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More Information

Contact: Lena Caruso, Network Research Manager 

www.tcrn.unsw.edu.au

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(02) 9385 9394

Translational Cancer Research Network

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The TCRN has been established as an interactive, member-based network which encourages both collaboration and innovation.

Members of the TCRN include over 200 researchers, students, clinicians and educators from the TCRN Founding Institutions - the University of New South Wales, Prince of Wales Hospital, St George and Sutherland Hospitals, the Royal Hospital for Women, Border Medical Oncology Research Unit, and the University of Technology, Sydney - all of whom work in cancer research, cancer services or cancer care.

The TCRN supports its members by providing the enabling foundation, coordination and resources required to empower members to formulate and implement research-led advances in cancer research, treatment and care.

The core TCRN member research support services include:

  • Biorepository access
  • Health data linkage and access to health data sets
  • Coordination of networking and research collaboration opportunities
  • Professional development
  • Supporting existing research, including resource identification and sourcing expertise
  • Seeking translational research funding opportunities and improving access to these
  • Application opportunities for translational cancer research funding

One of the TCRN's major projects is the HSA Biobank. Housed in the Lowy Biorepository, the HSA Biobank is a novel initiative which steps forward from the typical single-tumour biospecimen collection protocols to a hospital-wide collection of tumour samples deemed appropriate for biobanking and research. The aim is to make this process a routine part of the hospital system without impeding on clinical, surgical or diagnostics services. In addition to the systemised collection of biospecimens, all eligible cancer patients are being asked to consent their associated clinical and demographic data for research. The long term aim is to embed biobanking (the consent and collection of biospecimens) in a sustainable way into a hospital's routine processes and to establish a biospecimen research resource with linked patient clinical and demographic data for translational cancer research.

Membership of the TCRN is structured in groups of 10 or more, each of which holds a formal affiliation to one of the TCRN founding institutions. Individual members must work in cancer research, or in the delivery of cancer services, or have responsibility for the care of patients with cancer (such as in the case of general practitioners) and agree to work actively towards the goals and KPI's of the TCRN. Each of our Member Groups is headed by a Responsible Member, who holds primary responsibility for ensuring that the activities and achievements of their group are shared both amongst the Network and to external stakeholders.

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