Congratulations to RBWH Foundation grant recipients Dr Kevin Koo and Associate Professor Matthew Roberts for their recent success being part of a team which has secured support from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF).
The project, led by radiopharmaceutical company AdvanCell, received $18 million over five years, to revolutionise targeted alpha radiotherapy for men with prostate cancer.
Dr Koo (pictured below left) is a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Emerging Leadership Fellow and Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA) Future Leader Fellow at UQ. Associate Professor Matthew Roberts (pictured below right) is a Consultant Urologist at RBWH. Both have been funded over many years by the RBWH Foundation for their ongoing prostate cancer research.
“We are excited to share this great news with the RBWH Foundation,” said Dr Koo.
“Through leveraging the support of the RBWH Foundation and UQ Advancement, we have been involved in a national research consortium and recently awarded one of Australia's largest government MRFF research grants.”
RBWH Foundation CEO Simone Garske said the funding announcement was an phenomenal achievement and reflected the quality of medical and health research possible at Herston, when supported through the extraordinary power of giving.
“The RBWH Foundation prioritises early career researchers by providing seed funding for research ideas that enable medical and health professionals to gather evidence and catalyse transformative care,” said Ms Garske.
At UQ’s Herston-based Centre for Clinical Research, Dr Koo’s lab is analysing patient samples in collaboration with AdvanCell to uncover why some prostate cancer patients respond better to treatment than others.
“Every patient and tumour is different, which is why we’re trying to understand why some respond exceptionally well to targeted alpha radiotherapy,” Dr Koo said.
“This knowledge will help clinicians personalise therapies and improve outcomes.”
Dr Anna Karmann, AdvanCell’s Chief Medical Officer, said “Our MRFF funded innovative research aims to fast-track translation and accelerate the development of promising targeted alpha therapy combinations. By partnering with distinguished investigators and outstanding early career researchers at UQ, as well as with leading clinical investigators nationally, we leverage novel tools and technologies to advance precision patient care and improve clinical outcomes of prostate cancer.”
Head of AdvanCell’s Translational Medicine and Clinical Science, Professor Stephen Rose, said the funding was an important step for Australian innovation to improve the lives of men with prostate cancer.
“This investment allows us to accelerate the translation of our Targeted Alpha Therapy - one of the most promising advances in cancer treatment.
“Our multidisciplinary multi-institutional approach is key to defeating prostate cancer.”
