The Carroll Labor Government is backing researchers to develop treatments for children with the hardest-to-treat cancers.
Minister for Medical Research Anthony Carbines today announced four Victorian researchers will share $2.25 million through the Children’s Cancer CoLab’s Transformative Therapies Impact Program.
The funding will fast-track research into more targeted treatments to improve outcomes for children with cancer.
Professor Vihandha Wickramasinghe from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research will explore mRNA-based therapies to suppress tumours and support treatments that may one day be taken at home.
Professor Lee Wong from Monash University will investigate ways to slow and control the growth of high-grade glioma – a fast-growing and aggressive childhood cancer.
Dr Deborah Meyran from the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre will investigate a new drug designed to help the immune system fight high-risk tumours.
Professor Paul Monagle from the University of Melbourne and Murdoch Children’s Research Institute will examine ways to reduce blood clots and make treatment for childhood leukaemia safer.
More than 1,000 children and adolescents are diagnosed with cancer in Australia each year.
While treatment has improved survival, up to 80 per cent of survivors face ongoing health challenges.
Many cancer treatments used in children were originally developed for adults, meaning they can be less effective and cause long-term side effects in growing bodies.
The Children’s Cancer CoLab is backed by $35 million from the Labor Government, alongside $10 million from the Children’s Cancer Foundation and $10 million from My Room Children’s Cancer Charity.
The program is part of Victoria’s broader investment in medical research, with the Government investing more than $1.2 billion to back world-class research and breakthroughs.
The Carroll Labor Government will continue supporting Victoria’s leading researchers to turn new ideas into better treatments and better care for Victorians and people around the world.