Newsletter

VCCC Building Trial Group Capability Program

Austin Health clinician Dr Aaron Wong and research nurse Joyce Chua are passionate about palliative care and clinical trials. "Palliative care is about a team approach towards providing the best quality of life for the patient, incorporating good symptom management and ensuring that the patient and carer are aware of what is happening. Clinical trials in palliative care is essential for establishing and creating new standards for what we do, that are backed by robust evidence," Dr Wong said.

Extensive professional development program

Since October last year the VCCC Education and Training program has presented close to 100 professional development events to nearly 5,000 participants face-to-face and online.

The educational program represents a significant investment into professional learning across the VCCC alliance and impacts on clinicians, researchers, students, cancer patients and carers. 

Dr David Kok and Daniel Sapkaroski medical radiation practitioner collaborate on virtual reality simulation model

From diagnosis to treatment, survivorship and palliative care, the experience of every patient with cancer is different; effects can be physical, psychological, financial and social.

Navigating through encompasses family, friends, medical professionals, health service staff and many others along the way.

3rd Victorian Cancer Survivorship Conference 2020

Victoria will be home to a major conference dedicated to improving care and outcomes of people with cancer when it hosts the 3rd Victorian Cancer Survivorship Conference in Melbourne,12-13 March 2020.

The event will be co-presented by the VCCC and the Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre, a Richard Pratt legacy (ACSC), a department of Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. The theme of the conference is: A 2020 vision: building on learnings, partnering for success.

Meg Rynderman is a survivor of recurrent Hodgkin disease and hormone positive breast cancer and is on the organising committee for the conference. 

Debating cancer outcomes: 2019 Research Conference

The great debate at the VCCC 2019 Research Conference promises unique perspectives, hard-hitting commentary and fast-talking team captains. Chair will be Roger Milne from the Cancer Epidemiology Centre at Cancer Council Victoria.

Professor Mark Rosenthal, VCCC Clinical Trials Development Lead and Peter Mac medical oncologist is on the side of good luck, and Associate Professor Kate Drummond Director of Neurosurgery, The Royal Melbourne Hospital is all for good management. 

Research a topic of conversation at Cancer Nurses Society of Australia Congress

Professor Mei Krishnasamy, Chair of Cancer Nursing, the University of Melbourne and VCCC Research & Education Lead Cancer Nursing talked about the development of cancer nursing research capability and its potential to enhance patient care at the 22nd Annual Congress of Cancer Nurses Society of Australia, 20-22 June at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. 

Nurses were encouraged to visit the VCCC Nurse-led Research Hub stand at the congress and Louise James was the winner of a special conference and mentoring package at the event. James is a McGrath Breast Care Nurse from Mildura Base Hospital and has a passion for breast cancer nursing and aspirations for her own research. 

Apply by Thursday 25 July 2019

The Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences at the University of Melbourne together with the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre are looking for a dynamic Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Psycho-Oncology.

You will assist in building research capacity in psycho-oncology to improve cancer care and palliative care. 

First in Australia, first in cancer - oncology registry trials - Friday 26 July, 4.00pm-6.00pm

How has the trial approach progressed, what have we achieved, what are the lessons learned and where to from here? 

Join database, biostatistics, trial design, ethics and governance experts from Western Health, University of Melbourne, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Royal Melbourne Hospital, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre to discuss progress, achievements, lessons and future direction.

Can competition and cooperation co-exist?

As an alliance of major public hospitals, medical research institutes and academia, the 10 members of the VCCC share commonality of purpose and a commitment - cemented in a joint venture agreement - to work together towards better outcomes for Victorian cancer patients. At the same time, the nature of medical research...

Flexible online learning

Nicole Webb, Albury Wodonga Health Cancer Care Coordinator, and clinical research nurse with the Border Medical Oncology Research Unit fits a lot into her day. Her schedule includes work, a family and study for a Master of Cancer Sciences part-time online.

Development program underway

Nurses from VCCC clinical partners are taking part in a research training program on Thursdays and Fridays each week. The new 12-week program releases nurses from their regular role to join with peers to learn about nurse-led research and to grow their research capability. During the program, nurses will learn how to develop a research question; search and critique literature; understand implementation science research designs; and how to design and plan a project.

A clinical trials improvement

The SiteDocs Portal is a document management platform that enables collaborative, cost-effective compliance of regulatory requirements at clinical trial sites. The VCCC is supporting the implementation of SiteDocs Portal into 15 clinical trial sites across our members and collaborators to promote efficiencies.

Congratulations to Thobe Mthethwa

Thobe Mthethwa from Parkville Cancer Clinical Trials Unit has won the Skin & Cancer Foundation Clinical Trials Coordinator award 2019. She is pictured above with VCCC Clinical Trials program staff. Thobe joined the oncology/haematology trials unit at the Royal Melbourne Hospital in 2014 and transitioned into the Parkville Cancer Clinical Trials Unit when it formed in 2016. 

Applications are open for 2019

Excellence, dedication and innovation in public health, health services and service initiatives that deliver informed and effective healthcare.

The Awards reflect priority areas in healthcare identified by the government and focus on the sectors' ability to drive change and improve health outcomes for all Victorians. They recognise leadership and excellence in the provision of publicly-funded healthcare for the Victorian community.

Congratulations to scholarship winners

Managing teams and processes in a demanding, fast-paced environment is challenging and people-management is often quoted by senior leaders as one of the most difficult aspects of their job. During May a group of talented researchers embarked on a VCCC-sponsored leadership program to assist them to transition from their current roles as researchers and research managers into effective leaders of research teams.

Cutting-edge research forum 

More than 20 representatives from across the VCCC alliance (some pictured above) have contributed their energy and expertise to the 3^rd VCCC Postdoctoral Symposium to be held at the VCCC on Friday 14 June.

Applications extended to Monday 13 May 

Applications have been extended to encourage PhD students to make a submission to receive a prestigious award in the categories of basic science, clinical science and population health.

Up to three $10,000 prizes recognising Excellence in Cancer Research will be awarded to the top PhD students of the VCCC alliance. In 2019, the population health category will incorporate submissions in the area of health services research.

Jonathan Hiller was nearing the completion of his PhD write up when he received an email about the VCCC’s Picchi Awards. 

SiteDocs Portal to streamline management of key regulatory documents

Building clinical trial capacity through increased efficiencies will improve quality and consistency, in addition to reducing costs and the administrative burden associated with trials.

SiteDocs Portal is an electronic document management platform, developed by TrialDocs and JeyLabs to streamline management of key regulatory documents. The VCCC is working with Cancer Trials Australia to implement the platform to 15 cancer clinical trial sites in Melbourne and regional Victoria.

To enable a smooth transition, two dedicated project officers will implement the platform, facilitate training and provide support.