Cancer Neuroscience

At the core of the Cancer Neuroscience Laboratory is a focus on researching cellular quiescence, a reversible hibernation-like state, adopted by brain cancer cells to evade chemotherapy and radiotherapy. By targeting these quiescent cells, we might overcome treatment resistance and improve outcomes for persons with glioblastoma.

To identify novel therapeutic approaches to target quiescence, the laboratory also focuses on understanding how quiescence is regulated in normal neural stem cells in the memory centres of our brains.

1. Brain cancer – targeting treatment resistant, quiescent cancer stem cell populations through direct targeting, reactivation or suppression strategies.
2. Modelling – determining the most effective approaches (direct targeting, reactivation, suppression) to target treatment resistant, quiescent cancer stem cell populations.
3. Metabolism – its impact on quiescent brain cancer stem cells and normal adult neural stem cell populations.
4. Healthy adult neural stem cell quiescence – identifying novel regulators, with a focus on calcium binding proteins.
5. Dysfunction of adult neural stem cell quiescence during the aging process, and its possible role in cognitive disorders such as depression and anxiety.

• NHMRC Investigator grant scheme
• NHMRC Ideas grant scheme