Cancer Research
Leading new centre to strengthen cancer research and expertise
Cancer researchers at the launch of NORTH STAR VNP. Professor Paul Roach, Dr Sumit Sahni, Professor Anthony Gill, Dr David Chan and Professor Nick Pavlakis
Researchers at the Kolling Institute welcomed the launch of Australia’s premier cancer clinical trials centre on the Royal North Shore Hospital campus. NORTH Sydney Trials and Research Van Norton Poche or NORTH STAR VNP was made possible by a $20 million gift from the late Kay Van Norton Poche and her husband Greg. The centre is a ground-breaking partnership between Northern Sydney Local Health District and the world-renowned Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre in New York. NSLHD Chair of Research Professor Bruce Robinson said it will significantly expand access to the latest clinical trials for those in Sydney and across New South Wales, and then nationally. “We expect this wonderful new centre will offer hope to patients and their families across the country, improving treatments for cancer and even contributing to a cure. “It will mean communities, particularly those in rural and regional areas, can access the latest treatments and innovation, regardless of where they live.”
Three initial clinical trials are aimed at improving outcomes for people with head and neck cancers, breast cancers and upper gastric cancers. Leading bowel cancer researcher Professor Mark Molloy said cancer researchers at the Kolling Institute were looking forward to collaborating with the NORTH STAR VNP clinical trials. “This is an exciting opportunity to work with patient specimens obtained during clinical trials, which will allow us to discover prognostic and drug response biomarkers,” he said. “Through these studies we will have a better understanding of the impact and function of new therapies, and how clinicians can optimise patient treatments. “It was encouraging to attend the launch of the new centre with so many national and international clinicians and researchers, and to witness the enthusiasm for this new partnership. “We anticipate it will increase research activity and the development of new targeted cancer treatments.”
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