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Associate Professor W. Joost LesterhuisProgram Head, Cancer; Chronic and Severe Diseases RFA Deputy Head
Research
Cancer ProgramListed are all The Kids Research Institute Australia research teams involved in our Cancer Program. This program sits under the Chronic and Severe Diseases research theme.
Research
Tumor Infiltrating Effector Memory Antigen-Specific CD8(+) T Cells Predict Response to Immune Checkpoint TherapyImmune checkpoint therapy (ICT) results in durable responses in individuals with some cancers, but not all patients respond to treatment. ICT improves CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) function, but changes in tumor antigen-specific CTLs post-ICT that correlate with successful responses have not been well characterized. Here, we studied murine tumor models with dichotomous responses to ICT.
We think all kids with Sarcoma should be able to lead happy, healthy lives! To achieve this, we aim to discover and develop safer and more effective treatments by doing inventive and rigorous research. We focus on addressing high relapse rates using a combination of unique pre-clinical models, patient samples and systems immunology.
Research
Potassium Ion Channels in Malignant Central Nervous System CancersMalignant central nervous system (CNS) cancers are among the most difficult to treat, with low rates of survival and a high likelihood of recurrence. This is primarily due to their location within the CNS, hindering adequate drug delivery and tumour access via surgery. Furthermore, CNS cancer cells are highly plastic, an adaptive property that enables them to bypass targeted treatment strategies and develop drug resistance.
Research
Development of a high-sensitivity and short-duration fluorescence in situ hybridization method for viral mRNA detection in HEK 293T cellsCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an extremely contagious illness caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Early disease recognition of COVID-19 is crucial not only for prompt diagnosis and treatment of the patients, but also for effective public health surveillance and response.
Research
Financial toxicity of informal caregivers of colorectal cancer patients: A cross-sectional studyTo assess the level of financial toxicity of informal caregivers of colorectal cancer patients and explore the related key influencing factors.
Research
The Australian New Zealand Consortium in Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults Oncofertility action planInternational and national oncofertility networks, including the US-led Oncofertility Consortium, FertiProtekt, and the Danish Network, have played pivotal roles in advancing the discipline of oncofertility over the last decade. Many other countries lack a shared approach to pediatric oncofertility health service delivery.
Research
Targeting cross-presentation as a route to improve the efficiency of peptide-based cancer vaccinesCross-presenting dendritic cells (DC) offer an attractive target for vaccination due to their unique ability to process exogenous antigens for presentation on MHC class I molecules. Recent reports have established that these DC express unique surface receptors and play a critical role in the initiation of anti-tumor immunity, opening the way for the development of vaccination strategies specifically targeting these cells.
Research
Geldanamycin treatment does not result in anti-cancer activity in a preclinical model of orthotopic mesotheliomaMesothelioma is characterised by its aggressive invasive behaviour, affecting the surrounding tissues of the pleura or peritoneum. We compared an invasive pleural model with a non-invasive subcutaneous model of mesothelioma and performed transcriptomic analyses on the tumour samples.