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Translational Tumour Biology

Understanding of how gene changes cause cancer is the key to more effective, less toxic therapies.

Cancer is a disease driven by changes – ‘mutations’ in the normal genes of cells. These changes can cause cells to multiply when they shouldn’t, resist normal constraints on where and how they grow, and live longer than normal. The result is cancer. The science of genomics lifts the lid on cancer cells and allows us to read the code of the genes. This provides us with a new way to understand cancer, by understanding how the mutations in the genes drive the disease.

  • Luminesce Alliance brings together experts in oncology, clinical genetics, computational biology, data science, and data ethics to decode the genetic makeup of cancer cells, shedding light on how mutations propel the disease. Through the analysis of tumour genetic alterations, we deepen our comprehension of their role in cancer progression and potential treatment avenues.

  • The Translational Tumour Biology Enabling Platform aims to:

    • Conduct Cas13-based diagnostic genomic methodology and analysis of samples from children with cancer to identify the best treatment options.
    • Investigate novel findings arising from this genomic analysis, using a molecular biology toolkit to probe the function of mutated genes and how they might be more effectively targeted by treatments.
    • Develop models of paediatric cancers to explore the molecular pathways that are altered in cancer − a major way to identify potential new therapeutic options. leading to drug discovery and clinical trials
  • Lead Investigator

    • Associate Professor Paul Ekert, Deputy Director – Research Themes, Children’s Cancer Institute

    Research Team

    • Dr Mohamed Fareh, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
    • Dr Antoine de Weck, Children’s Cancer Institute
    • Professor Ian Street, Director, THerapeutic INnovations for Kids (THINK), Children’s Cancer Institute
    • Children’s Cancer Institute
    • THerapeutic INnovations for Kids (THINK), Children’s Cancer Institute
    • Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre