Early detection remains the best method for reducing breast cancer related deaths.
Together with our Group charity Australian Breast Cancer Research, we are funding research focused on the prevention, detection, management and treatment of breast cancer to improve outcomes for the women we love.
Breast Cancer Support
Developing new therapies to treat breast cancer, focusing on little-explored tumour-promoting microenvironments.
Researcher
Professor Michael Samuel has been given our Australian Breast Cancer Fellowship to further investigate a potential new class of therapies to slow or stop the spread of breast cancer.
Identifying a list of new and existing drugs which show promise in changing an offending hormone receptor in breast cancer from cancer-promoting to cancer-inhibiting.
Researcher
Associate Professor Theresa Hickey and her collaborators are progressing this exciting list of drugs to clinical trials!
A new CAN Connect nurses program is helping regional cancer patients have greater access to specialist cancer nurses, virtually.
Nurses
Cancer nurses Kristy Howell and Victoria Fitton are delivering the program, where patients have at-home monitoring kits that keep track of their temperature, blood oxygen, pulse rate and blood pressure.
Progressing research into a protein called Creld2 which causes breast cancer to develop and grow more quickly, with work now turning to finding agents to destroy or block this protein and offer alternative pathways to treat aggressive breast cancer.
Researcher
Dr Marina Kochetkova hopes the clues found in Creld2 can prevent breast cancer related deaths and serve as a new biomarker to monitor patient responsiveness and relapse.
Investigating breast cancer cells which become resistant to chemotherapy, focusing on a little-known protein called Basconuclin-2 which may hold clues to help treat cancer cells which are prone to relapse or capable of re-seeding other types of tumour cells.
Researcher
Dr Cameron Bracken’s research aims to bring hope to all women fighting hard-to-treat and recurring breast cancers.
Investigating ways to slow, stop or reverse the effects of a newly-found compression force experienced by rapidly growing cancer cells, to help stop breast cancer metastasis (spread).
Researcher
Dr Sarah Boyle is looking at the physical stresses experienced by breast cancer using a unique three-dimensional system.
Improving the diagnosis of triple negative breast cancer by investigating whether a previously unstudied protein can diagnose this aggressive and deadly form of the disease sooner and also provide a better treatment option.
Researcher
Associate Professor Phil Gregory hopes his research will provide earlier diagnosis of triple negative breast cancers most likely to become aggressive.
Helping women get the best of their breast cancer treatment and avoid harmful drug interactions if they are also taking other medications, particularly in regards to blood pressure and cholesterol lowering drugs.
Researcher
With 60% of cancer patients using blood pressure or cholesterol lowering drugs, Dr Ashley Hopkins hopes his insights will provide more information about the harm or benefits these medications may have while undergoing cancer treatment.
Improving breast cancer screening outcomes for women with dense breasts through increased education about high breast density.
Researcher
Associate Professor Wendy Ingman has created a video to help educate women that finding cancer in a dense breast can be like trying to find a polar bear in a snow storm.
Exploring a number of different inhibitors which show promise in blocking a protein called Aquaporin 1, which has been proven to play a key role in helping breast cancer cells moving to other parts of the body.
Researchers
Dr Amanda Townsend (right) hopes this work will lead to a new treatment that will be far less toxic then current chemotherapy treatments and have far fewer side effects.
Outside of the lab, you may be surprised to hear researchers are working hard to improve breast cancer outcomes using maths and data!
Professor David Roder is analysing breast cancer trends to ensure women diagnosed with breast cancer have access to appropriate health services.
