A cutting-edge instrument that isolates individual living cancer cells with exceptional precision to pave the way for more effective treatment has been awarded to University of Newcastle Professor Nikki Verrills as part of $1.8 million in Minns Labor Government grants.
The Government has awarded Professor Verrills a Cancer Institute NSW Research Equipment Grant of almost $600,000 to purchase a CellenONE - a tool enabling researchers to capture subtle differences in individual cells.
The device will help cancer research teams across NSW to better identify all the different types of cancer cells in a tumour to understand those that may resist therapy and improve understanding of why relapse or treatment resistance occurs and to ultimately prevent it.
The work of Professor Verrills and her team will focus on blood cancer, breast cancer and brain tumours, and the development of precision therapies tailored to the unique cellular makeup of each individual cancer.
Two other recipients have also each been awarded $600,000 Cancer Institute NSW Research Equipment Grants:
- Professor Hilda Pickett from University of Sydney for two ground-breaking high resolution microscopes that will allow researchers to see cancer cells growing, changing or becoming resistant to treatment, helping to visualise how cancers develop, spread and respond to treatment in real time.
- A/Professor Emily Blyth from University of Sydney for two highly specialised systems that streamline the complex steps involved in cell therapy manufacturing so these cutting edge treatments can be produced faster and more safely, enabling them to be scaled up to allow greater patient access.
The grants support world class research infrastructure to speed up cancer research and improve care for people with cancer.
The NSW Government is one of the largest funders of cancer research in NSW, having invested more than $575 million in the past 20 years across more than 1,000 competitive research awards and grants.
Minister for Medical Research David Harris said:
"Targeted research is vital to delivering better treatments and interventions that reduce the impact of cancer and ultimately save lives.
"Our talented and committed researchers, such as Professor Verrills, strive every day to improve the lives of people in NSW and across the world, and we're proud to invest in them to continue their work and help improve cancer outcomes for all."
NSW Chief Cancer Officer and CEO Cancer Institute NSW, Professor Tracey O'Brien AM said:
"Significant progress has been made in understanding and treating cancer however it remains the leading cause of death in NSW, and a disease few people are not touched by in some way.
"We are proud to partner with some of our state's leading cancer clinicians and researchers to accelerate our understanding of a disease that continues to devastate communities across NSW."
University of Newcastle Professor of HMRI's Precision Medicine Research Program Nikki Verrills said:
"In the past, we lacked the tools to study cancer cells individually, which meant most treatments were designed to target the bulk of the tumour. Unfortunately, this approach can leave behind cells that resist therapy and allow the cancer to return.
"To develop truly effective treatments, we need to analyse every cell type within a tumour and understand its unique behaviour. This equipment will allow us to peer deeper than ever before into cancers to make new research discoveries, which will undoubtedly lead to improved therapies for the most difficult to treat cancers."
