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Funding world-class cancer research

Cancer Council WA has a proud history of funding world-class research into cancer since the 1960s. Over 50 years later - thanks to generous ongoing community support - Cancer Council WA was able to allocate over $2.1 million in calendar year 2011 to world-class cancer research carried out here in Western Australia.

Investment in research is critical to making progress in the fight against cancer. You can directly help achieve this by purchasing cancer research units.


Research grants funded by Cancer Council WA

Our Research Grant Program is structured to support researchers through all stages of their career, from funding world class senior cancer researchers, all the way through to nurturing young researchers to provide them with the opportunity to remain here in WA. We are a leading funder of independent cancer research in Western Australia and currently support the following research through our Research Grant Program.

Cancer Council Western Australia Professorial Chair Program

We fund three professorial appointments at West Australian universities in the areas of behavioural, clinical, and palliative and supportive care research.

Chair in Behavioural Research in Cancer Control at Curtin University

The Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer Control (CBRCC) began on 10 January 2000. Setting up the Centre was jointly funded by Cancer Council Western Australia and Curtin University of Technology, and the Centre's goal is to assist in the prevention of cancer by conducting timely, high quality and relevant research, and translating these findings into the provision of advice to government, health professionals and the community.
We continue to support this program while working with Centre staff on prevention program design and evaluation. The Chair provides leadership in research to increase our understanding of how social and behavioural factors influence cancer prevention, early detection and treatment. This knowledge is applied to develop effective programs influencing individual and environmental change to help reduce the incidence of cancer.

Chair in Clinical Cancer Research at The University of Western Australia

We have fully funded the Chair in Clinical Cancer Research at The University of WA since July 2003. Based at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, the Professor is a practicing Medical Oncologist who combines his skills in treating cancer patients with designing, recruiting to, and analysing the trials.
This helps with determining the best treatments for cancer patients, while supporting and promoting involvement in clinical trials by other doctors and cancer treatment centres in WA and beyond.

The Chair provides academic leadership in clinical cancer research in WA and aims to increase the participation of local cancer patients in clinical trials of new cancer treatments.

Chair in Palliative Care at Edith Cowan University

This Chair provides leadership in fostering excellence in research, professional activities and policy development within palliative care. The role also aims to foster research in support of improved quality of life for cancer patients in WA.

Cancer Council Western Australia Fellowship Program

This Program funds outstanding biomedical and health researchers working in the field of cancer over four years, so they can undertake research that is of both major importance and significant benefit to WA health and medical research.

Cancer Council Western Australia Research Project Grants

Our competitive Research Project Grants processaims to fund world class cancer research projects to be conducted in Western Australia. Grants are initially short-listed through a national expert review process using the premier health research granting organisation in Australia, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), before being further assessed by our local Research Grants Committee.

This process ensures that people with expertise in the specific field of research determines which projects are the best ones to fund.

Cancer Council Western Australia Postdoctoral Research Fellowships

New in 2012 the Postdoctoral Research Fellowships will provide part funding to cancer researchers of no more than five years postdoctoral experience and provides $75,000 per annum for a period of three years.

Cancer researchers require financial support at each stage of career development and this new Postdoctoral Research Fellowship fills a gap that currently exists in Western Australia. Researchers who are in the period of one to five years after the completion of their doctorates remain at a developmental stage of their careers but are clearly committed to a long term engagement in research.

Capturing the best of these researchers into the field of cancer research is essential to ensure the best possible talent is devoted to investigating cancer issues. These Postdoctoral awards will provide opportunity and incentive for the successful recipients to remain involved in cancer research, provide them with some improved career stability and enable them to concentrate their skills and talents directly into developing their research.

Cancer Council Western Australia Suzanne Cavanagh Early Career Investigator Grants

In 2006 we launched the Early Career investigator Grants to help talented early career researchers develop skills and the necessary track record to advance their career in cancer related research. These awards have been named to honour and remember our much respected and loved colleague, Suzanne Cavanagh.

Cancer Council Western Australia PhD Top Up Scholarships

PhD Top Up Scholarships are awarded to applicant who have outstanding track records in academic achievement, and the potential to pursue full time PhD studies in WA in cancer related research. Research projects can be in the field of laboratory, clinical, epidemiological, psychosocial or behavioural science.

Applicants must already hold a Commonwealth Government PhD Scholarship (or equivalent), and the PhD Top Up Scholarships adds to this modest award. This scholarship provides additional funding to allow students to fully dedicate their time and effort to cancer research.

Cancer Council Western Australia Honour Scholarships

New in 2012 the Cancer Council WA Honour Scholarships have been established to specifically support the work of promising young Honour Students with an interest in cancer research.

These scholarships are offered to students with an outstanding track record in academic achievement and research potential to pursue full-time Honours studies in Western Australia in cancer-related research. Research projects can be in the fields of laboratory, clinical, epidemiological, psycho-social and/or behavioural science.

Cancer Council Western Australia Student Vacation Research Scholarships

Every year we offer a minimum of eight awards valued at up to $3,000 each to university students, for cancer related research projects during the long summer vacation. Applicants must have successfully completed a minimum of the first two years of an appropriate degree course (three years for medical students) in the disciplines relevant to cancer control. Awards are for a period of 4 to 10 weeks.

We are committed to identifying and developing cancer researchers of the future, and to expose and attract young research talent into cancer research. Many have become our top researchers of today.

Additonal research we fund

 

John Nott Cancer Fellowship Travel Support Fund

A generous bequest in the 1990s resulted in the establishment of the John Nott Travel and Research Fund. The fund aims to improve cancer treatment by providing funds for international and interstate cancer experts to visit WA to teach local clinicians and researchers.

Cancer Council Crawford Rural Cancer Research Initiative

Commenced in 2009, this special three year rural research initiative has been made possible by the generosity of the Crawford Cancer Treatment Society. This initiative aims to improve survival outcomes of rural cancer patients by developing practical ways to improve their access to optimal treatment and care in WA.

The grant has been awarded to a large collaborative team co-ordinated by Professor Jon Emery and Professor D'Arcy Holman from the University of Western Australia. The research team has since attracted additional funding, of over $1million, to build a more comprehensive research program looking for ways to improve outcomes for rural cancer patients in WA.

Priority-driven Collaborative Cancer Research Scheme

The Priority-driven Collaborative Cancer Research Scheme is an innovative research funding scheme which brings together government and other funders of cancer research to collaboratively fund cancer research in Australia. Cancer Australia established this annual project grant scheme to both better coordinate funding of priority-driven cancer research, as well as foster collaboration between cancer researchers to build Australia's cancer research capacity.

Cancer Council Western Australia, under the banner of Cancer Council Australia is one of the funding partners for the scheme which is currently focusing on improving outcomes for people with  pancreatic cancer, one of the most difficult to treat.

Bone Tumour Registry

The Bone Tumour Registry is one of the unique research initiatives we fund. It is a research group that documents and assesses clinical, radiological and pathological data on patients with primary bone tumours and tumour-like conditions.

The Bone Tumour Registry, at St John of God Hospital in Subiaco, is the first such registry in Australia which we established in 1971. It continues to provide valuable research data on bone tumours today, publishing in the major international peer-reviewed journal Pathology in 2006.