Research Institute: St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research
Amount granted: $0.61 million
Year granted: 1988
For research into how solid tumours (breast, skin and lung) spread to the bone and cause bone breakdown. The treatment of the solid tumours and their regulation by hormones and drugs.
The foundation’s second project established the Cancer Research Centre at The Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne.
The major aims of the Cancer Research Centre were the investigation of the ways in which some common cancers (lung, breast, prostate and kidney) spread to the bone and cause excessive bone dissolution. The centre was also involved in the investigation of ways in which growth of these common cancers can be regulated by hormones and drugs.
What your donations have achieved
Cervical cancer vaccine
We gave initial seed funding to Professor Ian Frazer’s research into the cervical cancer (HPV). Over 150 million doses of vaccine have been delivered worldwide to date.
The pill that melts away cancer
Our long term support of cancer research at WEHI has led to a treatment that melts away certain advanced forms of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. It has been approved for clinical use in the US, European Union and Australia and is being trialed for other types of cancer.
Personalised cancer diagnosis
In 2015, we awarded $10 million seed funding to an ambitious cancer proteome project that aims to provide each cancer patient a personalised treatment plan within 36 hours. This will improve treatment outcomes and help avoid unnecessary treatments.
Zero childhood cancer
We are one of the founding partners of the initiative that will tackle the most serious cases of infant, childhood and adolescent cancer in Australia. It is a key step towards the program vision of one day helping to cure 100% of children with cancer.
