Synergy grant success
Daffodil Centre researchers are among the 17 research teams awarded Synergy Grants in funding announced by the NHMRC last week. Worth $5million over five years, Synergy Grants support outstanding multidisciplinary teams of investigators to work together to answer major questions that cannot be answered by a single investigator.
Prof Anne Cust is part of a research project titled Roadmap Options for Melanoma Screening in Australia (Melanoma-ROSA). Led by Professor Monika Janda, from the University of Queensland, the team will co-design a blueprint for a new national strategy for effective melanoma screening. They aim to generate evidence that will translate into a targeted melanoma screening program, that is equitable, trustworthy and cost-effective.
Prof Karen Canfell and Dr Eleonora Feletto are part of a research team focussed on Tackling Australia’s low screening participation to prevent bowel cancer morbidity and deaths. Led by Professor Mark Jenkins at the University of Melbourne, the will team trial different approaches to improve participation in the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program. The Daffodil Centre researchers will evaluate the long term effect and cost-effectiveness of the different approaches.
Prof Nehmat Houssami named Chair in Breast Cancer Prevention
The National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) recently announced the Daffodil Centre’s Professor Nehmat Houssami as the first 10-year Chair in Breast Cancer Prevention. This significant $5million grant will enable Professor Houssami to implement a long-term research program designed to address several areas in screening and prevention to reduce the growing incidence of breast cancer and, ultimately, reduce deaths and contribute to NBCFs mission of ending deaths from breast cancer.
Self‐collection for HPV screening
In May 2021, the Medical Services Advisory Committee endorsed an enhancement to Australia’s world-leading National Cervical Screening Program that would enable all eligible women to take their own screening sample if they prefer.
In an editorial published by the Medical Journal of Australia (MJA) last week, Professor Karen Canfell, Associate Professor Megan Smith along with long-term collaborator Professor Deborah Bateson, explain how cervical screening by self-collection is a game-changer for the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem. They describe self-collection as “the gateway to achieving equity of screening access in Australia and overseas, leading to the elimination of cervical cancer for all.”
Postgraduate Research Scholarships: Open now
The Daffodil Centre has established a Postgraduate Research Scholarship Scheme, with applications now open for scholarships starting in 2022. There are four postgraduate research scholarships available for outstanding PhD scholars to conduct research to find the most effective ways to save lives and improve cancer outcomes across all interventions including prevention, early detection, treatment and care.
The scholarships are valued at up to $35,000 per annum and are tenable for up to 3.5 years. Applications close 12 November 2021.
Full details are how to apply.
Selection of recent publications
- Cancer care disruption and reorganisation during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia: a patient, carer and healthcare worker perspective
- Exploring Gene-Specific Guidelines for Risk Management of Gynaecological Cancer in Lynch Syndrome
- The road to cervical cancer elimination in Malaysia: Evaluation of the impact and cost-effectiveness of human papillomavirus screening with self-collection and digital registry support
- Self‐collection for HPV screening: a game changer in the elimination of cervical cancer
