VCCC Annual Report 2018-19
This year's triumph has been bringing to life the innovative, game-changing programs that make up the VCCC Strategic Research Plan 2017-20.
The Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre (VCCC) is a powerful alliance of 10 leading research, academic and clinical institutions working together to accelerate and amplify leading-edge cancer research, knowledge and expertise to benefit the Victorian community.
VCCC programs support and enable the alliance members to work strategically and collaboratively together, integrating cancer research, clinical trials and education, to enable and accelerate the translation of scientific evidence into patient and community benefit.
With the support of the Victorian Government, the VCCC seeks to reinforce Victoria’s position at the forefront of research-led, consumer-informed, cancer prevention, detection, treatment and patient care.
Peter Mac is Australia’s only integrated cancer research, treatment and education centre, with multidisciplinary teams that provide care informed by precision in fundamental, translational and clinical research.
The Royal Melbourne Hospital (Melbourne Health) provides high-quality cancer treatment programs, translational research, and surgical and medical expertise, as well as other key support services such as clinical care and emergency medicine.
Australia’s first ranked research university and medical school, the university provides academic and research expertise to the alliance.
The Women’s provides specialist cancer services for women with breast and gynecological cancer and conducts research into the treatment and care of women with cancer, as well as the specific impacts of gender on cancer.
The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute is one of Australia’s leading biomedical research organisations, with a strong national and international reputation for performing highly influential basic and translational research.
The Children’s Cancer Centre is the only provider of complex children’s cancer care and stem cell transplantation in Victoria and is a leader in the research and treatment of childhood cancer.
Western Health is the largest provider of treatment for colorectal cancer and a leader in the treatment of upper gastro-intestinal cancers with programs in breast, lung, genitourinary, gynaecology and haematological cancer.
Western Health has on-site radiation therapy and chemotherapy facilities and has a strong palliative care service.
A leader in palliative care practice and complex cancer surgery, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne also provides oncology and haematology services, on-site radiation therapy and chemotherapy facilities, in addition the hospital houses the Victorian-wide psycho-oncology service.
The hospital shares its campus with St Vincent's Institute, which has fundamental and clinical researchers working on mechanisms of cancer and diseases of cancer survivorship.
The Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre at Austin Health provides world-leading specialist treatment and holistic care including clinical trials both independently and in partnership with the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute (ONJCRI) – a leader in the development of experimental and breakthrough cancer treatments only metres from where patients are cared for.
The MCRI is a leader in understanding the underlying mechanisms and treatment of paediatric cancer and is home to the Children’s Cancer Tissue bank; a world class resource for researchers studying rare solid tumours and leukemia.
Peter Mac is Australia’s only integrated cancer research, treatment and education centre, with multidisciplinary teams that provide care informed by precision in fundamental, translational and clinical research.
The Royal Melbourne Hospital (Melbourne Health) provides high-quality cancer treatment programs, translational research, and surgical and medical expertise, as well as other key support services such as clinical care and emergency medicine.
Australia’s first ranked research university and medical school, the university provides academic and research expertise to the alliance.
The Women’s provides specialist cancer services for women with breast and gynecological cancer and conducts research into the treatment and care of women with cancer, as well as the specific impacts of gender on cancer.
The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute is one of Australia’s leading biomedical research organisations, with a strong national and international reputation for performing highly influential basic and translational research.
The Children’s Cancer Centre is the only provider of complex children’s cancer care and stem cell transplantation in Victoria and is a leader in the research and treatment of childhood cancer.
Western Health is the largest provider of treatment for colorectal cancer and a leader in the treatment of upper gastro-intestinal cancers with programs in breast, lung, genitourinary, gynaecology and haematological cancer.
Western Health has on-site radiation therapy and chemotherapy facilities and has a strong palliative care service.
A leader in palliative care practice and complex cancer surgery, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne also provides oncology and haematology services, on-site radiation therapy and chemotherapy facilities, in addition the hospital houses the Victorian-wide psycho-oncology service.
The hospital shares its campus with St Vincent's Institute, which has fundamental and clinical researchers working on mechanisms of cancer and diseases of cancer survivorship.
The Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre at Austin Health provides world-leading specialist treatment and holistic care including clinical trials both independently and in partnership with the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute (ONJCRI) – a leader in the development of experimental and breakthrough cancer treatments only metres from where patients are cared for.
The MCRI is a leader in understanding the underlying mechanisms and treatment of paediatric cancer and is home to the Children’s Cancer Tissue bank; a world class resource for researchers studying rare solid tumours and leukemia.
As we approach the end of 2019 it is exciting to reflect on current achievements. We are very much looking forward to 2020 as we continue to forge new approaches to cancer treatment, while doing our best to make them available to all Victorians.
The Victorian Government’s investment of $35.8 million over four years to fund the VCCC’s 2016-2020 program has delivered outcomes in clinical trials development, workforce capacity, high impact cancer research programs and new ways of working that will hasten the translation of research discoveries to clinical care for patients.
The Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre has awarded 20 scholarships for students to undertake the Master of Cancer Sciences postgraduate study program in 2020.
Scholarships are valued up to $6,480 each. Congratulations to all the scholarship winners and thank you to the students we spoke with who shared their aspirations for next year.
Plain language and a collaborative approach won the day at the VCCC Consumer Engagement Forum this month. Trust, mutual respect and finding the right person for the job were highlighted as attributes of good consumer engagement.
Consumer engagement manager Joanne Britto said, “We were delighted with the forum and the enthusiasm of those who came. What made it special was the range of people from broad disciplines in the room with varying experience with consumer engagement. It was a good to work together and bring volume to the consumer voice and ensure a richness of perspectives."
Approaches to clinical trials are changing with the trend towards personalised medicine, as the discovery of new biomarkers and genetic mutations for smaller populations create a difficult environment for designing clinical trials.
Increasingly, cancer treatments target small populations, are given in combination, and at times, pose a significant cost to the health system. Through the VCCC’s alliance collective expertise, there is an opportunity to develop smart, adaptive clinical trials to translate discoveries and enable improved patient health outcomes.
Historically, health record data has been siloed in disparate systems; trapped by complexities in data governance that was preventing connection and comparison for research.
A potential goldmine of information and data was languishing in primary health care records, hospital records and various cancer registries. Without effective linkage, it was very difficult to compare and explore to help answer clinical questions.
Now, the VCCC Data-Driven Research Hub (Data Hub) is changing all that.
Clinical trials enable faster translation of research to care for patients and requires a highly trained workforce – particularly if Victoria is to expand its clinical trials activity.
The VCCC SKILLED internship program – which focuses on Clinical Trials Assistants and Study Coordinators, key roles in a clinical trials team – helps Victoria build job opportunities for the future and grow Victoria’s clinical trials workforce.
Consumer and Community Involvement in Health and Medical Research
Facilitated by Anne McKenzie, a recognised leader in consumer engagement... and back by popular demand. The purpose of this interactive workshop is to build researcher’s skills and confidence in implementing consumer and community involvement in research.
The VCCC is delighted to join with Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) to present a special public lecture, exploring the history, present and future of breast cancer treatment.
International guest speaker: Dr Eric Winer, MD, Director, Division of Breast Oncology Center, Susan F. Smith Center for Women's Cancers, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Massachusetts, USA
What are the improvements in therapy for breast cancer, and how can we apply these in the future?
Internationally renowned expert, Dr Eric Winer director of the Breast Oncology Centre at Dana Farber Cancer Institute, will explore this provocative question when he headlines the first VCCC Research & Education Lead, Breast symposium: Breast Cancer 2020: the Cutting Edge.
Join us to discover what is new, challenging and controversial in the neoadjuvant management of patients with breast cancer.
An exceptional opportunity to work in partnership with world-leading organisations to drive research, teaching and training, and clinical care delivery.
The Children's Cancer Foundation Chair is a new leadership position made possible by generous funding from the Children’s Cancer Foundation in collaboration with key Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre (VCCC) partners: The University of Melbourne, The Royal Children’s Hospital, the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI).
Highest quality research and clinical facilities and support will be provided to ensure that you are able to drive and deliver productive, ground-breaking collaborations across the world-leading Melbourne Biomedical Precinct as well as with paediatric clinical and research groups nationally and internationally.
Are you writing a grant proposal? Do you need statistical design, problem solving or general advice?
The VCCC provides biostatistical support for researchers and investigators involved in investigator-initiated trials.
The natural progression if you are successful as a researcher is to become head of your own research lab or group and stop spending time at the bench. You are no longer a scientist; you are a manager of scientists.
The VCCC has partnered with Marlow Hampshire, a progressive and dynamic leadership development group to enable up to 10 talented researchers to take part in a leadership development short course in the first half of 2020. Scholarships for the program are valued at $ 2,100 each.