The Centre for Cancer Biology has been awarded a $6.67 million NHMRCProgram Grant to lead new research into leukaemia.
Led by Professor Angel Lopez, the research is designed to track down the mechanisms that control blood cell formation and how cell abnormalities play a part in the progression of the disease, and its return post remission.
Securing the prestigious NHMRC Program grant for the next five years – one of only 11 awarded nationally – Prof Lopez and a team that also comprises Prof Michael Parker (SVIMR) and Prof Timothy Hughes (CCB and SAHMRI) and their laboratories will work towards finding how blood cell abnormalities influence the progress of leukaemia, and on the development and application of new life-saving therapies.
Prof Lopez says the size and duration of the grant makes a big difference to what scientists can achieve.
“To have support for this research collaboration for the next five years is really vital because it provides stability that allows us to take risks and think outside the square, while giving us time to translate our fundamental research right through to better clinical practices,” Prof Lopez said.
The program grant comes at an excellent time when a partnership between SA Pathology and the University of South Australia is being forged to continue to support the CCB and to strengthen it in order to become a major Cancer Centre in Australia and internationally.
