Nicola Chapman; A/Prof. Boe Rambaldini; Dr. Kylie Gwynne
SYNOPSIS: Improving cancer outcomes in rural and remote Australia: developing effective, sustainable and scalable models for clinical trials.


2023 - 2026
THE ZERO CHILDHOOD CANCER PROGRAM
INSTITUTION: An initiative of Children’s Cancer Institute and Kids Cancer Centre at Sydney Children’s Hospital
CHIEF RESEARCHERS: Prof. Glenn Marshall AM
SYNOPSIS: The Zero Childhood Cancer program aims to one day be able to provide a personalised treatment plan for every child.


2020 - 2025
SHARE, COLLABORATE & CURE: THE MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY CANCER BIOBANK
Macquarie University
2020 - 2023
CURING THE INCURABLE: PATIENT-CENTRED DIAGNOSTICS GUIDING THE SELECTION OF THERAPIES FOR METASTATIC BREAST CANCER
Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute (ONJCRI) & La Trobe University
2021 - 2023
PRECISION TARGETING OF BREAST CANCER FIBROSIS TO BOOST EFFICIENCY OF CHEMOTHERAPY
The Garvan Institute of Medical Research
2021 - 2023
MORE PRECISE RISK ESTIMATES FOR EARLY-STAGE BREAST CANCER
The University of Melbourne/Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
2021 - 2023
IDENTIFYING TARGETS ON MYELOID CELLS TO DESIGN PERSONALISED COMBINATION IMMUNOTHERAPIES FOR TRIPLE-NEGATIVE BREAST CANCER
Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute (ONJCRI) & La Trobe University
2021 - 2023
A NEW IMMUNOTHERAPY APPROACH TO TARGET TRIPLE-NEGATIVE BREAST CANCER
Queensland Institute of Medical Research Berghofer
2020 - 2023
OVERCOMING NETWORK REMODELLING TO IDENTIFY NEW THERAPEUTIC STRATEGIES FOR POOR PROGNOSIS BREAST CANCER
Monash University
2020 - 2023
USING POLYGENIC RISK MODIFICATION TO IMPROVE BREAST CANCER PREVENTION: THE PRIMO TRIAL.
Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
2019 - 2022
FULL-TIME RESEARCH ASSISTANT FOR A THREE-YEAR PERSONALISED BREAST CANCER RESEARCH PROJECT
Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute (ONJCRI)
2019 - 2020
STOPPING CANCER CELLS’ PRO-SURVIVAL MECHANISMS IN TRIPLE-NEGATIVE BREAST CANCER
The University of Sydney
2019 - 2021
COMBATING AGGRESSIVE BREAST CANCER WITH A NEW TREATMENT
Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute (ONJCRI)
2019 - 2020
DEVELOPING PERSONALISED TREATMENTS FOR BREAST CANCERS WITH POOR PROGNOSIS
Monash University
HERE ARE THE INCREDIBLE CANCER VANQUISHING PROJECTS WE SUPPORT.
THE CONNIE JOHNSON BREAST CANCER RESEARCH LABORATORY
2013 - extant
INSTITUTION:
The Garvan Institute of Medical Research
CHIEF RESEARCHERS:
Assoc. Prof. Elgene Lim & Assoc. Prof. Alex Swarbrick
SYNOPSIS:
The Connie Johnson Laboratory performs clinically focused laboratory research, aiming to better understand the heterogeneity in breast cancer, and identifying novel ways to treat breast cancer.
UTILISING THE LATEST TECHNOLOGIES TO SHED LIGHT ON THE COMPLEX DYNAMIC BETWEEN GENOTYPE AND PHENOTYPE
2023 - 2026
INSTITUTION: Children's Cancer Institute
CHIEF RESEARCHER:
Rob Salomon & Assoc. Prof. Paul Ekbert & Assoc. Prof.Mark Crowley
SYNOPSIS:
The development of minimally invasive tests that monitor disease progression in children and young adults and guides the subsequent change of treatment.
IMPROVING CANCER OUTCOMES IN RURAL AND REMOTE AUSTRALIA
2023 - 2026
INSTITUTION:
Macquarie University
CHIEF RESEARCHERS:
Prof. Howard Gurney; Nicola Chapman; A/Prof. Boe Rambaldini; Dr. Kylie Gwynne
SYNOPSIS:
Improving cancer outcomes in rural and remote Australia: developing effective, sustainable and scalable models for clinical trials.
THE ZERO CHILDHOOD CANCER PROGRAM
2021 - extant
INSTITUTION:
An initiative of Children’s Cancer Institute and Kids Cancer Centre at Sydney Children’s Hospital
CHIEF RESEARCHER:
Prof. Glenn Marshall AM
SYNOPSIS:
The Zero Childhood Cancer program aims to one day be able to provide a personalised treatment plan for every child.
CURING THE INCURABLE: PATIENT-CENTRED DIAGNOSTICS GUIDING THE SELECTION OF THERAPIES FOR METASTATIC BREAST CANCER
2020 - 2023
INSTITUTIONS:
Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute (ONJCRI) & La Trobe University
CHIEF RESEARCHERS:
Dr Belinda Yeo and Dr Delphine Merino
SYNOPSIS:
A formal translational study to demonstrate the value of analysing patient samples in both early stage and advanced breast cancer, ...
PRECISION TARGETING OF BREAST CANCER FIBROSIS TO BOOST EFFICIENCY OF CHEMOTHERAPY
2021 - 2023
INSTITUTION:
The Garvan Institute of Medical Research
CHIEF RESEARCHER:
Dr. Thomas Cox

SYNOPSIS:
Dr Cox and his team have generated exciting data to identify a critical enzyme (Peroxidasin) which is involved in the formation of the scar-like matrix in breast cancer.
MORE PRECISE RISK ESTIMATES FOR EARLY-STAGE BREAST CANCER
2021 - 2023
INSTITUTIONS:
The University of Melbourne/Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
CHIEF RESEARCHER:
Dr. Peter Savas
SYNOPSIS:
This research will study how different changes in the DNA in the tumours of over 11,000 patients affect the chance of the cancer coming back after surgery.
IDENTIFYING TARGETS ON MYELOID CELLS TO DESIGN PERSONALISED COMBINATION IMMUNOTHERAPIES FOR TRIPLE-NEGATIVE BREAST CANCER
2021 - 2023
INSTITUTIONS:
Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute (ONJCRI) & La Trobe University
CHIEF RESEARCHER:
Prof. Robin Anderson
SYNOPSIS:
Targeting pro-tumour immune cells to improve response to immunotherapy for triple-negative breast cancer patients.
A NEW IMMUNOTHERAPY APPROACH TO TARGET TRIPLE-NEGATIVE BREAST CANCER
2021 - 2023
INSTITUTION:
Queensland Institute of Medical Research Berghofer
CHIEF RESEARCHER:
Prof. Kum Kum Khanna

SYNOPSIS:
This research will improve our knowledge about the factors that inhibit growth and recurrence of breast cancer, which is critical to unlocking better treatment strategies. ...
FINDING TREATMENT FOR RIBOCICLIB RESISTANT BREAST CANCER USING PERSONALISED MEDICINE AND BIOSENSOR TECHNOLOGY
2021 - 2023
INSTITUTION:
The Garvan Institute of Medical Research
CHIEF RESEARCHER:
Prof. Paul Timpson

SYNOPSIS:
Our ultimate goal is to have the design of an early phase clinical trial conceptually established and pre-clinically validated within the duration of this grant.
OVERCOMING NETWORK REMODELLING TO IDENTIFY NEW THERAPEUTIC STRATEGIES FOR POOR PROGNOSIS BREAST CANCER
2020 - 2023
INSTITUTION:
Monash University
CHIEF RESEARCHER:
Dr. Lan Nguyen

SYNOPSIS:
The study will employ the use of novel machine learning techniques (data science) to develop predictive markers...
USING POLYGENIC RISK MODIFICATION TO IMPROVE BREAST CANCER PREVENTION: THE PRIMO TRIAL.
2020 - 2023
INSTITUTION:
Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
CHIEF RESEARCHER:
A/Prof. Paul James

SYNOPSIS:
Genomic testing will be used to identify women who can benefit the most from preventative strategies. Outcomes from this study will lead to the implementation of personalised risk management.