APCRC–Q’s Dr Patrick Ling awarded TWO highly-competitive NHMRC project Grants
NHMRC grants are highly competitive and this is an outstanding achievement that speaks to the promise of this talented young investigator.
Grant money makes crucial cancer research possible
The announcement, made on Monday 17th October, 2011, specified that the NHMRC would make a total of $1.1million in funds available to Dr Ling for use in two critical research areas in the treatment of prostate cancer – namely:
- The identification of a new therapeutic target for the treatment of prostate cancer, and
- The study of how prostate tumour metastasizes to bone.
“Research funded by these grants will allow us to understand why prostate cancer preferentially metastasizes to the bone,” explains Dr Ling, “and will help us to develop novel treatments to be used against the metastatic disease.”
“In addition, the grants will provide us with the financial support we need to test a new anti-cancer therapeutic target in the treatment of castration resistant prostate cancer,” he adds.
Important implications for the APCRC-Q — and for prostate cancer patients!
Both projects are central to the aims of the APCRC-Q and the Centre’s Executive Director, Professor Colleen Nelson, is delighted with Dr Ling’s success.
“We are all very pleased and proud of Patrick who deserves our congratulations for his hard work and determination,” says Professor Nelson. “These grants will help our centre move closer to our goals of finding therapeutic targets in the treatment of advanced prostate cancer and understanding the metastasis of the disease.”
Dr Ling agrees: “We expect that the completion of both these studies will lead to the development of effective therapies in the treatment of advanced stage prostate cancer patients.”
Involvement in an active centre with strong expertise makes the difference
Dr Ling has the following advice for aspiring NHMRC grant applicants: “Apart from solid preliminary data — working in a reputable research centre, with a strong focus on your area of interest, is of great advantage.”
“In my case, working in the APCRC-Q, where the focus is solely on prostate cancer, gave me a distinct advantage — especially as we have a strong team and all the expertise required to achieve the goals we outlined in our proposals for the projects.”
The next step...
“My immediate plans, now that I have the grants, are to find and recruit researchers to work on these studies within the APCRC-Q,” says Dr Ling.
Media Release Contact:
Melissa Raassina
Communications Coordinator
Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre – Queensland
Level 1, Building 1, Princess Alexandra Hospital
199 Ipswich Rd, Brisbane QLD 4102
t: 07 3176 1894
f: 07 3176 7440
e: melissa.raassina@qut.edu.au
