Cancer Australia has announced the awarding of two additional grants totalling $1.19 million to fund important research into chemotherapy and children’s cancer treatment. The two grants were awarded through the 2023 Priority-driven Collaborative Cancer Research Scheme (PdCCRs), demonstrating the Australian Government’s commitment to reducing the impact of cancer on Australians.
The PdCCRs is an annual research grant scheme that brings together the government and other cancer research funders to identify priority areas. Since its inception in 2007, Cancer Australia and its Funding Partners have supported over 500 research projects, with a total value of $170 million.
The first of the two grants has been awarded to the Clinical Trial and Cohort Studies to A/Prof Susanna Park which aims to predict which cancer patients treated with taxane chemotherapy are at risk of developing long-term nerve damage. This research hopes to improve outcomes for people with cancer following chemotherapy. The second grant was awarded to Professor David Ziegler’s Ideas Grants project, which aims to improve the ability of treatment to cross the blood-brain barrier in children with a type of brain tumour called diffuse midline gliomas. This research aims to improve treatment and improve survival rates of young patients.
Minister for Health and Aged Care, the Hon Mark Butler MP said, “The Australian Government is dedicated to supporting cutting-edge cancer research.”
“The additional funding announced today reinforces our commitment to reducing the burden of cancer and improving the lives of those affected by this disease.
By investing in these groundbreaking studies, we are taking significant steps towards achieving better and more equitable outcomes for all Australians affected by cancer.”
“We are proud to support the outstanding work of researchers like A/Prof Susanna Park and Prof David Ziegler,” said minister Butler.
 Professor Dorothy Keefe, CEO, Cancer Australia said, “We are delighted to fund these additional grants that underscore the importance of priority-driven research in addressing complex cancer challenges.”
By funding these innovative projects, we are fostering advancements that have the potential to significantly improve patient outcomes and influence clinical practice.
Investing in these groundbreaking projects underscores the priorities of the Australian Cancer Plan, which focuses on supporting novel research to improve cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment while ensuring equity in access to care.”
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