Tumour Angiogenesis Program

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Tumour Angiogenesis Program - Research at Peter Mac

Determining the molecular mechanisms that regulate the formation of blood vessels and lymphatic vessels during normal development and tumourigenesis.

Research focus

Large scale genomic screens to determine the signalling pathway networks in endothelial cells. Development of discovery platform for predictive biomarkers of clinical response and resistance to anti-neovascular agents. Characterisation of lymphatic vessel subtypes and their relation to human disease. Determining the role of proteases in the activation and regulation of vascular growth factors. Development of mouse models to understand human lymphatic disorders and disease. Structure-function analysis of vascular growth factors Characterising the role of novel growth factor receptors (Ryk) in human cancer and developing modulators of their function.

The Tumour Angiogenesis Program was established at Peter Mac in July 2010. The program is led by Associate Professors Marc Achen and Steven Stacker, highly respected and internationally recognised researchers whose work covers the range of lab-based cell biology through to pre-clinical cancer models and human clinical trials. Marc and Steven jointly hold a NHMRC Program Grant and each is supported at a senior level through the NHMRC Fellowship Scheme. Research conducted under the Tumour Angiogenesis Program is focused on growth factors, cell surface receptors and signalling pathways that regulate growth and differentiation of endothelium and other cell types associated with the vasculature in solid tumours. We aim to use this information to develop therapeutics that block tumour angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis, and thereby restrict the growth and spread of cancer. This information will also be used to develop diagnostics for applications in cancer and other human diseases.

Tumour Angiogenesis Program research: in the media

Recent research conducted by our group, led by Dr Tara Karnezis and Assoc. Prof. Steven Stacker, explained for the first time how lymphatic vessels respond to cancer, shedding light on the anti-cancer effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). This family of drugs can now be examined to see how we can best apply this knowledge to cancer therapies. Coverage of this breakthrough crossed the world, including articles in ABC Melbourne, Sydney Morning Herald, The Conversation, Australian News Limited, Australia Network News, the Times of India, EurekAlert, Huffington Post and the New York Daily News.