Cancer research in Queensland has received a $4 million boost today, with Cancer Council Queensland announcing the recipients of its inaugural Accelerating Collaborative Cancer Research (ACCR) grants.
Two research teams at QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute will receive $500,000 per annum for four years, comprising $350,000 per annum from Cancer Council Queensland and a $150,000 per annum contribution from QIMR Berghofer.
Cancer Council Queensland CEO Ms Chris McMillan congratulated the successful recipients from QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute.
“Investment in innovative, ground-breaking research in Queensland is vital for reducing the burden of cancer in our community,” Ms McMillan said.
“We have implemented the Accelerating Collaborative Cancer Research grant scheme so that when researchers with the demonstrated ability for high-quality research come to us with innovative projects, we can fast-track their research as quickly as possible.
“The successful grant recipients from QIMR Berghofer, Professor Penelope Webb and Professor Mark Smyth, are at the forefront of cancer research and their teams’ research provides hope for the 29,000 Queenslanders diagnosed with cancer each year.”
Professor Penelope Webb will lead a research project that will test the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the use of electronic patient-reported-outcome-measures in routine cancer care to improve patient outcomes, while Professor Mark Smyth will lead a cross disciplinary team to improve understanding about the response or resistance of lung cancer to immunotherapy.
The ACCR grants have replaced Cancer Council Queensland’s long-running Cancer Research Project Grants. The new scheme will award two major new grants each year.
The application process is a two-stage process, involving initial expressions of interest followed by a full application by invitation. Eighteen high-quality expressions of interest were submitted by Queensland research teams for this round of funding.
“Our hope is that through encouraging effective research collaboration between universities, health services and scientific research institutions, the ACCR grants will accelerate the progress of research translation and improve the survival and well-being of cancer patients everywhere,” Ms McMillan explained.
Ms McMillan said the charity’s $2.8 million investment into this round of the ACCR grant scheme would not be possible without the generous support of the Queensland community.
“Every day, we’re working towards a cancer free future and thanks to our supporters, Queensland’s brightest cancer research minds are receiving the funding they need to help us get there sooner,” Ms McMillan said.
Cancer Council Queensland is an independent, community-based charity, the achievements of which are made possible by the generosity of Queenslanders.
