Cancer Council NSW is proud to announce the appointment of Professor Martin Widschwendter, MD, PhD, FRCOG, as the new Director of the Daffodil Centre, at Cancer Council NSW. The Daffodil Centre, a partnership between Cancer Council NSW and the University of Sydney, will be led by Professor Widschwendter working alongside Professor Anne Cust, University of Sydney Director of the Daffodil Centre.
An internationally recognised pioneer in women's cancer prevention and a global leader in translational epigenetics, Professor Widschwendter will guide the Daffodil Centre into a bold new phase, strengthening NSW's position as a world leader in precision cancer prevention and advancing cancer research that delivers meaningful, long‑term benefits for communities.
After specialist training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Austria, Professor Widschwendter joined the University of Southern California's Norris Comprehensive Cancer Centre in Los Angeles to train with pioneers in epigenetics. Whilst working as a gynaecological oncology surgeon in 2005, he led the Women's Cancer Department at University College London (UCL), focusing on the integration of molecular biomarkeers into clinical pathways for breast and gynaecological cancer prevention. Whilst retaining his professorship at UCL, in 2020 he founded the European Translational Oncology Prevention and Screening (EUTOPS) Institute at the University of Innsbruck.
Under Professor Widschwendter's leadership, the Daffodil Centre will continue to advance policy and drive a strong focus on precision prevention that will change the path of cancer.
A future where more cancers are prevented before they start
Today, cancer survival rates have risen from 50% in the 1980s to over 70% today. The next frontier is prevention, to stop cancer before it starts.
Professor Widschwendter's vision for precision prevention, meaning predicting and preventing cancer using molecular, behavioural and environmental data, aligns directly with Cancer Council' in easing the burden of cancer in our community.
Under Professor Widschewendter's leadership, NSW is uniquely better positioned than ever to deliver:
- Earlier and more accurate risk prediction
- Smarter, more personalised prevention strategies
- Advances in early detection
- Improved outcomes across diverse, underserved and regional communities.
His leadership marks a transformative moment for Cancer Council NSW and the Daffodil Centre for cancer control in Australia, one that will leave a lasting legacy for generations to come.
A visionary leader for a prevention‑focused future
Over the next three years, more than half a million Australians are expected to be diagnosed with cancer, highlighting the need for smarter, more connected approaches to prevention and early detection that can only be delivered through long‑term, committed partnerships capable of sustaining the patient, cumulative investment required for prevention research to generate meaningful population‑level impact. While NSW has strong foundations in epidemiology, behavioural science and population health, it has lacked an integrated approach that connects biological markers of cancer risk with screening programs, prevention initiatives and statewide policy.
Under Professor Widschwendter's leadership, the Daffodil Centre will fill this gap through:
- Biological discovery
- Population‑level research
- Implementation science
- Policy and systems influence
The Daffodil Centre will act as a statewide catalyst for collaboration, strengthening NSW's capability in molecular cancer prevention, data science and predictive modelling, risk screening and implementation.
This integrated, cross‑sector effort ensures scientific discovery translates into real change, reducing inequities and delivering prevention‑first strategies that benefit all Australians.
A transformative research approach in NSW
Professor Widschwendter's internationally recognised program being situated in NSW brings enormous value, to the state and the future of cancer prevention, including:
- World‑class expertise in precision cancer prevention
- Mature biomarker technologies ready for clinical translation
- Strong international partnerships
- New opportunities for collaboration across NSW universities, health services and government
This momentum works alongside Cancer Council NSW's commitment to invest more than $40 million in world‑class cancer research over the next three years, accelerating breakthroughs that improve outcomes before, during and after a cancer diagnosis.
About The Daffodil Centre:
The Daffodil Centre is a partnership between Cancer Council NSW and the University of Sydney
