| Auckland | 5 |
| Hastings | 1 |
| Palmerston North | 1 |
| Wellington | 8 |
| Christchurch | 2 |
| Dunedin | 2 |
| University of Otago, Christchurch & University of Oxford, UK | 1 |
| British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, Canada | 1 |
The potential impact of primary HPV testing on cervical cancer in New Zealand
Cervical cancer remains an important public health problem in New Zealand. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the essential cause. Screening for high-risk HPV types (with appropriate subsequent treatment) could prevent nearly all cervical cancers. HPV testing is being considered as the main screening test, rather than Pap smears, for cervical cancer in many countries. Before introducing a new screening methodology, it is important to estimate any decrease in disease incidence that may result. Through a case-control study using routinely collected data, we will estimate the proportion of current cases of cervical cancer that could be prevented by introducing HPV testing. tissue.
The role of ascorbate in controlling hypoxia factors in renal cell carcinoma
Kidney cancer is a lethal disease with few treatment options. The most aggressive type of kidney cancer allows tumours to accumulate the pro-survival factor HIF. We have shown that lower HIF-levels and higher vitamin C levels were detected in tumours from colorectal cancer patients with better survival. This study will determine whether the same is true for kidney cancer. Vitamin C and HIF-activity will be measured in banked kidney tumour samples. Our findings will raise awareness of the need for optimal vitamin C levels in a healthy diet, and pave the way for clinical trials of vitamin C in cancer.
Tumour selective delivery of PARP inhibitors cancer
Inhibitors of the DNA repair enzyme PARP-1 are a new class of anticancer agent. They are being clinically trialled for tumours with DNA repair defects (e.g. mutations in BRCA genes) and to potentiate the activity of DNA damaging agents. Unfortunately, normal tissue toxicity limits their combination with these cytotoxins. We aim to develop prodrugs of PARP inhibitors to mask their activity in normal tissue and release the active PARP inhibitor selectively within areas of low oxygen (hypoxia) in solid tumours. This novel approach will increase the efficacy of these agents in combination with cytotoxins and expand their therapeutic potential.
Inhibiting Immune Checkpoints to Improve Immunotherapy for Brain Cancer
Cancer immunotherapies, which use a patient's own immune system to fight tumour cells, are now entering the clinic and have shown impressive efficacy against a number of cancers. One approach uses therapeutic vaccines, which work to educate the immune system and boost the number of tumour-destroying immune cells, while another is to remove the molecular brakes that constrain anti-tumour immune responses. We aim to test whether these two approaches can synergize to create a more effective cancer therapy, and propose to test this using our vaccine in a preclinical model of brain cancer.
Overcoming Immune Suppression in People with Colorectal Cancer
The immune system of the bowel is unusual in that it is suppressed, allowing the healthy digestive bacteria to survive. However, since a strong immune response in cancer is associated with good patient prognosis, this same bowel immune suppression may be responsible for progression of colorectal cancers. We will use new techniques established in our laboratory to identify the suppressive immune cells recovered from the tumours of people with colorectal cancer and design interventions to switch these cells from suppressive to active against the tumour. Our research will identify ways to improve the immune response against colorectal cancer.
The fetal origins of childhood leukaemia
We hypothesise that childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), which originates before birth, occurs because specific fetal lymphocytes persist inappropriately after birth. Childhood ALL cells show a distinct pattern of DNA modification (methylation) that is very different from that of normal blood and marrow. The extent of the difference suggests that the methylation profile of ALL reflects its cell of origin; i.e., a population of fetal lymphocytes that would normally disappear before birth. We propose to detect normal fetal lymphocytes with this "leukaemia" signature in normal neonatal blood. By so doing we expect to reveal the true target for anti-leukaemia therapy.
Pateamine analogues as a new type of cancer therapeutic
Cachexia, or cancer-associated muscle wasting, causes one-fifth of cancer-related deaths. There is currently no accepted treatment for this condition. The natural product pateamine is produced by marine sponges found in New Zealand coastal waters. Its biological effects include the ability to change the profile of proteins produced within cells. Beneficially, pateamine appears to inhibit the production of proteins that promote cachexia whilst not having an equivalent effect on normal muscle proteins. We will discover how pateamine binds to its target to cause these effects and develop new compounds that will have fewer side effects..
Boosting human anti-cancer immune responses using a glycolipid-conjugated vaccine
Many cancers respond well to initial treatment, but subsequently relapse. Stimulating the immune system to destroy cancer cells may reduce this risk. However, patients' immune systems are often weakened by cancer itself or by chemotherapy. We have found a powerful way to activate immunity by stimulating unique types of ‘innate' white blood cell. Developed in collaboration with Callaghan Innovation, our new compounds combine conventional vaccines with this approach. Preliminary experiments show this may boost cancer-targeting immune cells. This project will investigate the effect of these compounds on human cells, with a view to developing a new class of cancer vaccine.
To attend the Keystone Symposia ‘Immune Evolution in Cancer' from March 9th to March 16th 2014 in Whistler, Canada
To attend the Keystone Symposia ‘Immune Evolution in Cancer' from March 9th to March 16th 2014 in Whistler, Canada
To attend the International Forum on Quality and Safety in Healthcare (Paris, France, 8th - 11th April 2014)
To attend the International Society of Biological and Environmental Repositories (ISBER) 2014 Annual Meeting, May 20- 24, 2014, Orlando, Florida USA.
To attend the Trans-Tasman Radiation Oncology Group (TROG) Cancer Research - 26th Annual Scientific Meeting 2014, to be held in Sunshine Coast, Australia from the 1st-4th April, 2014
To attend the 2014 Australia New Zealand Gynaecological Oncology Group (ANZGOG) Annual Scientific Meeting in Canberra, Australia from 26 - 30 March 2014.
ACCeRT: Auckland's Cancer Cachexia evaluating Resistance Training study.
Cachexia is a debilitating condition affecting cancer patients overall physical and mental health. It involves loss of body fat and muscle that leads to the stereotypical appearance of an advanced cancer patient. It largely affects lung, pancreatic and bowel cancer patients. It has a profound effect on patients' personal relationships, social and community interactions. Patients find it hard to ‘kick a ball around with the grandchildren' and miss out on ‘meeting friends at a social club'. This study looks at the combination of a new approach with established methods to help stabilise this process in New Zealand lung cancer patients.
Genesis Oncology Trust palliative care breakfast lecture series
Now in its 10th year, the Genesis Oncology Trust Lecture Series continues to provide an easily accessible palliative care education opportunity. Delivered via teleconference, the eleven lecture series is attended by approximately 400 people each month. Registered sites throughout the country participate in the series. Participant numbers have seen more than 2000 people listen to the breakfast lectures to date in 2013. Thanks to the generosity of the Genesis Oncology Trust the lectures will continue to be available without charge to registered participants in 2014.
Interactive Drawing Therapy – Foundation Course
Interactive Drawing Therapy (IDT) is successfully used to assist clients faced with health challenges and life changing conditions. Over 6000 people have registered with this programme in the last ten years in Australasia. IDT is widely used by a diverse range of practitioners, including counsellors, social workers and doctors. When faced with the challenges of a cancer diagnosis and ongoing treatment, IDT can enable clients to see their situation more objectively and to empower change. This therapy is a psychological tool that is client-centred and assists clients to find inner strength and insight into the difficulties presenting them.
Circulating tumour DNA as a Predictive and Sensitive Biomarker in Metastatic Breast Cancer.
This research explores the use of two techniques to monitor tumour responses to chemotherapy; measurement of tumour-derived DNA found circulating in the bloodstream, and changes in functional imaging that reflect the metabolic activity of the tumour. Side-effects of chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer can hamper a patient's quality of life. Therefore, accurate and timely assessment of treatment effectiveness is crucial. These techniques can signal the effects of treatment at a cellular level before any changes are seen in tumour size and may provide earlier and more sensitive indications of response, helping women avoid ineffective and potentially toxic therapy.
Control of epigenetics and HIF-1 by hydroxylases.
Cancer cells often outgrow their blood supply, causing a deficit in oxygen, known as tumour hypoxia. This hypoxia causes cancer cells to resist treatments and metastasise, leading to poor patient outcomes. Exactly how hypoxic cancer cells can do this is of great interest, and one major mechanism is through the activity of a family of particular enzymes called hydroxylases. This project aims to examine the activity of these hydroxylases and how they function, so that we can understand how cancer cells behave under hypoxia, and how we can overcome hypoxia-mediated tumour progression.
Can stimulation of human antigen presenting cells with TLR ligands improve their capacity to initiate a T-lymphocyte response to a vaccine targeting cancer.
We can exploit the natural behaviour of the human immune system when designing vaccines to treat cancer. Antigen presenting cells (APCs) are the sentinel cells of the human immune system and orchestrate tailored immune responses to invading viruses or bacteria. The aim of this project is to identify the best receptors on human APCs to target with a cancer vaccine. The molecules that bind to these receptors can then be included in a vaccine. So when the vaccine is administered it will instruct the patients APCs to initiate an immune response that will kill the cancer cells.
