Collaboration drives new cancer trials and training pathways Clinicians from the Northern Sydney Local Health District (NSLHD) and the world-renowned Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) in New York held a half-day summit to discuss their ongoing clinical trials partnership, which is working to change outcomes for cancer patients. The program featured a series of presentations highlighting the collaboration, current cancer research, and potential future directions. NORTH STAR VNP is a partnership between NSLHD and MSK, established in 2024 as a new clinical trials research centre following a transformative $20 million donation from Greg Poche AO and the late Kay Van Norton Poche AO. Since its founding, the centre has grown to support 17 active clinical trials across a broad range of tumour types. NSLHD Chief Executive Anthony Schembri said the international collaboration with MSK was a major pillar of the district’s cancer research strategy. “The clinical trials program across NSLHD is entering a period of significant maturity and acceleration,” he said. “Clinical teams across both organisations remain engaged, with many collaborative studies currently active.” Dr Pedram Razavi, a breast oncologist and Director of MSK’s Translational Oncology Partnership Program, said working with NSLHD had helped inform other global collaborations, including a new cancer project in Brazil. On the clinical front, MSK radiation oncologist Dr Nancy Lee shared evidence showing that select head and neck cancer patients can achieve the same survival outcomes with lower dose radiotherapy and far fewer long term side effects, which can be devastating. Eight RNSH patients are currently enrolled in further clinical trials exploring this approach. The new clinical trials centre is also funding an exchange program that gives early career cancer researchers in Australia the opportunity to spend two years training at MSK. Fellowship recipient and RNSH clinician Dr Nick Della Marta will commence his training at MSK in May 2027, focusing on gastrointestinal cancers. “It’s an area of unmet need,” he told the crowd. “I’m hoping to learn more about how the U.S. and MSK approach systemic treatment for gastric cancer and establish connections to bring back here.” (Left to right) NSLHD Chair of Research Professor Bruce Robinson, NSLHD Chief Executive Adjunct Professor Anthony Schembri, NSLHD Executive Director of Research Associate Professor Naomi Hammond, Dr Nancy Lee from MSK, Britt Walker (niece of Kay and Greg Poche), Medical Director of Oncology Trials NORTH STAR Van Norton Poche Professor Stephen Clarke and Dr Pedram Razavi from MSK
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