Targeting Adaptive Mechanisms To Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress In Melanoma
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$511,294.00
Summary
Melanoma is a major Australian health problem, but there is no curative treatment once the disease spreads beyond the skin. We will study the role the response of melanoma cells to stress conditions of an organelle called endoplasmic reticulum in determining sensitivity of melanoma to killing induced by therapeutic drugs. If successful, this study will provide much needed new insights into the resistance of melanoma to treatment and point to new treatment approaches against the disease.
This Fellowship will focus on psychosocial issues in cancer, empowering patients to participate in their care, and improving communication between patients and health professionals. Research aims to reduce distress in immigrant, rural, advanced and young cancer patients and reduce fear of cancer recurrence in survivors; better understand the role of stress, coping and social support in the development of breast cancer; and improve communication about prognosis and end of life issues.
Melanoma Mutation Profiling For Personalised Treatment
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$571,191.00
Summary
Melanoma is an aggressive skin cancer, and the leading cause of skin cancer related deaths. Disease spread is difficult to detect and extremely difficult to cure. This bleak clinical outcome is changing with the development of personalised therapies which include small molecule inhibitors to treat metastatic melanoma. Here we seek to identify the spectrum of mutations in patient tumours and circulating tumour cells for advanced personalised treatment.
Predicting Response To Chemoradiotherapy In Patients With Advanced Rectal Cancer.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$461,605.00
Summary
Many cancer patients receive expensive and unpleasant therapies that actually do not benefit them. This project will use a new technology that can simultaneously assess the level of expression of thousands of genes. We will test if the pattern of gene expression in tumours can predict the patients' response to therapy. Success will significantly improve the clinical management of advanced cancer patients and provide a rational basis upon which to tailor individualized treatment regimes.
Communication skills training for oncology health care professionals working with culturally and linguistically diverse patients. The project will develop and evaluate two novel training programs designed to equip health professionals to communicate with cancer patients from different cultures. It is expected that the programs will improve trainees’ ability to communicate in a culturally sensitive way.