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Lance Armstrong Foundation Grant for Sydney

23 December 2008

Lance Armstrong Foundation Grant Recognises Cancer Research Expertise at The University of Sydney. The University of Sydney is the only Australian institution to be awarded a grant by the Lance Armstrong Foundation in 2008 announced last week.

Eleven grants totalling nearly US$2 million were given to groups of researchers from nine US universities and a hospital, as well as the team from The University of Sydney and the Sydney Cancer Centre (SCC).

The team includes Dr. Janette Vardy, senior lecturer in medicine based at Concord Clinical School and SCC; Haryana Dhillon, PhD candidate and research manager for the Survivorship Research Group; Dr. Hidde van der Ploeg, research fellow at the Centre for Physical Activity and Health at the School of Public Health; Professor Stephen Clarke, head of the Department of Medicine at Concord Clinical School and SCC; Dr. Michael Boyer, clinical senior lecturer from the Discipline of Medicine and SCC; and Professor Adrian Bauman, Sesquicentenary Professor in Public Health, also from the Centre for Physical Activity and Health at the School of Public Health. Their project, The impact of physical activity on quality of life in lung cancer patients, will conducted over two years with a budget of US$110,000.

"The study will evaluate a physical activity programme for patients with inoperable lung cancer to see if it helps to improve fatigue and their quality of life. In addition, it will obtain important data about the impact of physical activity on physical functioning, body composition, mood, cognitive function, sleep and shortness of breath. We will be looking at blood tests to learn more about the possible mechanisms of some of these symptoms," said Dr. Janette Vardy, the chief investigator on the grant.

"If positive, the study has the potential to change how we treat patients with more advanced lung cancer by providing patients with a non-toxic, inexpensive treatment to improve quality of life and potentially help them achieve the highest possible level of independent function for as long as possible," she added.

The Lance Armstrong Foundation was created by the champion cyclist in 1997 after a cancer diagnosis in 1996 led to serious surgery. The Foundation supports cancer survivorship research and community-based participatory research grants by established and young investigators, in line with its aim to provide support for research that it not commonly funded by traditional sources. The grant awarded to Dr. Vardy and her team is one of six awarded to young investigators, while five other grants were given to established researchers.

The Foundation has awarded more than US$21 million since 1998, when it first started to award research grants. Grant recipients have to complete a rigorous application process, which is then peer-reviewed by a selection committee of scientific experts and lay reviewers.

"Lung cancer is an under-researched area. Our study of physical activity has the potential to help people with cancer in their chest (like lung cancer or mesothelioma) feel better during and after their treatment," noted Haryana Dhillon, the second-named researcher on the grant.

By Reema Rattan

Contact: Jake O'Shaughnessy
Phone: +61 2 9351 4312 or 0421 617 861
Email: jacob@media.usyd.edu.au

Making a difference in the lives of cancer patients

9 December 2008

Diana Andruczyk has yearned for the opportunity to positively impact the lives of cancer patients ever since high school.

Having graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Applied Science (Medical Radiation Sciences) - Radiation Therapy in November 2007, the 22-year-old is finally realising her ambition.

Now a radiation therapist at St George Hospital's Cancer Care Centre, Andruczyk currently oversees the radiation treatment of up to 35 patients a day.

Significantly, her role demands more than just a high level of expertise in cutting-edge medical science. With treatment regimes lasting up to five-weeks, the forming of personal bonds with those in her care constitutes one of the most satisfying aspects of her role.

'You see the patients every day so you get to know them, become a part of their support network and help them along during their treatment,' she explains. 'You wake up in the morning and you actually want to go to work because you know that you're going to meet these people, or see the person who told you that they were going to their daughter's wedding over the weekend. And when you see them come back in a couple of months to visit, it does make you feel good when you see that they're better. It's a very satisfying job.'

While the very nature of cancer ensures that not all treatment outcomes are positive, it's a reality Andruczyk has already come to accept.

'It is challenging,' she admits. 'You do get the sad stories but you learn how to deal with them. You learn to cope and you learn to be there for these patients. At least you're able to help them and ease their pain a little.'

Echoing the sentiments of Andruczyk, Mark West, Lecturer in Radiation Therapy Physics with the Faculty of Health Sciences, also says that the combination of humanity and technology is a popular motivation among students looking to enter the field via the three-year applied science degree.

'The reasons that graduates say they do the course is that they get to work with modern technology and they also have a patient-focused aspect as well,' he says. 'So it's a combination of new equipment and new systems as well as dealing with patients on a day-to-day basis. They really enjoy that mix.'

Highlighting the recommendations of the 2002 Baume Report and the subsequent increase in prevalence of radiation treatment machines, West says that radiation therapy promises to be a strong future growth area.

'The Baume Report made recommendations about a need for increased oncology services in NSW and recommended more treatment machines be installed,' he says. 'That obviously means a need for more radiation therapists.'

West adds that the career options for graduates are not necessarily restricted to a direct involvement in cancer treatment.

'They can either work as a radiation therapist in an oncology centre in Australia or overseas once they complete their year of accreditation, or they can work for companies that sell medical equipment to oncology departments,' he says. 'They could also work in the academic field, with radiation therapy research being an important growth area.'

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$99M medical education and research facility opened

18 November 2008

NSW Minister for Health John Della Bosca and Vice-Chancellor and Principal Dr Michael Spence have officially opened the new $99 million Kolling Building at Royal North Shore Hospital, providing a new purpose-built facility for medical researchers and clinical educators.

The ultra-modern building, jointly funded by the University of Sydney and NSW Health, includes seven floors for medical research and new facilities for educating the doctors, nurses and health professionals of the future.

"The Kolling Building is a significant milestone in our commitment to rebuild and revitalise the Royal North Shore Hospital site, and its completion marks the start of a new era in clinical research and education," Mr Della Bosca said.

"This project also demonstrates the capacity of State Government to partner successfully with other institutions, in this case with the University of Sydney, to deliver enhanced facilities that benefit the community."

Royal North Shore Hospital is renowned for its 'bench to bedside' research philosophy, where staff members are engaged in practical research that can be applied to patient care in areas such as cancer, pain management, diabetes and perinatal medicine.

"Opening of the Kolling Building marks a significant new phase of cooperation between North Sydney Health and the University of Sydney," said Vice-Chancellor and Principal Dr Michael Spence.

"It is absolutely essential that research in this area is multidisciplinary and that it can be successfully taken from bench to bedside. This world class facility provides the ideal environment to achieve this," he said.

The Kolling Building is part of the $950 million redevelopment of Royal North Shore Hospital and community health facility which will be completed by 2013.

The Kolling Building, named in recognition of the Kolling Institute of Medical Research, has its own architectural identity and discrete presence on site. A particularly advanced feature of the building is the sophisticated IT and audiovisual installation, allowing for videoconferencing in most of the large teaching venues.

The building is also designed to provide above-ground connection to clinical treatment areas of the future acute hospital with a bridge link on level 5. A direct connection to the new main hospital building will allow easy flow from the acute care area to the research area for the many staff members engaged in active clinical research.

Contact: Jake O'Shaughnessy
Phone: +61 2 9351 4312 or 0421 617 861
Email: jacob@media.usyd.edu.au

Sharon Kilbreath awarded breast cancer fellowship

11 November 2008

Associate Professor Sharon Kilbreath has recently been announced as the recipient of one of the two largest ever Career Fellowship grants handed down by the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) for breast cancer research in Australia.

The Career Fellowship awards a total of 1 million dollars ($200,000 over 5 years) to fund Associate Professor Kilbreath and the Breast Cancer Research Group's work on physical rehabilitation following breast cancer.

"Australia has some of the brightest minds in breast cancer research," commented Sue Carrick, Head of Research Strategy at NBCF. "By offering grants of this scale, we are further building our capacity for research and ensuring that we retain the best talent within Australia."

The Faculty of Health Sciences' Breast Cancer Research Group was established by Associate Professor Sharon Kilbreath in 2001 following her own battle with breast cancer.

This grant will allow the group to further their research into identifying the specific causes and risk factors of long-term musculoskeletal problems suffered by many breast cancer survivors.

"This will enable development of effective interventions to treat and prevent these problems, with a particular emphasis on lymphoedema (swelling of the arm)," said Associate Professor Kilbreath.

Ms Carrick acknowledged the work of Associate Professor Kilbreath and fellow recipient, Dr Robin Anderson from the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, in "leading teams representing the next generation of researchers who have the capacity to make a real difference in the area of breast cancer control."

Contact: Kath Kenny
Phone: 02 9351 2261

Cancer study a world first

10 November 2008

A research study to recruit foreign language speaking cancer patients through Australian Cancer Registries will begin in New South Wales this month.

The study aims to assess anxiety, depression and quality of life in Greek, Chinese and Arabic speaking cancer patients in Australia. It will also document unmet needs and patterns of care throughout their cancer journey.

The University of Sydney will conduct the study in four Australian States and plan to survey 1,000 cancer patients.

Study participants will be adults aged 18-80, diagnosed with cancer between 2005 and 2006 and born in nations speaking Chinese (Mandarin or Cantonese), Arabic or Greek, and currently resident in Australia.

Cancer patients from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds have poorer quality of life following cancer treatment. They may experience difficulties within the Australian health system due to language barriers, poor knowledge of the healthcare system, differing beliefs and religion and social disadvantage.

The study's Chief Investigator Professor Phyllis Butow said: "This will be the first study in the world to systematically explore outcomes in CALD (culturally and linguistically diverse) cancer patients using rigorous and culturally appropriate methodologies.

"Based on the information received from the survey, it will be possible to plan appropriate and targeted interventions, which we hope will lead to an increased quality of life following cancer treatment for these vulnerable populations.

"This information will be invaluable to all services wishing to provide culturally appropriate care for their cancer patients", Professor Butow said.

Contact: Professor Phyllis Butow
Phone: 02 9351 2859

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Anti-tobacco hero in the running for Australian of the Year

10 November 2008

Tireless anti-tobacco campaigner and Sydney University Professor of Public Health Simon Chapman has been named as a NSW finalist in the 2009 Australian of the Year awards.
Professor Chapman is one of just four finalists from NSW in competition for the state title, which if he wins would qualify him to be considered for the honour of Australian of the Year.

The other NSW finalists are surfing legend Layne Beachley, netball great Liz Ellis and former cricketer Glenn McGrath.
Professor Chapman said he was honoured by being named a finalist and hoped it would help him continue to "make smoking history" both in Australia and internationally.

"Lung cancer is still the leading cause of cancer deaths in Australia despite tobacco control measures reducing the male death rate to a level last seen in 1963," Professor Chapman said. "The tragedy is that it is a cancer that we know how to almost completely prevent."

Professor Chapman has just returned from China where he has been advising Chinese university scholars on how to teach and research tobacco control. He has been asked to be the senior reviewer for curriculum for the subject to be taught to all medical students in every medical school in China, as part of a half billion dollar global project supported by New York mayor Michael Bloomberg and IT legend and philanthropist Bill Gates.

Based at the University of Sydney's School of Public Health, Professor Simon Chapman has lobbied for thirty years against the powerful tobacco industry. Smoking is at is lowest level ever recorded for men, women and teenagers.

In December he completes a 17-year term editing Tobacco Control, the world's leading research journal in the area.
In 2003 Professor Chapman was listed in The Bulletin's top 10 smartest, most innovative and creative people in the field of health and medicine. In 2008 he was awarded the $50,000 NSW Premier's award for Cancer Researcher of the Year and elected a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences Australia.

Graduates of the University that were nominated in the same round include thespian John Bell (nominated for NSW Senior Australian of the Year), Captain Paul Moulds, Director of Oasis in Sydney, a centre for homeless and disadvantaged youth and Dr Jamal Rifi, founding member of Muslim Doctors Against Violence and the Christian Muslim Friendship Society (both nominated as NSW Local Hero).

Contact: Media Office
Phone: 02 9351 2261

Sydney scoops NHMRC grants

17 October 2008

The University of Sydney was this week awarded $51.8 million for 94 new grants in the National Health and Medical Research Council's project grants scheme.

Minister for Health and Ageing Nicola Roxon announced research funding worth more than $357 million nationally through 688 individual grants on Thursday. The total amount of funding Sydney received exceeds any other university or research institute in the nation.

Successful grants at Sydney cover a wide range of subject fields, from cellular-level and genetic studies to policy issues, and childhood obesity to age-related illnesses. Projects are based at a number of different campuses and affiliated institutes including Anzac, Centenary, George, Kolling, Westmead Millenium, and Woolcock.

Professor Anita Bundy from the Faculty of Health Sciences leads a team of seven researchers who will study whether the increase in childhood obesity is linked with parental fears of their children playing outdoors. The project has been allocated over $480,000 to trial an innovative intervention to get children to be more active in a modified playground.

The study will also look at prevention of obesity among children by including those who are not obese. The commonly-quoted statistic for childhood obesity is one in four, noted Professor Bundy. "This is a great opportunity to see if, by capturing children's intrinsic motivation, we can address a major health issue," she said.

Dr Janette Vardy from the Concord Clinical School, Haryana Dhillion from the Centre for Medical Psychology and Evidence-Based Decision-Making and team of ten other researchers have secured over $2.4 million dollars to study the effect of exercise on colon cancer titled, CHALLENGE: Colon Health And Life Long Exercise chaNGE. The study is the first randomised controlled trial looking at the effect of exercise on disease-free survival for colon cancer and will be conducted in collaboration with scientists at the National Cancer Institute of Canada.

"This study will provide important information for patients and oncologists on whether exercise can reduce the risk of a colon cancer recurrence in people who have had chemotherapy," noted Dr Vardy, the first-named investigator of the project. "It will also address the effects of physical activity on quality of life, which is of primary importance to cancer survivors."

Professor William Tarnow-Mordi, Medical Director of the Centre for Newborn Care at Westmead and Honorary Director of Clinical Trials at the NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, was also successful in securing funding for the Australian Placental Transfusion Study (APTS). He will lead a team of sixteen other researchers based in Australia, the United Kingdom, North America and Japan for this $2.6 million project.

The study will involve delaying clamping of the umbilical cord for babies more than ten weeks premature for between 30 and 60 seconds, while holding the baby below the level of the placenta. The cord will then be clamped at the greatest possible length and held above the infant during resuscitation, when it will be untwisted and milked, delivering as much as twenty to thirty more millilitres of blood to the baby.

This simple intervention, combining milking and gravity to give more of its own blood to the baby, has had successful outcomes in a pilot study in Japan but has not been studied in depth. Currently, premature babies have a mortality and disability rate that is a hundred times higher than that of full-term babies and the study will follow-up on participants for the first three years of their life.

"If this simple, low-tech, low-cost technique improves disability-free survival, it will be a gift to the world because it can be acted on anywhere," Professor Tarnow-Mordi said.

The NHMRC also funded a study led by Professor Peter McIntyre from the Children's Hospital at Westmead Clinical School about the safety and effectiveness of vaccinating babies for pertussis or whooping cough at birth and at six weeks rather than the current practise of waiting for two months. With his extensive experience in vaccine trails, Professor McIntyre is ideally-placed to lead the five-people team for this study, which received over $1.4 million of funding.

The National Health and Medical Council has yet to announce the results of others schemes that it funds, which include career fellowships, career development awards and program grants.

By Reema Rattan

Contact: Kath Kenny
Phone: 02 9351 2261

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Glowing Pink to Support Breast Cancer Research

1 October 2008

The University’s historic Clock Tower has joined the list of landmark Australian and international buildings to glow pink during Breast Cancer Month.

Lighting of the Clock Tower is part of the Global Illumination campaign, initiated to increase awareness of breast cancer in the community. The focus this year is on recognising the critical role that research plays in increasing understanding and eventually curing the disease.

The National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) is a significant supporter of the University’s research. The NBCF has contributed funds for a number of projects including the National Breast Cancer Tissue Bank based at the Faculty of Medicine’s Westmead Institute for Cancer Research. The NBCF also funds the Nuclear Receptors in Breast Cancer research project, which is a national collaborative program between leading cancer researchers. The principle investigator is Associate Professor Christine Clarke, based at the Westmead Institute for Cancer Research.

The Faculty of Medicine is a key sponsor of this year’s National Breast Cancer Foundation Sydney Global Illumination Dinner.

The Dinner will be held in the University of Sydney’s Great Hall on 16 October, proceeds from the event will boost funds for research into the prevention and cure of breast cancer.

Kill the tobacco industry, or it will keep killing

By Simon Chapman and Becky Freeman, The Sydney Morning Herald

2 October 2008

This month in Rio de Janeiro, the global tobacco industry's annual conference features a special session on what many are seeing as its Armageddon: plain, generic packaging. All packs are identical except for the brand name, printed in standard font. No colours, no logos, no box variations. Nothing but the brand and the health warning.

The British Government has released a consultation paper on the idea. Morgan Stanley advised its clients recently that "homogenous packaging" would "significantly restrict the industry's ability to promote their products". Tobacco Journal International, the industry's main trade journal, had as its latest cover story a warning: "Plain packaging can kill your business." That's the whole idea, ladies and gentlemen.

The World Health Organisation's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, now ratified by 160 nations, is rapidly accelerating a long overdue regulation of the tobacco industry. Plain packaging has not happened in any nation yet, but the race is on. Here is why it is the most important next step in reducing Australia's leading cause of death.

When you take a doctor's prescription to a pharmacy for a drug designed to prolong life, relieve pain or symptoms or in some way promote health, radically different things happen than when you buy a packet of cigarettes.

First, the pharmaceutical company making the drug will have spent a small fortune trialling it to see if it does what it is meant to do - such as act as an effective contraceptive or lower blood pressure - and that it does not cause adverse reactions that are so severe as to radically alter the cost-benefit ratio of the drug (for example, chemotherapy for cancer often causes nausea but may prolong life).

Tobacco companies, by contrast, have to meet no standards for their products and can add any legal substance that will, for example, get nicotine to your brain faster or mask the astringent, choking sensation of smoke. While Philip Morris once withdrew its salmonella-contaminated Kraft peanut butter from shops because it might have harmed customers, it is relaxed and comfortable about half of its best customers dying from using its tobacco products in the intended way.

Next, your prescription will be made up by a pharmacist with a minimum four-year university degree, while your cigarettes will be handed to you by someone who may have left school at 15. You will get a limited supply from the pharmacist and have to go back to your doctor if you want a repeat prescription.

With cigarettes, you can buy as many as you like. If a pharmacist supplied drugs to someone without a prescription, they would be fined, perhaps jailed and almost certainly struck off the register. If a store supplies cigarettes to a child, hell would freeze over before they were caught or any serious action taken n the pharmacy, prescribed drugs are not on open display but stored in the dispensary. Until now, cigarettes have been on open display, sending the message that they are profoundly ordinary products, no different from sweets, soft drinks and groceries.

Verity Firth, when she was the minister for cancer, prepared a raft of reforms that will have their final reading in State Parliament on Friday. The most important "denormalising" proposal will see all tobacco products stored out of site, as occurs in Canada, Thailand and Iceland.

The final difference between tobacco and prescribed drugs is packaging. When you pick up your next prescription, check out the plain, dull box. It is not designed to express the product's "personality" or to confer prestige or some other desirable attribute in the user. It simply states the drug's name, dosage and any contraindications. Tobacco products, by contrast, are the result of ongoing market testing to ensure they are as attractive and beguiling as possible, particularly to what the industry euphemistically calls "starters" or "young adult smokers".
Research released this week by Professor Melanie Wakefield, from the Cancer Council Victoria, shows how smokers feel about plain packaged cigarettes. When shown regular packaged brands and the dull, generic packs, the 813 smokers rated the dull packs as much less attractive and popular, and those who would smoke them as much less stylish, outgoing and mature than smokers of the original pack. They inferred that cigarettes from the plain packs would be less satisfying and of lower quality.

The federal Health Minister, Nicola Roxon, has repeatedly put prevention front and centre of national health policy. By making Australia lead the world - by taking a step that the history of tobacco control suggests is inevitable - she could start global dominoes tumbling, and save millions of lives. If the tobacco industry thinks plain packaging will kill its business, no stronger recommendation is available.

Simon Chapman is a professor of public health and Becky Freeman is a doctoral student on the future of tobacco control at the University of Sydney.

Contact: Media Office
Phone: 02 9036 5404

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Sydney Cancer Conference 2008: promoting the translation of research from bench to bedside

17 July 2008

This week, The University of Sydney Cancer Research Network will host the inaugural Sydney Cancer Conference 2008 (SCC2008).

The three-day program draws together international and national researchers, industry experts and students, on the theme of 'Research Translation: Innovation to Practice', focusing on facilitating dialogue and exchange of ideas between basic and clinical researchers, speeding the translation of new discoveries for the benefit of cancer patients.

A distinguished panel, chaired by Professor Martin Tattersall, will discuss the key questions to be answered by cancer research in the next five years, which should generate some exciting discussion.

The conference features three international keynote speakers - Professor Kenneth Kinzler, Professor Lesley Fallowfield and Professor John Potter, and a list of exciting national presenters, whose work in cancer research is internationally recognised
"One presentation not to be missed will be by Professor John Thompson," said Professor Richard Christopherson, Chair of the SCC2008 Organising Committee.

"Professor Thompson is Director of the Sydney Melanoma Unit at The University of Sydney, and he will outline new melanoma treatments, including the ground-breaking clinical trial he is carrying out. Individual tumours are injected with a red dye called Rose Bengal causing them to become necrotic, dying within 7 days, and lifting off the skin within 14 days."

Other local and national speakers will include:

  • Professor Nicos Nicola (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute), who was involved with the cloning of GM-CSF. This growth factor was subsequently used to treat Jose Carreras, one of the 'Three Tenors', who had acute lymphocytic leukaemia in 1987. He is now cured and has established the Jose Carreras International Leukemia Foundation to support leukaemia research;
  • Dr Janette Vardy (The University of Sydney), who will present on cognitive function and fatigue in cancer patients after chemotherapy; and
  • Dr Karen Canfell (Cancer Council NSW), whose presentation will focus on evaluating new strategies for cervical cancer screening in the context of HPV vaccination.

"To open SCC2008, Professor Bruce Armstrong who led the expert investigation of the breast cancer cluster at the ABC studios in Brisbane in 2006-07, will give a public lecture from 6.30 - 7.30 pm on Thursday 24 July," said Professor Christopherson.

"This is a free lecture. Anyone interested in cancer research is encouraged to attend."

The Hon. Verity Firth MP, Minister for Climate Change and the Environment, Minister for Women, Minister for Science and Medical Research, and Minister Assisting the Minister for Health (Cancer), will officially open the conference on Friday 25 July.

SCC2008 has been supported by Amgen, The Cancer Institute NSW, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, Bayer, Merck Serono, Roche, and The University of Sydney School of Public Health.

SCC2008 will be held from 24 - 26 July 2008 at the Eastern Avenue Auditorium and Lecture Theatre Complex at The University of Sydney. For further information or to register visit www.cancerresearch.med.usyd.edu.au/SCC2008/

Contact: Jake O'Shaughnessy
Phone: +61 2 9351 4312 or 0421 617 861
Email:

Top award for anti-tobacco campaigner

23 May 2008

The University of Sydney's Professor Simon Chapman has taken out the Premier's Award for Outstanding Cancer Researcher of the Year for 2008.

Professor Chapman said he was honoured to receive the Premier's award. "There are so many areas of cancer research which are more high profile than tobacco control research, but there are few - if any - which have translated into so many lives saved.

"The incidence of new cases of lung cancer in men has fallen 19 per cent in the last ten years alone. Male death rates per 100,000 from lung cancer are now back to the level they were in 1950.

"About 85 per cent of lung cancer occurs in smokers, and with it being the leading cause of cancer death, this is huge progress."

Professor Chapman has a 30-year history in tobacco control research and advocacy, and has been awarded several international prizes for his work. This latest award, worth $50,000, was presented at a ceremony at Darling Harbour last night.

He has published five books on tobacco control and over 350 papers. At the end of 2008, he is stepping down from a 16-year stint editing the British Medical Journal's international journal, Tobacco Control.

Next year Professor Chapman will be spending more time in China after being awarded, with others, a $3m grant by Ovations/US National Institutes of Health. There he hopes to "export" many of the lessons from Australia's track record to reduce the world's largest challenge in tobacco control: 350 million Chinese smokers.

Many of Professor Chapman's papers can be found here.

Other Premier's Awards
A Premier's honour also went to the Outstanding Research Fellow, Dr Linda Bendall, a haematologist from the University's Faculty of Medicine, whose research at the Westmead Millennium Institute into leukaemia has attracted international acclaim.

Dr Bendall's laboratory has led research into the ways cells interact to cause acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), which occurs most commonly in children. Her research uncovered new information about factors which may slow or prevent the growth of leukaemia. In the coming year, this research will very likely be taken into new clinical trials testing these promising new treatments.

Katie Dixon, who recently completed her doctorate at the School of Medical Sciences, received the Premier's Award for Outstanding Cancer Research Scholar, and is recognised for her cancer research on ultraviolet radiation-induced skin cancer. Her study was the first to demonstrate a role for vitamin D compounds in reducing tumour formation and skin cancer progression.

The studies carried out in this project helped to unravel the mechanisms underlying photoprotection by vitamin D compounds. A preliminary study carried out in human subjects showed a reduction in some of the early events that lead to skin cancer development; in particular the reduction of sunburn cells and DNA damage.

Contact: University of Sydney media office
Phone: 02 9351 2261

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Discovery provides cancer drug opportunities

1 May 2008

An international study released this week in the prestigious journal Nature could revolutionise the way in which cancers are treated and potentially put an end to aggressive DNA damaging chemotherapies and radiotherapy treatments.

The study, entitled Single-strand DNA-binding protein hSSB1 is critical for genomic stability has identified and characterised a novel human single-stranded DNA binding protein (hSSB1). hSSB1 is an upstream sensor in the double-strand break response pathway - double strand DNA breaks are lethal if they are not repaired.

"Chemotherapy, which is highly toxic, is currently the only option for most cancer patients. Not only does chemotherapy kill off the cancerous cells, it also kills off healthy cells, leading to severe nausea, fatigue, hair loss and in some cases death," said co-author Dr Liza Cubeddu from the University of Sydney's School of Molecular and Microbial Biosciences

hSSB1 is recruited to sites of DNA breaks where it co-localises with other repair proteins. Cells depleted in hSSB1 are hypersensitive to ionizing radiation, which causes double-strand breaks that are not repaired efficiently.

"hSSB1 is a prerequisite for cancer cells to survive, normal cells can function without it," said Dr Cubeddu. "Developing a drug that can target the hSSB1 gene means that you can destroy cancerous cells while leaving healthy cells intact. This could revolutionise how cancers are treated and potentially put an end to aggressive DNA damaging chemotherapies and radiotherapy treatments," she said.

Contact: Jake O'Shaughnessy
Phone: +61 2 9351 4312 or 0421 617 861
Email: jacob@media.usyd.edu.au

Seeking quality of life for cancer sufferers

22 April 2008

The Faculty of Health Sciences been awarded funding for a new study with the potential to improve the quality of life for many breast cancer sufferers.

The three year study will look into whether exercise can help prevent the loss of bone density in women treated for breast cancer with a hormone treatment called aromatase inhibitors.
Aromatase inhibitors are the first line treatment for the majority of women with breast cancer. They have significantly improved the prognosis for many women with breast cancer. Although clearly beneficial, the treatment does have the side effect of decreasing bone density.

"This loss of the bone increases the risk of osteoporosis and the associated likelihood of bone fractures," explained Associate Professor of Physiotherapy Sharon Kilbreath. "Fractures in older women can have serious consequences and dramatically reduce their quality of life."

The study is the first that Sharon is aware of to investigate whether exercise can reverse this reduction in bone density for postmenopausal women being treated for breast cancer.

"It's an exciting study," said Sharon. "We've brought together a talented multidisciplinary team that includes one of the best bone specialists in Australia, a breast cancer specialist, an expert in body composition and researchers in physiotherapy from within the Faculty, the University and the Sydney Cancer Centre."

The study will involve 60 postmenopausal woman volunteers who have received aromatase inhibitor treatment and are not currently involved in intensive exercise. The group will be split in two. The first group will take part in an intensive exercise program; the second will go about their lives as normal.

The women in the exercise program will receive a free gym membership and customised program from a personal trainer involving a mix of resistance training and impact training such as skipping and jumping. Weekly follow-up calls will help maintain motivation. The success of the program will be measured by comparing the changes in bone density and bone quality of those taking part in exercise with those not taking part.

"Basically, it would be a great result if we find out that exercise can reverse the reduction of bone strength and by doing so improve the quality of life for breast cancer survivors," said Sharon. "We also hope to keep more women on their breast cancer treatment by limiting the side effects that may cause some to otherwise stop their treatment."

Contact: Jake O'Shaughnessy
Phone: +61 2 9351 4312 or 0421 617 861
Email: jacob@media.usyd.edu.au

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Sydney Cancer Conference 2008: converting cutting-edge research into revolutionary treatments

26 March 2008

Join international and national scholars as they speak about the latest cancer research at the inaugural Sydney Cancer Conference 2008 (SCC2008).

SCC2008 will be held from 24 - 26 July 2008 at the Eastern Avenue Auditorium and Lecture Theatre complex at The University of Sydney, under the auspices of The University of Sydney Cancer Research Network.

The theme for SCC2008 is 'Research translation: From innovation to practice', and it will focus on increasing dialogue and the exchange of ideas between basic and clinical researchers, speeding the translation of new discoveries for the benefit of cancer patients.

Professor Richard Christopherson, Chair of the SCC2008 organising committee, believes the conference offers an invaluable opportunity for researchers and clinicians to work together to improve outcomes for people with cancer.

“It is a fantastic way for cancer researchers and clinicians to come together and exchange information on current and emerging knowledge, to forge new collaborations, identify future opportunities in cancer research and patient care, and cooperatively work together to achieve outcomes,” Professor Christopherson said.

“I’m very pleased to announce that three keynote speakers - Professors Kenneth Kinzler, John Potter and Lesley Fallowfield - have been confirmed.”

Professor Kinzler is a Professor of Oncology at John Hopkins University. He has identified key genetic changes that underlie the development of human colorectal and breast cancers, and his keynote address ‘The Genomic Landscape of Cancer’, draws on his considerable experience in this area. He was recently described as one of the cancer ‘Doctors of the Decade’ with more than 25,000 citations of his published work.

Professor Potter is Director of the Division of Public Health Sciences at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre. His research interests include the causes and prevention of colon cancer, gene-environment interactions in cancer, and mechanisms by which plant foods lower risk of cancer.

Professor Fallowfield is Director and Professor of Psycho-oncology at the University of Sussex, and will speak about how psycho-oncology helps in the evaluation of clinical trials of cancer therapy. She is known internationally for her research and promotion of the need for health care professionals to develop better communication skills.

“I encourage all cancer researchers to attend this exciting inaugural event,” said Professor Christopherson.

For further information or to register visit www.cancerresearch.med.usyd.edu.au/SCC2008/

Media enquiries:
Professor Richard Christopherson
Chair, SCC2008
Tel: 02 9351 6031
E-mail: ric@mmb.usyd.edu.au

New diagnostic test for cancer promises less trauma for patients

18 March 2008

A rapid new diagnostic test developed by Sydney researchers will mean fewer tests and less trauma for cancer patients says Richard Christopherson, who has a Personal Chair in the School of Molecular and Microbial Biosciences in the Faculty of Science.
Researchers hope the test will provide improved and more effective treatments and outcomes for cancer patients.

"The DotScan antibody microarray is a better diagnostic method because it gives you more information at a lower cost," said Professor Christopherson.

He explained that the very mutations in cancer cells that cause uncontrolled growth also cause a changed 'signature' or 'profile' on the cell surface. Every type of cancer has a unique signature.
"For leukaemia, the current methods of diagnosis include looking at the shape of the cells, staining the cells in different ways, identifying 10-15 surface molecules, and also looking for chromosomal changes.

"All of that information is brought together and then the diagnosis is made. Our test provides an extensive profile of the surface of the cell, and that's enough to diagnose the cancer," said Professor Christopherson, a key member of Sydney University's Cancer Research Network.

The Cancer Research Network Sydney Cancer Conference (SCC2008) will be held at the University of Sydney on 24-26 July, 2008.

Translational research ("that is, from bench to bedside," said Professor Christopherson) is the theme of the both the Network and the conference. He said that if a researcher has a particular issue or question that involves cancer, "there will be someone linked to the University of Sydney who knows the answer".
The Network specifically fosters collaborations between basic researchers such as himself and clinical researchers.

A good example is the science of separating, identifying and characterising cell profiles of proteins ('Proteomics'), which enabled Professor Christopherson to develop his faster and more efficient diagnostic test.

Proteomics will also lead to individual, tailor-made treatment programs. The prognosis for the patient also becomes more predictable.

"It becomes easier to say whether the patient is likely to survive, whether there are going to be secondary tumours, or whether the cancer is likely to respond to chemotherapy," said Professor Christopherson.

"At the moment, the experiment is done in the patient. If the chemotherapy works, then the doctor keeps giving the patient those drugs, and if the drugs don't work, they change to something else. It would be far more satisfactory to predict in advance what drug combination to use.

"These anticancer drugs are toxic and if they have no effect on the cancer it just sets the patient back further."

The DotScan diagnostic test is marketed by a University spin-off company, Medsaic, and is currently used by some pathology labs. "The uptake of the microarray technology has been faster with researchers. Pathology labs are more conservative," said Professor Christopherson.

The Cancer Research Network was established in 2006 and is a cross-Faculty initiative of the University of Sydney. "The University is a real research powerhouse in this area. It has got breadth and depth," says Professor Christopherson. "Getting all these people to interact is challenging. So the Network was necessary to get the maximum synergy out of all of that talent.

For more information on the Cancer Research Network Conference visit the conference website.

By Elizabeth Heath

Contact: Elizabeth Heath
Phone: 02 9351 3168
Email: media.news@usyd.edu.au

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National Breast Cancer Foundation grant success

February 2008

A/Professor Christine Clarke, from the Westmead Institute for Cancer Research, has been awarded a grant of $5m over five years from the National Breast Cancer Foundation to study nuclear receptors in the hope of providing targets for prevention, new treatments and alternative uses of existing breast cancer treatments.

Nuclear receptors are proteins found inside cells, which receive information from molecules and then alter gene expression accordingly.

The team, lead by Christine, will identify nuclear receptor networks active in breast cancer. Targeting nuclear receptor pathways is a proven therapeutic strategy in other diseases, and provides promising new avenues in breast cancer diagnosis and management.

Breast cancer affects 10,000 Australian women each year. The priority of this program is to decrease the impact of breast cancer in women who are less well served by current treatments. These form a significant proportion of breast cancer patients, including premenopausal women whose tumours are not hormone responsive, and women whose cancer becomes resistant to treatment.

The research will use a new approach focussed on nuclear receptors, which are master regulators of virtually every aspect of life. Although many nuclear receptors are expressed in breast cancers, their significance in breast cancer management has received little attention to date. The objectives of this program are (i) to identify the nuclear receptor networks active in breast cancers that will serve as new predictive targets of response to treatment and (ii) to translate this knowledge of new predictive factors into new treatments for groups of women currently with few treatment options.

Antioxidant cocktail shows good results in fight against prostate cancer

7 December 2007

Prostate cancer trials undertaken at the University of Sydney have provided exciting results with reductions of up to 25 per cent of tumour growth in mouse models.

The trial of the commercially available antioxidant drink, Blueberry Punch, was undertaken by Dr Jas Sing from the University's ANZAC Research Institute and Dr Qihan Dong from the Bosch Institute, and will now to be put forward for human trials.

Blueberry Punch is an antioxidant cocktail based on foods which have been recognised as having similar attributes as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and their ability to inhibit a protein which puts the brakes on rapidly dividing cancer cells.

The Sydney University team studied the effect of the beverage on both cancer cell cultures and mouse models that mimic human prostate cancer with results published [online in the current issue of journal of the American Association of Cancer Research.]

'After 72 hours exposure to increasing concentrations of Blueberry Punch, prostate cancer cells showed a dose dependent reduction in size and viability when compared with untreated cells,' said Dr Sing. 'After feeding mice a 10 per cent solution of the punch for two weeks, we found the tumours in these mice were 25 per cent small than those found in mice that only drank tap water,' he said.

The study was partially funded by the makers of Blueberry Punch, Dr Red Nutraceuticals. The nutrition drink, Blueberry Punch, was developed by Greg Jardine, a biochemist from Dr Red.

Notes to Editors:

Blueberry Punch consists of a combination of fruit concentrates (blueberry, red grapes, raspberry and elderberry), grape seed and skin extract, citrus skin extracts, green tea extract (EGCG), olive leaf and olive pulp extract, tarragon, turmeric and ginger.

Contact: Jake O'Shaughnessy
Phone: +61 2 9351 4312 or 0421 617 861

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Institute will provide new hope to asbestos sufferers

28 November 2007

A groundbreaking ceremony for the $12 million Asbestos Diseases Research Institute was conducted by the NSW Premier Morris Iemma, today.

The institute will be operated by the Asbestos Research Foundation will be an affiliate research institute with the University of Sydney.

Based at in the education and research precinct of the Concord Repatriation General Hospital, the institute will provide early diagnosis and treatment for the victims of asbestos related diseases.

At the ceremony, Premier Iemma also named the building The Bernie Banton Centre in honour of the veteran asbestos diseases campaigner, who died yesterday after a long battle with asbestos related cancer.

Funding for the Institute has been provided jointly by the Dust Diseases Board ($7 million) and the University of Sydney ($2.9 million).

The University and the Foundation have jointly appointed Professor Nico van Zandwijk, who has been recruited from The Netherlands, as the Asbestos Diseases Research Institute's inaugural Director. Bernie Banton was a member of the selection panel and was delighted with Prof van Zandwijk's appointment.

"This major national facility will be a world's first dedicated asbestos research centre," said Mr Iemma.

"Each year there are around 350 new cases of asbestos-related disease diagnosed in New South Wales alone," said the Premier, "and I commend the many individuals who have worked long and hard to improve the lot of asbestos suffers.

"In particular, I thank Bernie Banton, who worked tirelessly, not only to achieve appropriate compensation for sufferers and their families, but also to promote the need for more research into the prevention, early diagnosis and better treatment for victims," said Mr Iemma.

'I'm pleased to be able to be here to celebrate the leadership and courage shown by Bernie Banton, said Vice Chancellor Professor Gavin Brown. 'We are delighted that the Asbestos Diseases Research Institute will benefit from the expertise and substantial funding successes of the University's ANZAC Institute.

The 2,700 sq m Bernie Banton Centre is scheduled to open in October 2008.

Contact: Jake O'Shaughnessy
Phone: +61 2 9351 4312 or 0421 617 861

Sydney to play a leading role in Chinese Medicine

21 November 2007

The University of Sydney is to take a leading role in researching and developing traditional Chinese medicines with the establishment of a new research centre and a joint chair in the discipline.

The new Australia-China Centre for Research in Chinese Medicines (ACCRCM) was announced in China this week by NSW Premier Morris Iemma.

The Centre is to be established as joint collaboration between the University of Sydney and Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, China.

"The Australia-China Centre for Research in Chinese Medicines (ACCRCM) will be a world class partnership between Australia and China to study and develop traditional Chinese medicine for modern health markets," Mr Iemma said.

"Research shows that between 50 and 75 per cent of the Australian adult population use complementary medicine products and services each year.

Mr Iemma also announced the establishment of a Joint Chair in Traditional Chinese Medicine to be based at both the University of Sydney and the University of Western Sydney.

"Each year some $2 to $3 billion is spent on complementary medicine products and practitioners in Australia while the value of the global herbal medicines' market alone is estimated to be 20 times that amount.

"There is huge potential for traditional Chinese medicine to figure prominently in mainstream health regimes worldwide given the right research and development focus and proper scientific validations.

The initiatives were welcomed by Professor John Hearn, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International) at the University of Sydney.

"The new centre will see a professional partnership between the University of Sydney's Herbal Medicines Research and Education Centre and Sun Yat-sen University's Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine."

"This will be the first cooperative venture between Australian and Chinese universities to promote and advance the knowledge of Chinese medicine, the integration of Chinese and Western medicine, and the utilisation of Chinese medicine in the prevention and treatment of diseases worldwide," Professor Hearn said.

The centre will integrate research strengths in the biomedical and clinical sciences among Australian and Chinese universities, and aims to become the leading centre of its kind in the world.

By Andrew Potter

Contact: Andrew Potter
Phone: 02 9351 4514, 0414 998 521
Email: a.potter@usyd.edu.au

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One smart coookie

29 October 2007

Dr Kate Jolliffe makes and investigates molecules - a process she describes as "cool". She says making things that have never been made before satisfies her scientific and creative urges.

Dr Jolliffe is a 2007 Young Tall Poppy Science award winner. Her work could lead to new cancer treatments and anti-fungal drugs.

Under the broad area of organic chemistry, Dr Jolliffe focuses on three objectives: working out new ways to make certain molecules; interactions between molecules ("developing molecules that can recognise and sense other molecules"), and anti-fungal compounds.

It's the latter which could prove to be the most important. "There is a particular need for anti-fungal drugs," says Dr Jolliffe of her work in collaboration with Tania Sorrell at Westmead Hospital.

It seems just like bacteria, fungi are developing resistance to the currently available treatments.

"Fungal infections are becoming more problematic. More people now have suppressed immune systems because of organ transplants, AIDS, and cancer treatments. Those people are vulnerable to really nasty fungal infections that can get inside your lungs, or your brain," says Dr Jolliffe.

On a more prosaic note, Dr Jolliffe says her work could also lead to a cure for those most common of fungal infections; tinea and nail rot.

It's thought that one in ten people in the US have a fungal infection in their feet. Current treatments are ineffective - "they just stop it growing, while we are working on drugs that will actually kill the fungi" - so a successful fungal control agent would not only be an enormous breakthrough, but also extremely lucrative.

Dr Kate Jolliffe currently holds two patents in the area and has published over 50 research papers.

She is also a chemistry mentor in the University of Sydney Talented Students Program and the winner of several awards including the Biota Medical for Medicinal Chemistry in 2006.

As a Young Tall Poppy, Dr Jolliffe will be visiting High Schools to talk about her work. "I'm looking forward to talking to school kids. When I was at school I didn't even think about what opportunities there were to be a scientist. That wasn't something that I ever thought about doing," she says.

In fact, Dr Jolliffe very nearly became a chef instead. "I couldn't decide whether to be a chemist or a chef. I like cooking. And I like chemistry. Organic chemistry is actually a little bit like cooking - you are mixing things together and sometimes following a recipe. So there are similarities. And as it turns out, often chemists are very good cooks. But science is more stimulating and challenging."

By Elizabeth Heath

Contact: Elizabeth Heath
Phone: 02 9351 3168
Email:

The curious life of Alex Barratt

16 September 2007

Alex Barratt was a young intern at Royal North Shore Hospital when she had an epiphany. "I decided clinical medicine and I were not a fabulous match," she laughs.

The change of heart led her first to journalism and then into evidence-based medicine, before she found a way of successfully combining the two as a radio broadcaster.

"I approached Norman Swan and said I'd like to communicate the epidemiological health perspective which never gets the same coverage as the biomedical angle," she says. She ended up doing a sabbatical with ABC Radio National's Health Report which resulted in a three part series on cancer screening.

From there Associate Professor Barratt, from the School of Public Health, has become one of Australia's leading medical journalists, recently winning the $10,000 Pfizer Eureka Prize for Health and Medical Research Journalism for the second time.

Norman Swan is full of praise for her work. "My impression of Alex is that she is a stupendously bright person who can achieve whatever she wants to achieve. The thought that she was going to come and work on The Health Report was very welcome," he comments.

Professor Barratt adds: "The first series was very popular and got lots of feedback, so we brainstormed doing another series, and evidence-based medicine seemed like something that would be really worth doing."

If that sounds rather intense and serious, in person Professor Barratt has a keen sense of humour, and laughs a lot.

She also has a robust curiosity and strong instincts, which serve her chosen field of endeavour well. "There's nothing better for getting a good story than finding out something surprising," she says.

"After I did my cadetship at the Sydney Morning Herald (in a recurring theme, she approached the then editor, and "talked my way into a job") I found I just really liked epidemiology.

"It gives you skills for thinking well. Looking at the evidence, and making an assessment of how good the quality is - that often leads you to find out quite surprising things."

Like cancer screening: it is certainly surprising to hear Professor Barratt talk about the "downsides" of the massive screening campaigns for breast and prostate cancers for example.

"We have been told for years that early detection is a good thing," she says. "But the truth is there are pros and cons. I'm not against cancer screening, but I am in favour of being evidence-based and balanced about it.

"One downside is uncovering cancers that strictly meet the pathological definition of cancer, but don't clinically behave like a cancer. So some people will be getting cancers found and treated that left alone would never have bothered them, and that's a pretty major downside."

Professor Barratt is equally forthright on the subject of evidence-based medicine. In her award-winning program she used the famous example of Dr Benjamin Spock advocating putting babies to sleep on their fronts as the kind of "lethally bad" advice that doctors often rely on. That advice, she said, was, "too often…opinions based on belief and prediction, rather than solid evidence".

Norman Swan says Alex brings "three worlds" to broadcast: "Medicine, the steel trap mind of epidemiological research, and the media. Harnessing that is rare. And to be a good journalist or broadcaster you've got to be curious and open.

"I just think that Alex is intellectually challenging but also incredibly easy to work with," he says.

By Elizabeth Heath

Contact: Elizabeth Heath
Phone: 02 9351 3168

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Leading the way in cancer education

May 2007

The Faculty of Medicine through CIPHER (the Centre for Innovation in Professional Health Education and Research) has recently been awarded by Cancer Australia the contract to develop Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for Cancer Professionals, General Practitioners and Counsellors.

The project, directed by Dr Tim Shaw, director of CIPHER, provides the Faculty with an ideal opportunity to play a significant role in the delivery of health education across the spectrum of training and provides exciting research and development opportunities.

CIPHER is leading this $2.5M project in collaboration with the Cancer Council of Australia, the Clinical Oncological Society of Australia, the National Breast Cancer Council and the The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP).

NSW Premier's Awards for Outstanding Cancer Research

25 May 2007

The NSW Premier's Awards for Outstanding Cancer Research were established in 2006 to recognise outstanding scientists whose commitment and talent has had a significant impact on cancer treatment, clinical trials, prevention and research.

The awards event, on Wednesday 23 May 2007, was hosted by the Cancer Institute NSW. Since 2005 the Cancer Institute NSW has committed over $84 million in cancer research across NSW. This funding has dramatically expanded cancer research capacity in NSW hospitals and affiliated research institutes and subsequently has made a significant impact on the lives on many cancer patients and their families.

The NSW Premier's Award for Outstanding Cancer Research Scholar
The Research Scholar Awards aim to develop and support outstanding students enrolled in a higher degree by recognising researchers with the potential to develop highly significant careers in cancer research.

Anne Cust, a postgraduate research student in the School of Public Health at the University of Sydney, is the 2007 recipient of the Premier’s Award for Outstanding Cancer Research Scholar. Anne is recognised for her analysis of lifestyle and metabolic factors which may be associated with endometrial cancer risk. Her analysis studies how physical activity and body shape influences the risk of developing cancer. Specifically, Anne’s work is a validation of the methods of measuring physical activity, to more accurately consider the influence of lifestyle and metabolic factors on cancer risk. Anne's postgraduate research is being supervised by Professors Bruce Armstrong and Adrian Bauman.

The NSW Premier's Awards for Outstanding Cancer Research
Sydney scientist Professor Robyn Ward was awarded the prestigious Premier's Award for Outstanding Cancer Researcher of the Year.

Dr Vanessa Hayes was recognised for her cancer research on the genetic susceptibility of breast and prostate cancer and Dr Andrew Biankin for his cancer research on Retinoic Acid signalling in the development and progression of pancreatic cancer.

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Australian scientists identify core enzyme in 85% of cancers

30 March 2007

Research into cancer, anticancer treatments, and ageing has been advanced through the identification of the composition of human telomerase - an enzyme integral to 85% of all cancers.

Cancer researchers around the world have studied telomerase since its discovery 18 years ago but they were working somewhat in the dark. The actual protein composition was unknown, scientists believing it contains any mixture of 32 proteins. A study, headed by Dr Scott Cohen of the Children’s Medical Research Institute reveals that telomerase contains just 2 proteins.

‘Until now, researchers studying telomerase have not been sure what they’re working with,’ said Dr Cohen, whose study was supported by The Cancer Council NSW and the National Health and Medical Research Council Australia, and published by leading journal Science.

Dr Roger Reddel, acting director of CMRI and an international cancer research expert, believes the identification ‘switches on a light’ for basic cell biology and cancer research.

‘Telomerase is the target of an extensive global effort to develop anti-cancer treatments. This discovery sharpens the focus of these efforts and no doubt will speed up the process of delivering successful treatment,’ said Dr Reddel.

Dr Cohen developed a brilliant new purification technique that made the telomerase identification possible and will be useful for scientists requiring purified telomerase, a step towards development of anti-telomerase drugs.

‘No-one has previously been able to purify telomerase because, within each cell, it’s a very rare enzyme. Each cell has about 20 molecules of telomerase – compared to about 20 million molecules each of some abundant enzymes,’ said Dr Cohen. ‘I had to pull out one part in 100 million, which is roughly a teacup of water from an Olympic swimming pool.’

These findings will significantly enhance the ability of cancer researchers to further study telomerase.

Dr Cohen’s identification of the composition also makes research methods such as x-ray crystallography possible for telomerase, which would be another major step towards identifying new anti-cancer drugs.

Breakthrough in cancer treatment

9 March 2007

Technology developed at the University of Sydney will enable doctors to administer the maximum safe dose of radiation to cancer patients.

Kate Rosmanith, UniNews

Radiation treatment administered to patients with prostate cancer will be significantly safer and more effective due to a novel medical sensor developed by scientists at Sydney University.

In a unique research collaboration combining radiation medical physics, optical fibre technology and oncology, researchers have created an Optical Fibre Dosimeter able to measure with precision the radiation a patient receives.

For the first time, doctors will be able to determine and administer the maximum safe dose of radiation.

The device is a tiny optical fibre, one millimetre in diameter, with a scintillator – a miniature bead that absorbs particle radiation. The fibre is threaded into the patient via an existing catheter allowing doctors to measure the radiation dose as it is being received.

“The radiation strikes the scintillator which converts the radiation energy to a light wavelength. The optical fibre guides the light and allows us to measure that signal,” said David McKenzie, Professor in Materials Physics in the School of Physics.

The Fibre Optic Dosimeter was developed by a multidisciplinary team of experts: Professor McKenzie, doctoral student Jamil Lambert, Asoociate Professor Natalka Suchowerska and Dr Michael Jackson from the Sydney Cancer Centre, and Professor Simon Fleming and Dr Sue Law, both from the University’s Optical Fibre Technology Centre.

Through an ARC Linkage Grant, the researchers collaborated to develop the fundamental science underpinning the technology. They then received a NSW Cancer Council Project Grant to develop the specific clinical application.

While the essential idea is simple – converting a radiation signal to a light signal in order to measure it – executing it effectively required expert knowledge across several fields, said Professor McKenzie.

“For example, we worked within particular parameters in order to ensure the light signals we received were large enough to be accurately measured,” he said.

Radiation treatments used currently by doctors rely on estimations of optimal radiation exposure. Too much radiation can compromise the quality of life of cancer patients by causing unnecessary side effects, while too little radiation may fail to cure the cancer. In prostate cancer patients, excessive radiation can cause urethral complications such as pain and trouble urinating. However, it is difficult to avoid high dose radiation to the urethra as it passes through the prostate gland.

The Optical Fibre Dosimeter will enable doctors to measure the optimal dose of radiation, and will indicate whether the radiation is hitting the right spot – and that the patient’s body is responding correctly.

“The device provides quality assurance of radiotherapy treatments for cancer. It offers doctors a real time monitor of what’s happening inside the patient,” explained Professor Suchowerska.

The researchers’ industry partners, Bandwidth Foundry, CMS Alphatech and the Sydney Cancer Centre, have formed a spin-off company, Radiant LX. “Anna Grocholsky from the University’s Business Liaison Office was extremely helpful in making this happen,” said Professor McKenzie.

The research will soon enter clinical trials with Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. While the study focuses on prostate cancer treatment, the development and clinical application of fibre optic dosimeter technology may have applications in the treatment of other cancers, particularly gynaecological cancers. This is good news for Australia where one in three people will develop a form of cancer some time in their lives.

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Westmead Cancer Research Boost

31 January 2007

The NSW Government today joined the Children’s Medical Research Institute (CMRI), Westmead in opening a new cancer research unit to investigate the body’s natural defences against cancer.

Assistant Health Minister (Cancer) Frank Sartor said internationally-renowned New Zealand Professor Antony Braithwaite had been appointed Chair of Research to lead the new Cell Transformation Unit.

“This is an exciting step forward for cancer research in NSW and shows the Government continues to invest in top cancer scientists,” Mr Sartor said.

“The new Cell Transformation Unit will be a significant boost to the State’s cancer research capacity, tackling both childhood and adult cancer research.

“Professor Braithwaite and his team will research viruses and proteins which suppress cancer cells, including the protein p53, which is known to protect against tumours.

“The team will also collaborate with other research organisations within NSW, nationally and internationally.”

Member for Parramatta Tanya Gadiel welcomed the NSW Government’s investment and paid tribute to the talented staff working at the CMRI.

“This is one of Western Sydney’s leading research institutes which are ranked among the most cutting-edge research bodies in the State,” Ms Gadiel said.

The NSW Government committed $3.25 million to the five-year research project, through the Cancer Institute NSW Research Leaders Program.

The program helps to attract outstanding research leaders from interstate and overseas to strengthen cancer research in NSW universities, hospitals and other institutions.

“The NSW Government will continue to invest in these top scientists to drive our cancer research effort,” Mr Sartor said. “This will help to achieve key priorities in the State Plan, including improving survival rates and quality of life for people with potentially fatal or chronic illness.”

State Plan Priority S1: Improved access to quality healthcare
State Plan Priority S2: Improve survival rates for people with potentially fatal illness

Source: The Cancer Institute NSW website.

2006 NSW and ACT Young Tall Poppy Science Awards

In the 2006 NSW/ACT Young Tall Poppy Science Awards 15 winners were selected, with five in health and medical research, five in the physical and earth sciences, three in biological sciences and two in IT.

Dr Geraldine O’Neill, a NSW Cancer Council Career Development Fellow at the Children’s Hospital Westmead received a 2006 NSW/ACT Young Tall Poppy Science Award for her outstanding research and community engagement in the area of cancer cell biology.

Geraldine has made a most significant contribution to our understanding of the control of cell adhesion in cancer cell survival and movement in both breast cancer and other solid tumours. Her research identifies mechanisms that cause metastasis and resistance to therapy. The findings will have implications for prediction of which tumours will successfully respond or develop resistance.

Geraldine was awarded a PhD from Sydney University following a BSc with 1st class honours at UNSW. She has been awarded a number of prestigious fellowships in Australia and the US and is co-inventor of a US patent.

Geraldine promotes medical research to the community through the media, public outreach events and as convenor of the Career Seminars of the ASMR.

The Tall Poppy Campaign was established by the Australian Institute of Policy and Science to promote awareness of Australia’s intellectual achievements among the Australian public. An important component of the Campaign is the Young Tall Poppy Science Awards. The Awards recognise the academic achievements of outstanding young researchers in the sciences including physical, biomedical and applied sciences and biotechnology as well as their communication skills and community engagement.

The awards are made on a state-by-state basis in NSW, ACT, South Australia and Victoria. Award winners to date have encompassed fields as diverse as cancer research, psychology, environmental engineering, water quality, gene therapy, immunology, fuel technology, physiotherapy and inorganic chemistry. Amongst the winners, there is a strong representation of both men and women from regional and metropolitan universities, research institutes, the private/corporate sector, hospitals and the CSIRO.

The awards not only acknowledge the recipients’ achievements but also provide them with an opportunity to demonstrate their value as role models by promoting and encouraging an interest in science within the education sector. The Young Tall Poppies Reaching Students program has been developed so that Young Tall Poppies can inspire young people to pursue careers in science through visits and presentations to schools students and participation in teachers’ seminars.

Source: The Cancer Council NSW website.

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2006 Merck Sharp & Dohme Florey Medal

- Invitation for nominations -

This biennial medal was established in honour of Australia's Nobel Prize-winning scientist Howard Florey. In 2006 the Merck Sharp & Dohme Florey Medal will be awarded to an Australian, or Australians, for a milestone achievement in biomedical science and human health advancement arising from research carried out in Australia. The Award carries a prize of $25,000.

Nominations are considered by the Merck Sharpe & Dohme Florey Medal Award Committee, comprised of distinguished Australian biomedical and scientific researchers and science communicators. Nomination should be received by the 23 November 2006.

The presentation ceremony for the 2006 Merck Sharp & Dohme Florey Medal will be held in Sydney in early 2007.

For nomination criteria and further information visit the Australian Institute of Policy & Science website.

Dr Milton Lewis: Book Launch - October 2006

Palliative Care Australia (PCA) recently joined with Oxford University Press to launch the new publication Medicine and Care of the Dying: A modern history.

"Dr Milton Lewis, Historian of Medicine in the School of Public Health, and author, examines the relationship between the approach of Western medicine to the care of the dying and its changing social, cultural, demographic, economic and political context over the last two centures in five Anglo- Saxon countries: the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, Canada and New Zealand."

For further information on the book launch visit the Recent News section of the School of Public Health website.

The publication is available through Oxford University press.

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Lion's share - Australian Research Council grants

11 October 2006

The University of Sydney has strengthened its position as Australia's top research institution with the announcement today of the latest round of grants from the Australian Research Council (ARC), with Sydney leading the way in new funding.

University of Sydney researchers have been awarded a total of $49 million for 118 projects commencing in 2007, $16 million more than any other university in New South Wales and $12 million more than any Victorian university.

Awards announced today by the Minister for Education, Science and Training, the Hon Julie Bishop MP, are for ARC Discovery Projects, ARC Linkage Projects and ARC Linkage Infrastructure.

Of particular note is that Sydney has received $40.5 million for 97 new Discovery Grants commencing in 2007, which is $5.4 million more than its nearest national competitor. The University 's total is $4 million more than that of the other Sydney-based universities combined. It is also $2 million more than the grand total of all the universities of both the Australian Technology Network and the Innovative Research Universities networks combined.

'Once again the University of Sydney has received more funding than any other university in the country for new projects with more than 13 per cent of total national funding in this round of ARC grants,' said the Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Sydney, Professor Gavin Brown AO.

'This continued success reflects our position as Australia's pre-eminent competitive research institution as well as our position as a world-class university. I wish to congratulate all our researchers and support staff for their success.'

Contact: Jake O'Shaughnessy
Tel: +61 2 9351 4312 or 0421 617 861

Eureka! Two Sydney researchers win prestigious prizes

23 August 2006

Two University of Sydney academics have won $10,000 Eureka prizes and two others were selected as finalists in this year's prestigious awards. Associate Professor Alex Barratt won the Eureka Prize for Health and Medical Research Journalism and Professor Rick Shine won the Eureka Prize for Biodiversity Research.

Professor Barratt, from the School of Public Health, has won the Eureka Prize for Health and Medical Research Journalism, for a 3-part series broadcast on ABC Radio's The Health Report.

Her series challenged long-held beliefs about the benefits of early cancer detection and suggested that finding cancer early isn't always a good thing. She reported on biological and clinical research that is changing how we think about cancer by revealing that many of us have cancers we don't need to know about.

Another Eureka Prize finalist was Emeritus Professor Miles Little, director of the Survival Project in the Centre for Values, Ethics and the Law in Medicine. Professor Little was a finalist in the Eureka Prize for Research in Ethics for his sustained research over ten years into the mixed experience of surviving cancer and the ethical relationships between survivors and those who care for them.

University cancer researchers join forces

11 August 2006

The yawning gap between laboratory research on cancer cells and the treatment of cancer patients is being bridged through a new University-wide network.

Cancer researchers in the University, its affiliated institutes and institutions, have formed the University of Sydney Cancer Research Network in an effort to foster collaboration and help build high quality cancer research.

"Scientists uncover knowledge in laboratories but it usually takes a long time to reach the clinic. The network will facilitate translation of research results into better outcomes for patients," explained Bruce Armstrong, from the School of Public Health, who is Chair of the Cancer Research Network Steering Committee.

Cancer experts at Sydney University specialise in broad and discreet areas of research, from cell biology, causation and treatment, to diagnosis, prognosis and prevention. The network is developing special interest groups to aid collaboration.

"Researchers in the School of Chemistry are developing metal-based compounds that have promise as anti-cancer drugs. The network will make it easier for them to find collaborators who can evaluate the biological effects of these compounds and, ultimately, test them in clinical trials," said Professor Armstrong.

Launched in July 2006, the network currently has around 100 members including a project co-ordinator, Angela Beaton, a doctoral graduate in genetics. "As well as promoting research communication, the network will provide a framework to develop research infrastructure and assist in planning directions for cancer research at the University of Sydney," she said.

Membership is open to employees of the University, people employed by teaching hospitals and institutes of the University, or people holding an academic title award of the University, who are "research active" in the area of cancer research.

Membership is also open to junior postdoctoral fellows (less than 3-4 years postdoctoral experience) who may not yet meet all requirements in the current definition of "research active" but are working predominantly in the area of cancer research, and postgraduate cancer research students enrolled at the University of Sydney.

Anyone interested in joining the network should contact Dr Beaton on cancer-research@med.usyd.edu.au.

"Our aim is to build on our strengths. It's big picture thinking," said Professor Armstrong.

The network is holding its first one day meeting on Tuesday 12 September 2006 when local cancer researchers will have the opportunity to develop new research ideas and collaborations.

Kate Rossmanith, UniNews

College audience gets first glimpse of cervical cancer vaccine

27 July 2006

The first vial of a life-saving cervical cancer vaccine developed by Australian scientists was displayed at the University's Women's College by Professor Ian Frazer, the Australian of the Year.

Professor Frazer, director of the Centre for Immunology and Cancer Research at the University of Queensland, said the vaccine Gardasil had the potential to save a quarter of a million lives worldwide each year.

The vaccine is being manufactured in America and is expected to be available within weeks. It is said to be 100 per cent effective against cervical cancer, which kills 300,000 women each year around the world.

Speaking at a medical dinner at the Women's College, Professor Frazer made a strong plea for continued government research funding. "Medical research is a long-term investment in the health of the community and not something we can ignore," he said.

He spoke about the success of global vaccination programs that had brought the eradication of smallpox and the near-disappearance of polio. "The eradication of polio would in itself pay for all the medical research there had ever been," he said.

He added that it was critical to ensure the cervical cancer vaccine was available in the developing world where it was really needed. "We don't want it to become one more thing that divides the developed world from the undeveloped world," he said.

Professor Frazer was speaking at a medical dinner celebrating the 150th anniversary of the University's Faculty of Medicine, and raising money for a new college-based indigenous medical scholarship.

Contact: Richard North
Phone: 02 9351 3720

Major new institute to tackle the unsolved causes of illness

3 July 2006

The University of Sydney will officially launch a major new medical research facility with the inaugural meeting of the Bosch Institute, today (3 July 2006).

A joint venture between the University of Sydney and Sydney South West Areas Health Service, the Bosch Institute brings together basic and clinical research scientists in more than 60 laboratories.

The staff of the Bosch Institute, which includes many scientists with an international reputation for the high quality of their research, will tackle major unsolved questions about the human body and health, focussing on five major research themes. They are:

  • Nervous system, senses & movement (brain, nerves, hearing, vision, muscles, bone)
  • Circulation & respiration (heart, vessels, lungs)
  • Cancer, cell biology & development (cellular physiology, developmental biology, malignancy)
  • Infection, immunity & inflammation (infectious diseases, inflammatory disease, immunology)
  • Organ & tissue replacement (transplantation, complications of diabetes, wound healing, growth factors, stem cell biology, bioengineering of tissues and organs, biomaterials)

The one day inaugural scientific meeting, entitled Basic research: the foundation for improving health brings together senior researchers from the Institute, with themes including vision and sensory systems, and the cardiovascular system. There will also be a 'meet the professor' session along with an opportunity to hear about the work of academics that have recently arrived at Sydney.

Further information about the work of the Bosch Institute is available online at: http://www.bosch.org.au/

Notes to Editors:

  • Another of the exciting new projects the will take place at the Bosch Institute will be in tissue engineering within the organ and tissue replacement research theme. This is the science that concerns itself with areas like transplantation, stem cell biology, wound healing, biomaterials, and other related approaches to the treatment of human diseases.
  • Research within the Institute receives funding from a variety of sources, including the Australian Federal Government, the NSW State Government, the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia, the Australian Research Council, the National Heart Foundation, the Clive and Vera Ramaciotti Foundation, the Rebecca L Cooper Medical Research Foundation, other charities and granting bodies.

Contact: Jake O'Shaughnessy
Phone: +61 2 9351 4312 or 0421 617 861

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Cancer as an occupational hazard

13 June 2006

A study published in this month's Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, shows that the rate of occupational cancer in Australia is much higher than the 2 per cent generally accepted in the past.

Dr Tim Driscoll, senior lecturer at the University's School of Public Health and Dr Lin Fritschi from Queensland Cancer found that one in 10 male workers and one in fifty female workers developed cancer every year due to workplace exposure to carcinogens.

Lung cancer was one of the cancers most often caused by occupation, affecting heavy industry workers exposed to airborne chemical particles and hospitality workers exposed to passive cigarette smoke.

The researchers highlight a lack of investigation in the area of occupational health as a serious failure on the part of research bodies and the government.

"People are not particularly interested in occupation as the cause of cancer. It's not in the national cancer prevention plan, and there doesn't seem to be any acknowledgement out there that cancer and work are related," Dr Driscoll said.

There are thousands of chemicals being used in industry today, and most of them have not been evaluated properly. In addition, most people exposed to carcinogens in the workplace don't develop cancer until much later in life.

"I admit that occupational cancer is a difficult area to research. Cancer is much more difficult to study and attribute than injuries, but it deserves our full attention," he said. Drs Driscoll and Fritschi hope that their research will elevate the issue of occupational cancers in the minds of regulators, the government and the general public.

"We would like more research, interest and support for this area of cancer studies. We want new regulations to help Australians who are routinely exposed to carcinogens in their workplace," they said.

Contact: Jake O'Shaughnessy
Phone: +61 2 9351 4312 or 0421 617 861

Sydney University researcher named cancer researcher of the year

26 May 2006

Sydney University's Professor Bruce Armstrong, a world renowned skin cancer expert, has been named NSW's cancer researcher of the year.

Professor Armstrong pioneered research into the link between sun exposure and skin cancer. He is also known for his work on asbestos and lung cancer, and he helped to develop Australia's cervical cancer screening programs.

The received the Premier's Award for Outstanding Cancer Researcher of the Year this week at the inaugural Cancer Research Awards, hosted by the Cancer Institute NSW.

"I am pleased to present Professor Armstrong with this award, in recognition of his world-class work in cancer research and management," said Frank Sartor, the Minister Assisting the Minister for Health (Cancer).

"He is a very worthy recipient of this inaugural award and a fine example of the quality of internationally-renowned researchers working here in NSW."

The Premier's Award for Outstanding Cancer Researcher of the Year was established to honour an individual who has made significant and fundamental contributions to any field of cancer research in NSW. These contributions must have had a lasting impact on the cancer field and must have demonstrated sustained progress against cancer.

About Professor Bruce Armstrong AM

Professor Armstrong is an internationally pre-eminent cancer epidemiologist, acknowledged as a passionate, inspiring leader in cancer research and management. He is an international expert on the causes of skin cancer and melanoma.

He is a Professor of Public Health at the Sydney University School of Public Health and is currently Director of Cancer Research at the Sydney Cancer Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.

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