Minister announces cancer researcher of the year
The Minister for Health and Minister for Medical Research, Jillian Skinner, has awarded the state’s highest cancer research accolade to Professor Phyllis Butow, an Australian pioneer in psycho-oncology.
The 2012 Premier's Award for Outstanding Cancer
Researcher was awarded at the Cancer Institute NSW's annual
cancer awards night in Sydney to honour the work of the state's
most innovative and dynamic cancer researchers.
"The work of Professor Butow means that people with cancer in
NSW and around the world receive the information and support they
need at what can be an extremely distressing time," Mrs Skinner
said.
"Professor Butow has led the worldwide movement to make
doctor-patient communication the highest possible standard for
people with cancer. She has produced some of the first evidence
that effective communication reduces anxiety and depression in
people with cancer. Her work has made, and will continue to make, a
significant difference to the lives of people with cancer and their
loved ones," she said.
Professor Butow joins a list of esteemed past recipients of the
award, including Professors Roger Reddel, Bruce Armstrong and Simon
Chapman.
The Premier's Award for Excellence in Translational Cancer
Research was awarded to the
Child Cancer Research Collaborative, a team of three eminent
Professors, Michelle Haber AM, Glenn Marshall and Murray Norris,
who have developed a groundbreaking test to predict which children
with leukaemia are at highest risk of relapse on standard
therapy.
"This test means that children with leukaemia who are at the
highest risk of relapse can be identified; and individual
treatments can be introduced in newly diagnosed children to give
them every chance against the disease recurring," said Chief Cancer
Officer and CEO of the Cancer Institute NSW, Professor David
Currow.
"The Child Cancer Research Collaborative is just one example of
how NSW is leading the way when it comes to cancer research that
makes a real difference to the lives of people with cancer today.
Across the state, the Cancer Institute NSW is fostering
collaboration through our translational cancer research
centres. These researchers are dedicated to putting an end to
cancers as we know them, by developing treatments and breakthroughs
that can be put into action throughout the health system," said
Professor Currow.
Dr Steven Kao from the University of Sydney and
Sydney Catalyst Translational Cancer Research Centre received the
Premier's Award for Outstanding Cancer Research Scholar for his
research concerning patient responses to mesothelioma
therapies.
The Pfizer Studentship Award went to Emma
Ramsay from the University of NSW for her research into a
drug that inhibits the growth of tumours by inhibiting the cells
responsible for the delivery of nutrients to the tumour.
Professor Richard Scolyer from the Royal Prince
Alfred Hospital received the Premier's Award for Outstanding Cancer
Research Fellow for his work to improve the management and
treatment of people with melanoma.
The Premier's Award for Innovation in Cancer Clinical Trials was
awarded to Dr Craig Underhill from the Border
Medical Oncology Research Unit for his work concerning clinical
trials in the Murrumbidgee region for a range of cancers including
prostate, colorectal, lung and melanoma.
The inaugural Wildfire Award went to the Pancreatic
Cancer Research Group from the
Garvan Institute for their research work to improve the current
management of patients with pancreatic cancer.
The inaugural Make a Difference Award went to Professor
Rob Sanson-Fisher from the University of Newcastle for his
recent cancer prevention work focussed on disadvantaged and
vulnerable populations, including reducing smoking among pregnant
Aboriginal women.
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