Cancer Institute NSW Clinical Fellowship Program 2006

Cancer specialists are the key to obtaining the best results from cancer treatments. All cancer medical disciplines require further depth and additional training opportunities if cancer results are to continue to improve.

The Cancer Institute NSW is committed to the ongoing professional development of clinicians working in cancer. To increase the depth and expertise of the discipline in NSW and to further train the next generation of cancer specialists, the Clinical Fellowship Program is designed to specifically address the need to provide a year of in-depth training and research for senior registrars and those recently completed specialty training. This program aims to build upon and further support clinical cancer improvement, research and best practice.

In accordance with the Cancer Institute NSW Deed of Agreement, progress reports for 2006 Clinical Fellows must be submitted to the Cancer Institute NSW at the following intervals:

1. June 30 Progress report (or six months after the start date, if commencing during or after March 2006)

2. December 31 Final Report (or 12 months after the start date, if commencing during or after March 2006)

These reports enable to Cancer Institute NSW to assess whether satisfactory progress is being achieved. This report must be typed and submitted using this electronic form by the appropriate date for the commencement of the fellowship program. A different reporting template will be provided for the final report at the conclusion of the fellowship.

The Clinical Fellowship Review Committee, comprising of six interstate cancer health professionals from varying disciplines, evaluates each application.

Round One Funding (October 2005)

The Cancer Institute NSW awarded eight Cancer Institute NSW Clinical Fellowships through its Round 1 funding for 2006.

Dr Annabel Goodwin, Professor Judy Kirk (Supervisor)
Cancer Genetics, Westmead Hospital, SWAHS
Research: Development of a web-based Internet site for general practitioners and patients in collaboration with other professionals in cancer genetics.

Dr Annie Chun Yu Ho, Dr Joseph Bucci (Supervisor)
Radiation Oncology, St George Hospital, SESIAHS
Research: Assessment of suitability and toxicity related to prostate cancer radiotherapy.

Dr Rooshdiya Karim, Dr Richard Scolyer (Supervisor)
Anatomical Pathology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, SSWAHS
Research: Investigation of cell cycle proliferation markers in melanoma.

Dr Francis Lam, Professor E. Leslie Bokey (Supervisor)
Colorectal Surgery, Concord Repatriation General Hospital, SSWAHS
Research: Correlation of protoeomic data with pathological and clinical data collected as part of the Colorectal Cancer Research Project at Concord Hospital.

Dr Kelly Wai-Yeen Mok, Professor Michael Friedlander (Supervisor)
Medical Oncology, Prince of Wales Hospital, SESIAHS
Research: Investigation of the impact of menopausal symptoms on sexual function in women with breast cancer.

Dr Raj Murali, Professor C Soon Lee (Supervisor)
Anatomical Pathology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, SSWAHS
Research: Identification of genetic alterations that can correctly classify difficult melanocytic lesions as benign or malignant.

Dr Elizabeth Tegg, Dr Eva Raik (Supervisor)
Haematology, Royal North Shore Hospital and Pacific Laboratory Medicine Services, NSCCAHS
Research: Investigation of the Multiplex Ligation-dependent Probe Amplification (MLPA) to document genomic changes in myeloma cells.

Dr Susan Valmadre, Professor Neville Hacker (Supervisor)
Gynae-oncology, Royal Hospital for Women, SESIAHS
Research: Retrospective review of patient outcomes and risk factors for those with adenocarcinoma of the cervix versus those with squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix.

Round Two Funding (December 2005)

After such a positive response, the Cancer Institute NSW established a second round of funding to support further Cancer Institute NSW Clinical Fellowships in 2006.

Sixteen Round 2 Cancer Institute NSW Clinical Fellowships were awarded. Of these, eight were succesfully recruited.

Dr Jim Edwards, Professor Stephen Ackland (Supervisor)
Medical Oncology, Newcastle Mater Misericordiae Hospital, HNEAHS
Research: Tissue bank and pharmocogenics in colorectal cancer.

Dr Bei Toh, Associate Professor John Boyages and Dr Robert Schamschula (Supervisors)
Radiobiology - Breast Imaging, Westmead Hospital, SWAHS
Research: Assess the efficacy and practical clinical value of diagnostic breast MRI in-patients at high risk of breast cancer.

Dr Joon Kim, Professor Philip Crowe (Supervisor)
Surgical Oncology, Prince of Wales Hospital, SESIAHS

Dr Josef Klumpen, Dr Howard Gurney (Supervisor)
Medical Oncology, Westmead Hospital, SWAHS
Research: Investigation of the predictive relationship between polymorphisms of the gene that encodes p-glycoprotein and imatinib disposition.

Dr Peter Cosman, Dr Neil Merrett and Dr Andrew Biankin (Supervisors)
Upper Gastrointestinal and Panceaticobiliary Surgical Oncology, Bankstown Hospital and Garvan Institute, SSWAHS
Research: Acquire and link high quality data sets for large cohorts of patients with oesophago-gastric and pancreaticobiliary neoplasms in NSW and perform initial patterns opf care analysis.

Dr Sabah Shibli, Dr Katrina Moore (Supervisor)
Breast Surgical Oncology, Royal North Shore Hospital, NSCCAHS
Research: profiling proteins specific to breast cancer and looking for changes in these profiles subsequent to treatment using proteomic analysis.

Dr Jonathan Clark, Professor Chris O'Brien (Supervisor)
Head and Neck Surgical Oncology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, SSWAHS
Research: investigation of the clinical, histological and biological markers of clinical behaviour and treatment outcomes in cancer of the oral cavity and oropharanyx.

Dr Joanne Toohey, Associate Professor Tom Shakespeare (Supervisor)
Radiation Oncology, North Coast Cancer Institute, Coffs Harbour, NCAHS
Research: Conduct an audit with feedback using the Maintenance of Certification Audit Instrument for NCAHS patients referred for radiation out of Area.

Dr Alison Trainer, Professor Robyn Ward / Dr Kathy Tucker (Supervisors)
Cancer Genetics Clinical Fellowship, Prince of Wales Hospital, SESIAHS