Mater Research is proud to announce that Professor Brian Gabrielli and Professor Jean-Pierre Levesque have been awarded research grants through Cancer Council Queensland (CCQ).

Head of the Smiling for Smiddy Cell Cycle Research Group, Professor Gabrielli, and Head of the Cancer Care and Biology Program and Stem Cell Biology Research Group, Professor Levesque, have both been awarded $200,000 grants over two years to support their work in cancer research.

Professor Gabrielli said the funding would contribute towards his research into melanoma and lung cancer.

“Through this grant from CCQ, I will be exploring combination drugs in preclinical studies for melanoma and lung cancer,” said Professor Gabrielli.

“We are excited about potential of the drugs combinations we are investigating, and are particularly interested in understanding how they will interact with the patient’s own immune system to enhance long term disease control.”

Professor Levesque said he was excited to receive the grant to continue his research into treating leukaemia.

“This grant will enable further research and development into treating acute myeloid leukaemia and potentially other cancers that move into the bone,” said Professor Levesque.

“We are studying how the body can be co-opted into helping the leukaemia cells to survive treatment then targeting that.  We hope these discoveries will help improve outcomes and ultimately bring new hope to patients and their families.”

Chief Executive Officer MRI-UQ, Professor John Prins said the grants were a wonderful opportunity to further explore the complex research being undertaken in this space.

“Cancer research continues to provide innovative findings and we congratulate both Professor Gabrielli and Professor Levesque for receiving funding grants to support their important work,” said Professor Prins.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Cancer Council Queensland for their incredible funding contributions which will no doubt enhance the ongoing research into understanding and treating different forms of cancer,” he said.