Grantee: Dr Michelle Wong-Brown

Institution: NSW Regional Health Partners (University of Newcastle)

Project: Sartorious Incucyte SX5 Live-Cell Analysis Instrument for high throughput screening of drugs for repurposing as chemotherapy in the treatment of cancer

Drug repurposing is a method for identifying new uses for approved or investigational drugs that are outside the scope of the original intended or approved medical use. The development of repurposed drugs is attractive because therapeutic advances and new drug options for treatment-resistant cancer patients has been far slower than expected. Our program undertakes an ambitious approach to developing new cancer treatments through drug repurposing for treatment-resistant cancer. The partnership and stakeholders engaged in this proposal will drive the translation of the outcome to industry, clinical practice, and most importantly, to the patient.

Amount: $400,000

Grantee: Professor Jacob George

Institution: Sydney Health Partners (University of Sydney)

Project: A flagship lightsheet, confocal and live cell 4D microscope to turbocharge translational cancer research at the Westmead Health Precinct

Cancer originates at the microscopic level in single cells that divide, multiply and spread in 3D over time to form tumours. The multiuser Westmead Imaging facility at the Westmead Research Hub seeks a flexible multimodal Leica Stellaris live cell confocal with digital lightsheet and Tausense technology to observe cancer growth and development in high resolution over time to monitor responses to novel treatments being developed by our internationally renowned research teams. As the first system of its kind in Australia, this microscope will replace decade-old technology with state-of-the-art imaging, placing Westmead at the forefront of translational cancer research.

Amount: $600,000

Grantee: Professor Peter Gunning

Institution: SPHERE Maridulu Budyari Gumal (University of New South Wales)

Project: Next generation imaging of 3D cancer models

The aim of this application is to apply new developments in lightsheet and fluorescence lifetime microscopy to image 3D cancer models of pancreatic, neuroblastoma, ovarian and breast cancers. Multimodal imaging of these models will reveal new mechanisms of cancer initiation, metastasis, and growth, in addition to, identifying new molecular, cellular and immune targets for treatment. Importantly, the requested platform will also allow better design of therapeutics for targeted delivery and personalised treatment.

Amount: $828,839