Prof. Ian Campbell

Prof. Ian Campbell - Research at Peter Mac

“It is an exciting time to be in the cancer research field. We are in an era where extraordinary technological advances are occurring at a rate that matches the computer industry. We are able to perform experiments in a week that a year ago we did not think were even possible.”



RESEARCH GROUP:
VBCRC Cancer Genetics Laboratory, Cancer Genomics Program,
Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Link to VBCRC Cancer Genetics Laboratory

RESEARCH POSITIONS:
Group Leader, VBCRC Cancer Genetics Laboratory, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.

Contact Details:
Phone: +61 (0)3 9656 1803
Email: ian.campbell@petermac.org

ACADEMIC & SCIENTIFIC AFFILIATIONS AND HONOURS:
Associate Professor, Department of Pathology, University of Melbourne.
NHMRC Senior Research Fellow, 2008-2012.

RESEARCH FOCUS
Cancer is caused by mutations in genes and our ability to development of better ways to diagnose and treat cancer will be critically dependent on how well we understand these genes. Currently our knowledge of the genetics of breast and ovarian cancer is limited and therefore we are using state of the art technologies to discover new cancer causing genes.

AREAS OF RESEARCH INTEREST
Breast cancer, Ovarian Cancer, Genetics, Mutations

PERSONAL HISTORY
As an undergraduate I did not have any clear vision of a career path other than I enjoyed biological sciences and chemistry. For my BSc I undertook a less common combination of a double major in organic chemistry and Microbiology. I decided to proceed with a PhD in microbiology as I found the complexities of living organisms fascinating. On completion of my PhD I decided to pursue a post doc in cancer research rather than continue in microbiology. This was not such an unusual career path the new technology of gene cloning and the discipline of molecular biology largely stemmed from studies of microorganisms.
In 1988 I undertook my first post Doc at the Imperial Cancer Research Laboratories (now Cancer research UK) in central London. Initially my research at the ICRF involved identification and cloning of novel ovarian cancer biomarkers but by the end I was expanding into ovarian cancer genetics. After 5 years at the ICRF, I move to Southampton University, UK to head my own laboratory. It was here that I consolidated my research experience in ovarian cancer and established my longstanding interest in cancer genetics. After 11 years in the UK, I returned to Australia in 1999 to head the Victorian Breast Cancer Research Consortium Laboratory at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. Here I have continued my inter-related research themes the identification of genes involved in the predisposition, initiation and progression of breast and ovarian cancer."

RESEARCH ACHIEVEMENTS
1993. Identified several novel and important markers that have potential for early detection of ovarian cancer.
1996. Discovered that endometriosis was a precursor to some forms of ovarian cancer.
2003. Identified a key oncogene involved in ovarian tumorigenesis.
2007. First to utilize ultra high resolution gene-chip technology to locate new ovarian cancer genes.

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