Cancer Council Queensland Award Trifecta
“I am very pleased with this outcome,” said Prof Nelson. “YB-1 is a major driver of prostate cancer progression and mediates castrate- and chemo-resistance, and, as such, is a promising therapeutic target in advanced prostate cancer. This project will determine the molecular mechanisms by which YB-1 regulates androgen responsive genes, and study the biological processes that are co-regulated by YB-1 and androgens.
“Further investigation will be undertaken to determine how YB-1 contributes to the activation of castrate resistant tumour growth by affecting key players of proliferation and cell cycle control.
“We believe our findings will open new avenues for combinatorial therapy of androgen targeted or chemotherapeutic agents with development of an innovative YB-1 targeted therapy for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer.”
Distinguished Professor Judith Clements and Dr Jyotsna Batra also received a Cancer Council Queensland Research Project Award for their project entitled: PSA Coding variants: Functional analysis, multiethnic association and risk models for prostate cancer.
“This is a great outcome,” said DProf Judith Clements, Scientific Director of APCRC-Q, “This study will critically evaluate two promising genetic biomarkers, with a view to improving the existing PSA test and providing risk models for prostate cancer in multiethnic populations.
The information we gain from this study may also help us to selectively identify and distinguish prostate cancers that are more aggressive and should be treated from those that grow slowly and would not surface or cause significant symptoms during the lifetime of the patient. We would also explore how these genetic variants contribute to initiation and development of prostate cancer
Professor Ken O’Byrne and Associate Professor Derek Richard’s project entitled: MyRIP and exosomes function to control genetic stability, also secured a Cancer Council Queensland Research Project Award.
“We are pleased to have received this award,” said Prof O’Byrne, “This project has far reaching implications for the development of effective therapies in the fight against cancer.”
