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Cancer/proteomics research gets $1 million boost

May 17, 2007

Research into how changes to proteins in the human body can help detect cancer in its very early stages will be boosted by a new $1 million Cancer Institute NSW grant that links many of the state's best cancer and proteomics experts.

The first stage of the new NSW Cancer Proteomics Infrastructure Initiative (NCPII) will focus on glycoproteomics research and be based at the Biomolecular Frontiers CORE (Concentration of Research Excellence) at Macquarie University. Glycoproteins are complex sugar molecules attached to proteins in the human body that change in many cancers and form the basis of many current cancer diagnostic tests.

The second stage of the initiative will focus on phosphoproteomics and be based at the Children's Medical Research Institute.

Director of the CORE and CEO of the Australian Proteomics Analysis Facility (APAF) Professor Mark Baker says the grant will provide funding for new mass spectrometric equipment and a specialist in the analysis of glycoproteins. The infrastructure will enable scientists at various centres of excellence across NSW to collaborate on core problems in oncoproteomics.

"Previous Commonwealth and NSW Government investment has led to the establishment of world-class cancer research projects into the discovery of the molecular roles of proteins in cancer and their use as biomarkers and in personalised medicine," Baker says.

"Now, through the NCPII it will be possible to bring together researchers from teams at Macquarie (Baker and Professor Nicolle Packer), NSW (Prof. Marc Wilkins) and Newcastle (Prof. Leonie Ashman, A/Prof Alistair Sim, Dr Nikki Verrills) universities, as well as the Children's Medical Research Institute (Prof. Phil Robinson, A/Prof Antony Braithwaite), Concord Repatriation General Hospital (Prof. Stephen Clarke), Garvan Institute of Medical Research (Prof. Roger Daly) and Children's Cancer Institute Australia (A/Prof. Maria Kavellaris) to share their discoveries and facilitate more rapid translation of proteomics research into clinical practice."

Any enquiries from the media should be directed to:
Greg Welsh  phone: 02 9850 7383
email address: greg.welsh@mq.edu.au

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