WA Kids Cancer Centre
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wakidscancercentre.bsky.social
WA Kids Cancer Centre
@wakidscancercentre.bsky.social
The WA Kids Cancer Centre brings together exceptional researchers to develop more effective and less toxic therapies to treat childhood cancer.
Congratulations to Dr @jessica-buck.bsky.social on her team's paper, outlining priorities for improving cancer research for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children!

🔗https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2025/222/10/current-gaps-knowledge-and-future-research-directions-aboriginal-and-torres
🔔 NEW in the Medical Journal of Australia

Current gaps in knowledge and future research directions for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children with cancer

buff.ly/Vg5ZlvJ
June 5, 2025 at 9:27 AM
Welcome Josh!

Josh is completing his Honours with us, testing how certain therapies can help the immune system fight medulloblastoma, the most common brain cancer in kids.

Josh is excited to see the impact of the Cancer Centre's work through our strong researcher-clinician collaborations.
May 27, 2025 at 3:55 AM
Australia’s childhood cancer research is leaving First Nations kids behind.

A review from @jessica-buck.bsky.social & her team outlines urgent steps to change that.

➡️Co-design.
➡️Cultural safety.
➡️National collaboration.
➡️Indigenous leadership.

www.thekids.org.au/news--events...
Setting the agenda: Urgent priorities to close the childhood cancer gap for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children
A review led by the First Nations Childhood Cancer team at The Kids Research Institute Australia has highlighted the urgent need for Indigenous-specific studies focused on cancer outcomes, survivorshi...
www.thekids.org.au
May 1, 2025 at 4:09 AM
We are delighted to have Abi back with us to take next step in her research journey after completing her Honours here last year!

Abi's PhD is investigating options to boost blood cell development to combat leukaemia and reduce side effects from stem cell transplantation.

Welcome back Abi!
April 28, 2025 at 1:52 AM
🧦 Today, we're wearing our brightest mismatched socks for #WorldDownSyndromeDay!

Did you know kids with Down syndrome face a 20x higher risk of leukaemia? Dr Sebastien Malinge is pioneering safer, more effective treatments to change that.

Read more: www.thekids.org.au/news--events...
March 21, 2025 at 3:24 AM
Our new research program is Closing the Gap in #cancer outcomes for First Nations kids.

On #ClosetheGapDay, we’re proud to share Dr @jessica-buck.bsky.social's work leading a community-driven, culturally safe program to improve cancer treatments and support.

cancer.thekids.org.au/news-events/...
World-first research to transform outcomes for First Nations children with cancer
A first of its kind research program at The Kids Research Institute Australia aims to develop new strategies to better treat First Nations children with cancer.
cancer.thekids.org.au
March 20, 2025 at 6:31 AM
Dr Omar Elaskalani has received one year of funding from Cancer Council WA for his immunotherapy project which will utilise world-first paediatric models to find new, more effective, and safer treatments for children with cancer.

Congratulations Dr Elaskalani! 👏
March 7, 2025 at 3:51 AM
Congratulations to Juliët Schreurs, who has received the Sock it to Sarcoma! PhD grant. 👏

Juliët's research will focus on developing mRNA-based immunotherapies for sarcoma that are more effective and less toxic than current treatment options.

www.sockittosarcoma.org.au/2025/02/28/s...
Sock it to Sarcoma! Announces New PhD Grant Recipient - Sock it to Sarcoma
Sock it to Sarcoma! is proud to introduce Juliët Schreurs, the latest recipient of our PhD research grant at The Kids Research Institute Australia. Sock it to Sarcoma! is delighted to […]
www.sockittosarcoma.org.au
March 6, 2025 at 1:24 AM
A big congratulations to our researchers Dr Abbas, Dr Dewdney and A/Prof Cheung who have each received funding after pitching their research projects to a room of generous donors at @thekidsau.bsky.social Illuminate Pitchfest 2025!

🔗 www.thekids.org.au/news--events...
Philanthropy powering our people at PitchFest!
For the third year running, ten emerging researchers took to the stage to pitch their innovative research projects at our annual Illuminate PitchFest event, inspiring a room full of donors of their vi...
www.thekids.org.au
February 24, 2025 at 1:33 AM
On #InternationalChildhoodCancerDay, our team of researchers broke down some common misconceptions about childhood cancer, sharing what they wish more people knew. They also explained how our research is solving some of the biggest challenges currently facing kids with cancer.
👇👀
Childhood cancer is rare — but when it happens to your child, it changes everything. 💔 For #InternationalChildhoodCancerDay, we asked our team what they wish more people knew about it. Their answers show why research is critical to understanding kids' unique needs & finding better, safer treatments.
February 18, 2025 at 1:17 AM
Reposted by WA Kids Cancer Centre
Cancer researchers at our @wakidscancercentre.bsky.social have received $1.1M in #MRFF funding to develop new treatments for rare #braincancers in infants.

A/Prof @raelenee-scientist.bsky.social & her team will use age-appropriate models to offer hope to the littlest patients.

📲 bit.ly/40KgiRW
February 3, 2025 at 7:11 AM
This International Day of Women and Girls in Science we're wishing Dr @zahra-abbas.bsky.social & Dr Dewdney the best of luck for @thekidsau.bsky.social Illuminate Pitchfest! 👏

They'll be pitching for a chance to secure $25,000 to supercharge their research.

More: www.thekids.org.au/news--events...
February 11, 2025 at 2:44 AM
We’re thrilled our team has received funding from Tour de Cure to drive new and innovative treatments for childhood cancer.

From developing better drugs for babies with leukaemia to harnessing the immune system to fight cancer, they’re finding solutions to help more kids survive and thrive.
Each year, hundreds of children are diagnosed with #cancer, Thanks to Tour de Cure, five of our dedicated @wakidscancercentre.bsky.social researchers are pushing the boundaries to search for innovative treatments.

Stay tuned as we spotlight each researcher and their work in the coming weeks.
February 7, 2025 at 3:11 AM
A massive congratulations to @raelenee-scientist.bsky.social and our entire Brain Tumour Research team who have received $1.1M for their work to find new treatments for the rarest brain cancers in babies. 👏
Cancer researchers at our @wakidscancercentre.bsky.social have received $1.1M in #MRFF funding to develop new treatments for rare #braincancers in infants.

A/Prof @raelenee-scientist.bsky.social & her team will use age-appropriate models to offer hope to the littlest patients.

📲 bit.ly/40KgiRW
February 4, 2025 at 6:14 AM
Thanks to The Brain Cancer Centre funding, our Brain Tumour researchers A/Prof @raelenee-scientist.bsky.social, Dr Dewdney and Prof Gottardo are exploring how surgery could activate the immune system to better fight cancer cells and improve outcomes.

thebraincancercentre.org.au/research-pro...
January 22, 2025 at 4:28 AM
A huge congratulations to our Honours and PhD students who graduated from UWA in December! 🎓

We are incredibly proud of their achievements and their contributions to the WA Kids Cancer Centre.

We can’t wait to see what they achieve next!
January 9, 2025 at 1:59 AM
Cancer Centre researcher Dr Alison McDonnell has received a 2024 Stan Perron Charitable Foundation People Grant!

Her research aims to pave the way for effective immunotherapy treatments for children with neuroblastoma.

Congratulations Ali! 👏
www.thekids.org.au/news--events...
New Stan Perron Charitable Foundation grants to accelerate WA child health research
Funding from the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation will support world class researchers at The Kids Research Institute Australia to improve the health and wellbeing of WA children facing serious healt...
www.thekids.org.au
January 8, 2025 at 7:33 AM
What a year 2024 has been!
We are taking some time to rest up before jumping into all the exciting things 2025 has in store.
We wish you a safe and happy holiday break.
- The WA Kids Cancer Centre team
December 19, 2024 at 12:47 AM
Dr Dewdney, Dr Fletcher, Prof Johns & others from UWA, University of Melbourne & Monash University have found a drug combination that shrinks tumours and extends survival in lab models. Repurposing drugs that have been tested in humans may expedite clinical trials.
academic.oup.com/noa/article/...
Ion channel modulator DPI-201-106 significantly enhances antitumor activity of DNA damage response inhibitors in glioblastoma
AbstractBackground. Glioblastoma, a lethal high-grade glioma, has not seen improvements in clinical outcomes in nearly 30 years. Ion channels are increasin
academic.oup.com
December 17, 2024 at 6:25 AM
PhD student Cenxi Gao has joined the team to research how dsRNA, a molecule that can fight cancer, might help strengthen immunotherapy and vaccines by boosting the immune system against cancer.

She says the Centre’s world-leading research is a perfect fit for her studies.

Welcome Cenxi!
December 16, 2024 at 6:00 AM
Congrats to our Centre Head Joost Lesterhuis on his promotion to Professor!

Prof Lesterhuis is a dual-trained medical oncologist &cancer researcher. His research aims to identify new effective treatment combinations in cancer, focusing on immunotherapy & surgery.

www.thekids.org.au/contact-us/o...
December 12, 2024 at 7:16 AM
Reposted by WA Kids Cancer Centre
Dr @jessica-buck.bsky.social is leading a world-first program at @wakidscancercentre.bsky.social, working with communities to develop culturally safe treatments and improve survival rates for Indigenous children with cancer. cancer.thekids.org.au/news-events/...
December 11, 2024 at 5:42 AM
Reposted by WA Kids Cancer Centre
Excited to announce my new research - the First Nations Childhood Cancer Research team which will work closely with communities to help close the gap in childhood cancer outcomes.
thewest.com.au/news/health/...
World-first cancer program to give First Nations kids hope
A world-first program led by Perth researchers will investigate why First Nations children with cancer have poorer outcomes in a bid to transform treatment strategies for children.
thewest.com.au
December 11, 2024 at 12:55 AM
We are incredibly proud of Prof Joost Lesterhuis and Joyce Oomann on receiving @thekidsau.bsky.social 2024 V.O.T.E Awards! 🤩

🏆Prof Lesterhuis - Annual Award for Excellence for his leadership and strategy
🏆Joyce - the Annual Award for Values for always going above and beyond to support others
December 4, 2024 at 8:06 AM