Cancer Council Queensland will today announce a $2 million investment in cancer research projects across Queensland over two years, as it reveals its 2019-2020 research grant recipients.
Over the two years, 10 Queensland research teams will receive $200,000 toward their projects.
To help improve treatment options and quality of life for cancer patients the research grants will be invested in projects that examine brain cancer cells, cancer vaccines, multi-cancer risk genes, immunotherapy, cell death, drug resistance, bowel polyps, and more
Media are invited to attend for photo, filming and interview opportunities in Brisbane:
Who: Cancer Council Queensland CEO Ms Chris McMillan, Cancer Council Queensland General Manager, Research, Professor Joanne Aitken, and grant recipients from QIMR Berghofer Medical Institute, and Associate Professor Vicki Whitehall
When: 11.30am start, Wednesday, March 13
Where: Cancer Council Queensland’s Brisbane Office, 553 Gregory Terrace, Fortitude Valley
Cancer Council Queensland CEO Ms Chris McMillan said more Queenslanders were surviving cancer than any other time in history, thanks to advances in cancer research and treatment options.
“Investment in innovative, ground-breaking research in Queensland is vital for improving survival rates for all types of cancer,” Ms McMillan said.
“Cancer Council Queensland proudly funds more cancer research than any other independent community-based charity in the state.
Associate Professor Vicki Whitehall from QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute.
“Congratulations to our grant recipients from QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, The University of Queensland and Queensland University of Technology.
“We are excited to see the outcomes of these research grants, which are giving hope to the one in two Queenslanders who are diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime and their loved ones.”
Among the grant recipients is Associate Professor Vicki Whitehall, from QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, who hopes her work will one day reduce the number of people who are diagnosed with bowel cancer and lose their lives to the disease.
“The focus of this project is a particular type of polyp, called a ‘sessile serrated adenoma’, which we have proved accounts for at least 20 per cent of all bowel cancers,” Professor Whitehall said.
“We will investigate gene changes to predict which of these polyps have potential to progress to cancer, which will inform surveillance guidelines.
Associate Professor Whitehall said her work would not be possible without philanthropic support.
“Cancer research in Queensland is in desperate need for greater funding and Cancer Council Queensland plays an integral part of the mechanism to achieve a more vibrant and contributing cancer research sector in Queensland.”
This research grant funding will assist in a pre-clinical project, helping bring new cancer immunotherapies to the clinic.
A full list of Cancer Council Queensland’s 2019-2020 research grants is available online at cancerqld.org.au.
ENDS
For more information, please contact:
Lisa Maynard, Public Relations and Social Media Manager, Cancer Council Queensland
Ph: (07) 3634 5171 or 0488 015 702
E: lisamaynard@cancerqld.org.au