The following scientific research grants were awarded for 2008:

 Using the Power of Mycobacteria to boost anti-tumour immunity

Professor Franca Ronchese, Malaghan Institute of Cancer Research in Wellington was awarded $400,000 over two years, to investigate the anti-tumour effect of BCG and dendritic cells loaded with tumour antigen, to determine whether intra-tumoural administration of BCG, activates dendritic cells.

 Targeting tumour stem cells to improve immunotherapy

Dr Ian Hermans of the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research was awarded $600,000 over three years to direct anti- tumour immune responses against tumour stem cells and thereby obtain long term tumour free survival in high grade brain cancers where currently there is no curative therapy.   Immunotherapy approaches avoid drug resistance and also DNA repair mechanisms, both important in glioblastoma (GBM). 

Therapeutic enhancement of the p53 tumour suppressor pathway

Professor Bruce Baguley of the Auckland Cancer Research Centre was awarded $200,000 over two to further investigate the tumour suppressor role of p53 which makes it an ideal target for designing anticancer drugs.  Loss of p53 function contributes to the survival of many tumours and also to resistance to treatment. 

 Role of insulin resistance in tumour angiogenesis and colon cancer survival

Dr Margaret Currie of the University of Otago, Christchurch was awarded $80,968 over three years to examine the hypothesis that the metabolic environment associated with diabetes is angiogenic and that this leads to more aggressive growth of large bowel cancers.  

 Pilot study on optimising selenium intake for cancer prevention – Year 3

Professor Lynn Fergusson, Auckland University, was awarded $218,992 for the 2008/09 year to complete the final year of a three year study, previously funded for two years by CSNZ, which aims to investigate whether personalised selenium supplementation can reduce the risk of cancer as estimated by surrogate biomarkers. 

Probing the molecular targets of isothiocyanates

Dr Mark Hampton of the University of Otago, Christchurch, was awarded $115,551 over two to identify molecular targets responsible for the induction of apoptosis by isothiocyanates.   A further aim is to validate these protein targets and identify the amino acid residues responsible for their interaction with isothiocyanates. 

Understanding the issues faced by cancer survivors

Dr Don Baken of Massey University, Palmerston North was awarded $36,482 for the 2008/09 year to investigate the issues facing cancer survivors in New Zealand.  The project leverages off a funded, longitudinal study investigating health, work and retirement issues in a large group of New Zealanders. 

 Crosstalk between P13-kinase and Ras allows bi-directional regulation of common powerful oncogenes.

Dr Claire Chaussade of Auckland University was awarded $173,449 over two years to study the interactions of P13-kinase and RAS signalling in cancer.  These two genes are most often mutated in tumours and both are exciting targets for cancer therapies.  The applicants will investigate the novel hypothesis that the two oncogenes actually regulate each other in a bidirectional way via the protein kinase activity of P13-kinase rather than working by activating parallel signalling pathways.

 High resolution DNA screening for hidden genetic changes that cause leukaemia.

Dr Ursula Jewell, Cancer Genetics Research Group, Otago University Christchurch, was awarded a grant of $194,320 for the 2008.09 year to use high resolution DNA profiling to discover genetic changes that underlie and cause acute leukaemia (ALL) that are currently undetectable by existing diagnostic assays ; and to establish array comparative genomic hybridization techniques for the diagnosis of ALL and related medication conditions