Fourth Barossa Meeting successfully ended today

21st November 2009

The Fourth Barossa “Science Among the Vines” Meeting on Cell Signalling in Cancer and Development, organised by members of the Centre for Cancer Biology, took place 18-21 November 2009 at the Novotel Barossa Valley.

The “Science Among the Vines” meeting was highly successful, being described by some notable attendees as “Australia’s best conference”. This is no doubt a reflection of the superb program that showcased 12 invited international speakers, 20 invited national speakers and 6 speakers from the Centre for Cancer Biology. The participants at this fully subscribed conference also enjoyed the culinary delights of the famous Barossa Valley. A full report on the meeting will be published shortly in Cancer Research.

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2009 Clifford Prize for Cancer Research awarded to Prof John Dick of Toronto

19th November 2009

Today, as part of the Fourth Barossa Meeting, Prof John Dick, Director of the Program in Cancer Stem Cells at the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, University of Toronto was awarded the 2009 Clifford Prize for Cancer Research.

John Dick’s groundbreaking work on cancer stem cells has transformed our view of cancer pathogenesis. His discovery that, similar to the normal hemopoietic system, leukaemias are composed of both stem cells and more differentiated cells is a key new insight into cancer development. The concepts that have emerged from his research are now being applied, by his lab and others, to solid tumour biology, where they have the potential for even greater conceptual and medical impact

The prize comprises a perpetual trophy in the form of an ad hominem glass sculpture (donated by Johnson & Johnson) made by Nick Mount, and a magnum of Penfolds Grange Hermitage, arguably Australia‘s finest wine (donated by Penfolds).

This year’s prize was awarded by a committee co-chaired by Professors Angel Lopez, SA Pathology, Adelaide and Mathew Vadas, Centenary Institute, Sydney. Committee members included Professors Donald Metcalf, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Melbourne; Robert Sutherland, Garvan Institute, Sydney; Christopher Goodnow, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Canberra; Axel Ullrich (2005 recipient), Max Planck Institute, Munich and Tony Hunter (2007 recipient), Salk Institute, La Jolla.

Dr David Filby of the Dept of Health of South Australia (left) presenting the award to Prof John Dick

From Left to Right Prof Mathew Vadas (ED Centenary Institute, Sydney), Mr Terry Evans (Chairman MedVet Board), Prof Ruth Salom (ED SA Pathology), Prof John Dick (Director of the Program in Cancer Stem Cells at the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research) Prof Angel Lopez (co-Director Centre for Cancer Biology of SA Pathology)

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CCB Members win NHMRC grants

11th November 2009

NHMRC Fellowships

• Michael Beard received an NHMRC Senior Research Fellowship.
  (2010-2014) $560,000

NHMRC Career Development Awards

• Quenten Schwarz received an NHMRC Career Development Award.
  (2010-2014) $377,000
• Michele Grimbaldston received an NHMRC Career Development Award.
  (2010-2014) $377,000

NHMRC Project Grants

• Richard D’Andrea:
  received $588,500 for research into the “KLF5 function in normal and leukaemic haemopoiesis”. (R D’Andrea, C Mullighan, I Lewis and N Jenkins) 2010-2012
  
  received $562,500 for research into the “Dissecting the role of the IL-3 receptor alpha subunit and beta-catenin in Acute Myeloid Leukaemia”. (R D’Andrea, H Ramshaw, P Ekert, I Lewis, S Barry) 2010-2012



• Mark Guthridge:
  received $415,125 grant for research of “Regulation of pleiotropic responses by binary switches embedded in the Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptors”. (M Guthridge) 2010-2012



• Natasha Harvey:
  received $535,500 for research of “Defining the molecular events that initiate the genesis of lymphatic vessels”. (N Harvey & M Francois) 2010-2012



• Yeesim Khew-Goodall:
  received $514,500 for research of “The Pez-TGFß-miR200-ZEB1/2 axis in breast cancer”. (Y Khew-Goodall, G Goodall, & G Farshid) 2010-2012
  
  received $415,500 for research into the “Identification of microRNAs in Scleroderma”. (Y Khew-Goodall, G Goodall, & G Farshid) 2010-2012



• Sharad Kumar:
  received $502,500 for research into “Transcription control of cell death and proliferation”. (S Kumar) 2010-2012
  
  received $583,500 for research of “A novel tumour suppressor”. (S Kumar) 2010-2012
  
  received $484,500 for research into the “Novel modes of cell death during development”. (S Kumar, E H Baehrecke & L Dorstyn) 2010-2012



• Stuart Pitson:
  received $499,500 for research of the “Mechanisms of regulation and biological roles of sphingosine kinase 2”. (S Pitson) 2010-2012
  
  received $504,500 for research into the “Role of sphingosine kinase 1 in PP2A-associated tumorigenesis”. (S Pitson) 2010-2012



• Andrew Zannettino:
  received $583,500 for research of “Is hypoxia inducible factor 2 the trigger of angiogenic switch and a driver of disease progression in myeloma”. (A Zannettino) 2010-2012

ARC Discovery Project Grant

• Angel Lopez:
  received $330,000 for research into the “Structural and functional characterisation of PI3Kgamma, uniquely activated by p101”. (Prof SR McColl & Prof AF Lopez) 2010-2012

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Dr Deb White (Associate Member CCB) has been awarded a Translational Grant from the Leukemia Lymphoma Society of America for her project entitled:-The role of OCT-1 Activity enhancers in improving the response of patients with low OCT-1 activity to imatinib.

15th July 2009

This Grant is for the period October 1, 2009 through September 30, 2012 and provides a maximum of $US200,000 per year. The studies proposed in this Grant are a continuation of the successful research completed to date by Dr White and Professor Hughes, and aim to improve treatment outcomes for those patients with Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia who respond poorly to imatinib (front line treatment for this disease).

Associate Investigators on this Grant are Professor Tim Hughes (Member CCB) A/Professor Richard D’Andrea (Member CCB), Professor Andrew Somogyi and Professor Junia Melo (Member CCB).

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Launch of the new Centre for Cancer Biology here in SA Pathology

16th April 2009

The highlight of today is the launch of the new Centre for Cancer Biology here in SA Pathology. The Centre currently has 15 research groups and 154 staff and students, most of which are supported by peer reviewed funding brought in by the members of the CCB.

The CCB was officially opened by Prof Ian Frazer FAA, Director of Diamantina Institute, on April 16, 2009. In the photo (from left to right): Prof Sharad Kumar, Prof Angel Lopez, Prof Ian Frazer, Hon John Hill (S.A. Minister for Heath), Prof Ruth Salom (Executive Director, SA Pathology), Dr Tony Sherbon (Chief Executive Officer, S.A. Department of Health)

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Centre for Cancer Biology awarded $3.7 million

Prime Minister of Australia - Media Release

20th January 2009

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd today announced $5.6 million in funding for new research and clinical trial initiatives to reduce the impact of cancer on all Australians.

In South Australia, the Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science (IMVS) will receive $3.7 million in National Health and Medical Research Council Program Grant funding for its work on better treatment for blood cell cancers such as leukaemia, and inflammatory diseases.

Professor Angel Lopez, head of the human immunology research team at IMVS and co-head of the newly-formed SA Centre for Cancer Biology, will lead the research, which focuses on a group of protein hormones and their receptors which are implicated in blood cell cancers such as leukaemia and inflammatory diseases for which current treatments are inadequate.

Prof Lopez’s research will help Australia develop new drugs which are more specific to cancers such as leukaemia, and have fewer side effects.

The program funding is spread over five years starting in 2010 and will support the Centre, which has about 120 staff.

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