Advancing the fight against childhood cancer

We’re supporting our talented medical researchers to develop new ways to treat and potentially cure the most aggressive paediatric cancers.

Two Victorian researchers will share in $2.1 million in funding under the Children’s Cancer CoLab’s Next-Generation Therapies Program. The researchers will develop new therapies for children’s cancers that are the hardest to treat, including brain, bone and soft tissue cancers.

Dr Iman Azimi from Monash University will use stem cells to develop sophisticated models of medulloblastoma – the most common malignant paediatric brain tumour – to test potential treatments.

Professor Ron Firestein from the Hudson Institute of Medical Research will expand the Next Generation Precision Medicine program, which is using advanced technology and artificial intelligence to discover new treatments for paediatric cancer.

Every year, more than 1,000 children and adolescents in Australia are diagnosed with cancer. More than 100 of these patients will tragically lose their lives.

Cancer treatments designed for adults can be ineffective and harmful when used on children. Thanks to advances in medical research, the survival rate for paediatric cancer has recently risen to over 80%. But, some types of cancer have far lower survival rates.

The program aims to develop therapies specifically for these paediatric cancers. This will ensure survival rates continue to rise for young cancer patients.

The Victorian Government committed $35 million to establish the Children’s Cancer CoLab, formerly known as the Victorian Paediatric Cancer Consortium. This is alongside $10 million from the Children’s Cancer Foundation.

The Children’s Cancer CoLab brings together the best and brightest minds to undertake cutting-edge research to tackle childhood cancer.