Molecular Determinants Of Susceptibility And Progression In Breast Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$6,006,551.00
Summary
Breast cancer is heterogeneous, making management a challenge. High-grade cancers including the ‘basal’ type are aggressive, often found in young women and have a propensity for distant spread. They are also associated with a BRCA1 gene mutation. We will study mechanisms that predispose some women to develop breast cancer, the process that allows cancers to grow at distant sites such as the brain and lungs, and how DNA repair proteins are implicated. This will allow development of new diagnostic ....Breast cancer is heterogeneous, making management a challenge. High-grade cancers including the ‘basal’ type are aggressive, often found in young women and have a propensity for distant spread. They are also associated with a BRCA1 gene mutation. We will study mechanisms that predispose some women to develop breast cancer, the process that allows cancers to grow at distant sites such as the brain and lungs, and how DNA repair proteins are implicated. This will allow development of new diagnostic tools and treatments.Read moreRead less
Tracking The Origins And Drivers Of Metastasis In Prostate Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,022,600.00
Summary
Prostate cancer is now the most commonly diagnosed cancer but only 10% of men with it, will die from it. Our current ability to discriminate between cancers with an indolent course and those that are lethal is poor. This project will examine the mixture of tumour clones (subclones) that are present in prostate cancers and define and track those cancer subclones that break away from the prostate and lodge in distant sites, causing death.
CLINICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF GENETICALLY DEFINED GERMLINE SUB-GROUPS OF MELANOMA AND BREAST CANCER PATIENTS.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$140,949.00
Summary
In this project I will assess how cancer patients’ genetic makeup influences the nature and outcome of their cancer, especially in terms of how successful treatment is likely to be. We will show how key genetic variants influence cancer behaviour and by combining these genes we will have a better understanding of how to develop more successful treatments.
Harnessing Endogenous L1-mediated Mutagenesis To Elucidate New Candidate Genes For Liver Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$632,656.00
Summary
Retrotransposons are mobile genes that copy-and-paste themselves in our genome. Previously thought to represent “junk DNA”, retrotransposons are increasingly recognised to play major roles in biology. In a recent publication in Cell, we found that retrotransposons were highly active in some types of liver cancer, mutating key genes required to block tumour formation. In the current study, we will determine in greater depth how, and how often, these genes are involved in other types of liver canc ....Retrotransposons are mobile genes that copy-and-paste themselves in our genome. Previously thought to represent “junk DNA”, retrotransposons are increasingly recognised to play major roles in biology. In a recent publication in Cell, we found that retrotransposons were highly active in some types of liver cancer, mutating key genes required to block tumour formation. In the current study, we will determine in greater depth how, and how often, these genes are involved in other types of liver cancer.Read moreRead less