Dr Jim Whittle & Prof Misty Jenkins, our Co-Heads Research Strategy & WEHI Lab Heads awarded a $2.5 million ACRF grant.
This grant will launch the BRAIINSTORM program – a landmark national initiative that will fast track new personalised treatments for high grade gliomas, the most aggressive and deadly brain cancers in both children and adults.
Brain cancers remain the leading cause of childhood cancer death in Australia, and DIPG is the deadliest tumour type.
In adults, the initiative will target glioblastoma, which claims 65% of all brain cancer deaths and still has no effective long-term treatment.
BRAIINSTORM – BRinging AI and Immunotherapy for Neuro-oncology together – will create a complete end-to-end pipeline: from AI-powered drug discovery and cutting-edge laboratory models, through to a new dedicated clean room where personalised cell therapies will enable affordable and timely delivery of novel treatments to Australian brain cancer patients.
This agile, point-of-care approach will dramatically speed up the journey from breakthrough idea to first-in-human clinical trials.
“This funding will supercharge our efforts to develop desperately-needed new treatments for brain cancer, one of the most devastating and under-researched diseases in Australia. By bringing together cutting-edge technologies and a national team of experts, BRAIINSTORM will help us move promising therapies from the lab to the clinic faster than ever before – giving real hope to patients and families who need it most.”
Prof Misty Jenkins
BRAIINSTORM is led by The Brain Cancer Centre in collaboration with WEHI and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.
“Sustained funding enables projects like this to generate the critical proof-of-concept data needed to secure major grants and accelerate discoveries from the lab to the clinic. I’m incredibly proud of the partnership the BCC has shared with Misty and Jim on this project, and we’re thrilled partner with ACRF to take this into its next exciting phase.”
Sam McGuane, BCC CEO
“I’m so proud that my foundation and The Brain Cancer Centre are contributing critical early funding that allows Misty, Jim and our other incredible researchers the chance to win these important grants. It’s so empowering for our community and all of our donors to know that when they contribute to us – our team of researchers not only produce incredible discoveries, but they go on to win other grants, turning their dollar into $2 or $3 more!“
Carrie Bickmore
