The BCRC currently has seven full
and part-time research scientists, including one PhD student from the
University of Ballarat. The BCRC and the University of Ballarat signed an
affiliated institute agreement in 2007, to share research infrastructure and
undertake collaborative research. Our shared seminar program has brought many
internationally acclaimed scientists to Ballarat and has resulted in
collaborative research with national and international cancer research centres.
BCRC employs a group of dedicated and talented scientists who are passionate about their science as well as the BCRC. After many years of dedicated research in the area of Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis(LCH), a disorder of immune cells causing ‘cancer-like’ lesions in the organs of affected individuals, we have discovered a key cell that may trigger the disease. This research by Drs Jenny West and Sharon Olsen, as well as Ms Jenny Luke and Mr Ross Priddle, has potential benefits in understanding how the immune system functions, with implications in the treatment of other cancers, autoimmune disorders and viral infections
This work was only made possible by a generous donation to purchase a FACSAria II cell sorter, by Stuart and Sue Gull, James and Val Selkirk and the estate of Harry and Peggy Maddicks.
Research by Dr Monirul Islam directed at studying a mouse model for LCH, has led to the discovery of a new virus which has been identified and the molecular sequence published in DNA Data Bank of Japan (DDBJ). Further studies will be undertaken to determine the role, if any, played by this virus in the causation of LCH lesions. The research by Ms Yulia Sims (PhD student) has led to the discovery of a new mechanism of how cells die within LCH lesions, which is different to other inflammatory lesions, and has the potential to expand our knowledge and treatment of inflammatory conditions and cancers.
Finally, we have established a laboratory test to directly test chemotherapy drugs and biological agents on living cancer cells obtained from patients with lung cancer and mesothelioma (an asbestos-related lung cancer). This research work undertaken by Mr Brendan Toohey, has progressed to be the world’s first randomised trial of this method, where we are comparing the response in patients with standard chemotherapy for in-operable lung cancer, to that obtained with individualized chemotherapy based on the laboratory assay.
The BCRC currently has collaborative interactions with the The University of Melbourne (A/Prof Damian Purcell), The University of Portsmouth UK (Prof Ian Cree), and the Karolinska Institute, Sweden (Prof Jan-Inge Henter) for the above projects.
