More Effective Therapeutic Targeting Of High Risk Childhood Cancer: Neuroblastoma As A Model
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$6,601,220.00
Summary
Cancer is the commonest cause of death from disease in Australian children. Childhood neuroblastoma is a particularly aggressive cancer, for which new treatment approaches are urgently needed. The team aims to discover better safer therapies for children with this cancer, conducting clinical trials using new drugs and novel drug combinations. We will also investigate novel ways of targeting neuroblastoma cells and identify therapeutic targets in neuroblastoma-initiating cells.
Optimising Targeted Polyamine Depletion For Treatment Of Childhood Neuroblastoma And Brain Tumours
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$928,152.00
Summary
Paediatric neuroblastoma and brain tumours, which often have dismal outcomes despite intensive therapy, have high levels of polyamines, which are essential for cell growth. We have shown that depleting polyamines, combined with chemotherapy, represents a highly promising therapy for neuroblastoma. We will make this exciting new treatment approach even more effective by comparing three ways of enhancing polyamine depletion, as a precursor to future neuroblastoma and brain tumour clinical trials.
Targeted Inhibition Of Polyamine Synthesis For Treatment Of Childhood Neuroblastoma
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$576,605.00
Summary
The childhood cancer, neuroblastoma, frequently has a dismal outcome despite the use of intensive therapy. Polyamines are molecules that are essential for cell survival and these are increased in aggressive neuroblastoma. Using pre-clinical models, we have shown that inhibiting polyamine production can significantly delay neuroblastoma growth. This project aims to improve the overall efficacy of this treatment by targeting multiple steps in polyamine synthesis in combination with chemotherapy.
Improved Outcomes For Children With Cancer Through Improved Target Identification And Drug Discovery: Neuroblastoma As A Model
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$6,394,247.00
Summary
The majority of children with neuroblastoma still die of their disease, and survivors have serious side-effects of cancer treatment. We aim to discover better therapies for children with this cancer, conducting clinical trials using existing and new drugs in novel combinations. We will also investigate novel ways of targeting neuroblastoma cells, and study possible prevention strategies for this and other embryonal cancers. This work will have application in other childhood and adult cancers.
Targeting Microtubules To Overcome Chemoresistance In Pancreatic Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$594,336.00
Summary
Pancreatic cancer is a devastating disease with a dismal prognosis because it is extremely resistant to chemotherapy agents. We plan to examine the expression of proteins called microtubules in pancreatic cancer and assess their role in drug resistance. It is anticipated that the findings of these studies will lead to the development of effective approaches to sensitise the cancer cells to chemotherapy agents.
Defining Ubiquitin Ligase Substrates: New Therapeutic Strategies In Breast Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$598,163.00
Summary
Current cancer therapies use drugs that target both tumor cells and rapidly growing normal cells – causing side effects and limiting effectiveness. Newer treatments aim to target molecules that are unique to tumor cells, leaving normal cells unharmed. This project will study a process that tags proteins for destruction by a cellular recycling system, which is often disrupted in cancer. This research will not only help us understand how cancer develops, but also identify new targets for therapy.
New Compounds For Tailored Therapy Against MLL-rearranged Leukaemia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$326,401.00
Summary
Some of the worst leukaemia survival rates are found in children and adults whose leukaemias display abnormalities of the MLL gene and alternative therapies are therefore urgently required for these patients. The aim of this project is to develop new compounds that specifically inhibit this abnormal gene and in turn inhibit the growth of these cells in the patient. In this way we hope to provide new and more effective therapies for patients affected with this aggressive type of leukaemia.
Novel Dual Domain Targeting Strategies Against ErbB Receptors
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$711,216.00
Summary
This project will develop innovative strategies to treat cancer through novel antibodies to erbB growth factor receptors, and identify ways to improve conventional treatments.
This Fellowship will focus on the development of novel therapeutics for cancer, and identify mechanisms for selection of treatments best suited to individual patients. It will also develop innovative strategies to identify cancer through molecular imaging techniques.
An Integrated Systems Biology Approach For The Development Of New Therapeutic Strategies For The Treatment Of High Grade Glioma
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$696,404.00
Summary
Glioma, the most common adult brain cancer, is incurable. Recent advances now allow us to grow glioma cells directly from patients in the laboratory in a way that preserves the features of the original tumor. In this proposal we will systematically analyze such cells using state-of-the-art technologies to identify new processes important to glioma, which in turn should facilitate the identification of innovative therapeutic approaches.