WINNING OVER CANCER AnnualAnnual Report Report2017 2017 1 CONTENTS During the last year, I have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support that followed the news that my cancer had returned. Of course, it has been a personal challenge but OVERVIEW OUR COMMNUNITIES I feel privileged to be able to give hope to others Message from Olivia ............................................ 3 Equipment, facilities and services .............. 32 who are going through cancer. It’s a challenging and amazing journey that I have been through Chairman’s report ................................................ 4 T marks the spot .................................................34 before and I am winning over again! Year at a glance .................................................... 5 The synergy of circles ........................................36 I am grateful for and incredibly proud of the important work being done at the Olivia Directors’ report .................................................... 6 Clinician scientist fellowships ....................... 37 Newton-John Cancer Institute. It is hugely Collaborations and partnerships ................38 reassuring to know that scientists, doctors, OUR HIGHLIGHTS Students: the next generation .................... 40 volunteers and other healthcare practitioners are working around the clock to win over cancer Flicking the switch on Donors and supporters .....................................41 Message from and that they are helping so many people who colon cancer’s own killer ................................... 7 Amazing gift leaves a lasting come to the Centre for support. Reducing the costs of legacy for cancer research .............................43 our founding The ONJCRI holds a special place in my lung cancer misdiagnosis ................................. 8 heart in this regard. Medical research and Suppressing cancer cell corruption .............. 9 scientific endeavour run through my veins - OUR ORGANISATION champion, and although I chose a musical path, I am Rising to the challenge of lung cancer .... 10 Board of Directors ..............................................44 proud to come from a family of scientists, Olivia doctors and artists. Creativity is the magic Organisational chart ....................................... 46 that links science and the arts, and it’s OUR LABORATORIES COO’s report ........................................................ 47 Newton-John wonderful to know that so many smart, Cancer & Inflammation .................................... 14 creative young women and men are devoting Key financial results ...........................................48 their lives to find a cure, or to make cancer a Cancer Immunobiology .................................... 16 AO, OBE manageable disease. Translational Genomics & Epigenomics .... 18 SHARING OUR RESEARCH Thank you to all the scientists and staff at Tumour Targeting ................................................20 ONJCRI who are making such an important International presentations .......................... 49 contribution to the progress in this global Oncogenic Transcription .................................. 22 Seminars ..................................................................50 endeavour. And thank you to our many friends Cell Death & Survival ..........................................24 and supporters whose generosity is helping the ground-breaking research at the Institute. Metastasis Research ..........................................26 A SHOW OF SUPPORT Matrix Microenvironment Olivia Newton-John LOVE AND LIGHT & Metastasis ..........................................................28 Wellness Walk and Research Run ................51 Tumour Progression & Heterogeneity.........30 Front cover image: Dr Tom John is tackling the biggest cancer killer with translational research that combines Olivia laboratory work and clinical practice to find new hope for patients (full story on page 10). 2 3 YEAR AT A GLANCE 89 $26.9M Staff Secured external this model. The integration of laboratory bench funding and bedside helps refine our research, make new discoveries and create more targeted treatments for patients. Our researchers and clinicians were also involved in a wide variety of clinical cancer % trials, with Institute investigators leading 13 Clinician scientists 128 trials in 2017. (% of research staff) These trials give patients access to potential new treatments, such as immunotherapies 51% and targeted therapies. They are an integral Female part of our journey in finding more effective staff Chairman’s treatments. You can read the personal stories of two patients and their trial experiences Report in this report. ONJCRI’s collaborative power is backed by our partnerships, and we continued to build THE HON JOHN BRUMBY AO these relationships through the establishment CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD NHRMC of a new ACRF Tumour Imaging Centre and the grant As each year passes, I continue to be inspired deepening of our ties with La Trobe University. success by the people, passion and perseverance at Most importantly, we have spent the year 25% rate ONJCRI, and I am truly privileged to be Chair giving hope to patients; there are people who will 25 of the Board. be with us tomorrow as a result of our efforts. PhD & Honours Our scientists and clinicians work tirelessly at I thank the members of the ONJCRI Board, students 128 the coalface of cancer care and at the cutting who freely donate their time and expertise to Clinical trials led by edge of research, clinical trials and technology. guide the Institute, and the Executive Officers who Institute investigators This makes the Institute a leader in the oversee the day-to-day business of the Institute. development of experimental and breakthrough And, lastly, I want to express my gratitude treatments for cancer of the brain, breast, bowel to the donors and supporters who bolster our and lung, as well as lymphoma and melanoma. quest to win over cancer. I trust that you will In 2017 the Institute continued to punch enjoy reading about our work in this report. above its weight with a unique formula that achieves results. Our clinicians and researchers work closely % 170 together to combine their laboratory work 29 Research and patient care, and we have established PhD collaborations clinician scientist fellowships to further enable THE HON JOHN BRUMBY AO students with medical training 130 ONJCRI scientific papers published 4 OUR HIGHLIGHTS FLICKING THE SWITCH ON COLON CANCER’S During 2017 ONJCRI increased the strength OWN KILLER and breadth of our science by recruiting new John estimates this diagnostic test could lead laboratory teams such as the Tumour Extending the life expectancy to the development of a tailored treatment for up Progression & Heterogeneity Laboratory. for colon cancer patients and to one in five patients with colon cancer, and that We received wide acclaim for our clinician would be significant progress given the limited scientists who developed better brain cancer improving their quality of life has treatment options for these patients. treatments, and the very sad news of Olivia’s driven Prof John Mariadason for “There are probably five or six treatments that returned breast cancer put our breast cancer the last two decades. are approved at the moment for colon cancer and dormancy research into sharp focus. often patients will be given all of those and yet Meanwhile, our ongoing work in lung, colon “When I started in the field, the life expectancy their cancers will still keep growing,” he says. and other gastrointestinal cancers, lymphoma was about 12 months for a patient with advanced “Our exciting finding needs to be tested in the and melanoma remained strong areas of focus colon cancer. I’ve seen that improve to about 30 clinic, but we have a way forward to safely test and achievement, both in the laboratory and months now,” says John, who leads the Oncogenic Directors’ a new treatment for patients with colon and at the bedside. Transcription Laboratory. other solid tumours, which is urgently needed.” Within our laboratory programs, we “I’ve also seen progress in the treatment of Report continued to develop new non-invasive blood other cancers that have been historically very tests to improve diagnosis and better monitor very difficult to manage. That has given me and PROF JONATHAN CEBON a patient’s response to cancer treatments. Our my colleagues around the globe the conviction disease-based research was complemented by MEDICAL DIRECTOR that we can and will achieve major breakthroughs our pursuit to better understand cell death and for colon cancer.” PROF MATTHIAS ERNST the interplay between cancer, inflammation John’s team is one step closer to that SCIENTIFIC DIRECTOR and immunity as processes important for many breakthrough with its latest research findings, types of cancers. which are part of a PhD being done by Janson Tse. We were recently asked to describe what makes The Institute could not succeed without Last year the team revealed that a class of drugs ONJCRI an exceptional medical research the diligent support of a dedicated Board of commonly used to halt the growth of leukemias institute. Our response? Aside from excellence, Directors and Scientific Advisory Committee, and lymphomas could be used to potentially creativity and effectiveness, it is our passion for our partnership with La Trobe University and target and kill colon cancer cells. clinical translation – a process of turning great the broader Austin Health