print header

NSW Government boosts cancer research

Media releases
23 Oct 2012
Share this page Email this page to a friend Share this page via Twitter Share this page via Facebook Share this page via LinkedIn

Children with cancer will be among many patients who are set to benefit from a $3.6 million investment in cancer research, the Minister for Health and Minister for Medical Research, Jillian Skinner, announced today.

How we know, diagnose and treat cancers is changing at a rapid pace - and NSW is at the cutting-edge

Mrs Skinner announced the recipients of 12 infrastructure grants today, including almost $1 million for the Kids Cancer Alliance, which will pave the way for new cancer treatments for children.

"More than 600 Australian children are diagnosed with cancer each year. It has never been more important for researchers across NSW to work together and share knowledge in order to make a difference in the lives of children diagnosed with this terrible disease.

"These grants will enable the next generation of DNA sequencing to identify how cancer develops. They will change the way researchers use cancer tissue bio banks and ultimately improve cancer outcomes for patients and save lives," Mrs Skinner said.

"The days of researchers toiling alone in their laboratory are long behind us. Cancer research in NSW is about bringing together clinicians and world-class researchers to make a real and immediate impact on the lives of patients with the disease."

Mrs Skinner said other recipients of the infrastructure grants include Westmead Millennium Institute, Sydney Catalyst and the Bosch Institute.

The Chief Cancer Officer and CEO of the Cancer Institute NSW, Professor David Currow, said the NSW Government investment marks the next step in cancer research, speeding up the growth of cancer knowledge and discoveries.

"This is an exciting time for cancer research in this state and I welcome the NSW Government investment which gives certainty to our valued researchers.

"NSW is home to researchers that are discovering molecules to block tumour cell function, we are developing imaging technology to discover cancer biomarkers and taking an innovative approach to keeping bio-banked tissue samples so that valuable information on cancer is kept for research well into the future.

"How we know, diagnose and treat cancers is changing at a rapid pace - and NSW is at the cutting-edge," Professor Currow said.

Top of page