Innovative cancer treatments being evolved by researchers at the University of Wollongong's Molecular Horizons Institute will benefit from a $47,500 donation by Illawarra Cancer Carers (ICC), marking a significant milestone in their 18-year partnership that has raised over $1.2 million through local fundraising efforts.
Senior Professor Marie Ranson from the School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience and Molecular Horizons Institute says, "This enduring support from ICC has significantly advanced cancer research conducted by my team and our collaborators in the Illawarra region." He adds that the ICC’s advocacy for their research has also increased community recognition.
The ICC donation will also support the continued employment of experienced research assistant Chelsea Penney in the labs of Prof Ranson, Associate Professor Kara Vine-Perrow, and Associate Professor Dan Brungs.
Prof Ranson, an expert in molecular biomarkers of cancer invasion and metastasis, who has led numerous drug development projects, lauds Chelsea for her crucial role in several projects, including developing new therapeutic strategies for metastatic gastric cancer and evaluating the safety and effectiveness of an implantable device for targeted drug delivery.
Two UOW research projects that received early support from ICC have attracted commercial interest, including the advanced Deflexifol project. This initiative, spun out of UOW into the local pharmaceutical startup FivepHusion, has led to two promising clinical trials in Wollongong involving 60 patients with advanced cancer.