Monash Partners Comprehensive Cancer Consortium Tech Talks and seminar

MPCCC Tech Talk: Expanding the Power of Spatial Biology

• Speaker: Marshall Feterl from Nanostring Technologies
• Date: Thursday May 18, 12pm – 1pm

Join the Nanostring Technologies seminar on our new spatial biology solutions where we will be unveiling our roadmap to extend single-cell imaging to 6000-plex RNA and 120-plex protein for CosMx SMI. 

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MPCCC Precision Cancer Seminar: The Molecular Landscape of Endometrial Cancer

• Speaker: A/Prof Yoland Antill
• Date: Friday 19 May, 12pm – 1pm

This seminar will outline the molecular changes common to endometrial cancers. It will review the application of molecular and other changes to understand the four recognised subgroups of endometrial cancers and what this may mean prognostically and for treatment decisions. 

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MPCCC Tech Talk: Identifying driver mutations of Clonal Hematopoiesis of Indeterminate Potential (CHIP) in the blood

• Speaker: Taralynn Mack live from New York
• Date: Thursday 25 May, 12pm – 1pm

Taralynn will discuss how to accurately identify CHIP in blood samples and avoid common pitfalls that can lead to misclassifications. 

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Introducing Precision chemotherapy in pancreatic cancer: a phase 2 study of Panitumumab in KRAS wild-type pancreatic cancer

Dr Daniel Croagh

Monash Health hepatobiliary surgeon and interventional endoscopist Dr Daniel Croagh was awarded a Monash Partners Comprehensive Cancer Centre (MPCCC) grant worth $184,000 for his research into precision chemotherapy in pancreatic cancer.

Dr Croagh's project proposes that by using genomic sequencing of routinely obtained pancreatic cancer biopsies, it will be possible to select a small group of pancreatic cancer patients (KRAS wild-type) who potentially stand to gain substantial benefit from treatment with an EGRF inhibitor (panitumumab).

“There is a desperate need for better systemic treatments for pancreatic cancer and we are thrilled to be able to continue this research with the help of MPCCC,” said Dr Daniel Croagh.

Personalised medicine for cancer patients using next generation sequencing

Dr Luciano Martelotto

Congratulations Dr Luciano Martelotto, Senior Research Fellow, Department of Medicine who was awarded a $116,000 MPCCC Research Grant.

Dr Martelotto's project will develop and implement a comprehensive, sensitive and rapid gene sequencing diagnostic test to allow physicians to quickly find out whether a patient’s cancer carries clinically important mutations. 

Critically this tumour genetic profile will enable cancer specialists to personalise treatment by matching individual patients with therapies from which they are most likely to benefit.

“Our research will facilitate improved access to clinical trials for cancer patients treated at MPCCC and beyond and we are very excited to have this opportunity,” Dr Luciano Martelotto said.

Dr Martelotto's co-investigators on this project include Associate Professor Jake Shortt and Associate Professor Arun Azad from the Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health.