2024 Research Grants Announced
Key points:
- Australia’s top scientists will share $2.25 million in research funding to accelerate cutting-edge pancreatic cancer research
- Pankind is the largest private funder in Pancreatic Cancer Research. Since its creation in 2008, Pankind has invested over $14 million in Pancreatic Cancer Research
- Pancreatic cancer is a common cancer with the lowest survival rate of all major cancers at only 13%
- The funding is announced on World Pancreatic Cancer Day as around 120 iconic structures and landmarks across the country are spectacularly lit purple to mark the day
Pankind, The Australian Pancreatic Cancer Foundation, announces today, on World Pancreatic Cancer Day, the successful 2024 research initiatives, committing more than $2 million in research funding into pancreatic cancer, a disease with the lowest survival rate of all major cancers.
The investment will be shared between ten promising research projects involving scientists from leading institutions around Australia and will fund important projects in the areas of early detection and new treatments. The purpose of this Research investment is to grow capacity in pancreatic cancer research in Australia, accelerate research translation, and improve survival from pancreatic cancer in line with Pankind’s mission to triple survival by 2030.
Pankind CEO, Michelle Stewart, said, "After attending several cancer meetings including the Scientific meeting that we organise each year, I am feeling optimistic about the pancreatic cancer research field. I am particularly very hopeful about the positive clinical trial results of RAS inhibition.” Michelle continued, ‘We are extremely delighted to be supporting these world-class Australian project teams. Our focus on early detection continues. The only way we can invest in these important projects is thanks to our funding partners, community of donors and fundraisers, and to them we are incredibly grateful.”’
Four New Treatment Grants have been awarded for a total of $1.2 million, $300,000 each, to teams led by:
- Prof Claudine Bonder from the University of South Australia to advance a new targeted antibody. Read more →
- Dr Kendelle Murphy from the Garvan Institute of Medical Research to enhance the efficacy and overcome resistance to targeted treatments. Read more →
- Dr Brooke Pereira from The Garvan Institute of Medical Research to target fibrosis and improve targeted treatments. Read more →
- Prof Andrew Scott from Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute to target tumour stroma with radiopharmaceutical therapies. Read more →
Pankind’s commitment to funding research that detects the disease earlier continues with $300,000, $100,000 each, Early Detection Grants awarded to:
- Dr Belinda Lee from The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) developed a non-invasive urine screening test. Read more →
- Dr Jean Winter from Flinders University to find early-stage biomarkers. Read more →
- Dr Ying Zhu from the University of Technology Sydney to identify high-risk pancreatic cancer precursor lesions. Read more →
This year, Pankind introduced a $50,000 New Concept Grant to stimulate creative thinking, encourage collaboration, and explore novel approaches and was awarded to:
Prof Rachel Neale from QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute to explore screening in people with new-onset diabetes.
Pankind announces today two strategic investments totalling $700,000 into infrastructure and building capacity in pancreatic cancer research.
- $500K will focus on screening high-risk individuals.
- $200K will be invested in a global repository to facilitate data sharing and collaboration for pancreatic cancer research.
Pancreatic cancer has been acknowledged as a common cancer due to more Australians than ever being diagnosed with the disease. The current 5-year survival rate is only 13%. Only 3 out of 10 people (37%) will survive one year after diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Over 4,600 people are diagnosed each year, with the disease claiming around the same number of lives as breast cancer this year yet the disease remains chronically underfunded.
We would like to thank our esteemed Scientific Advisory Panel who provided a multi-disciplinary, global perspective and assessed the applications from a very high-quality field against predetermined assessment criteria.
We would also like to acknowledge our valued funding partners, including Woolworths Limited through the Woolies Wheels and Walks and Tour de Cure collaboration and the Marianne Allan Pancreatic Cancer Research Grant.