A/Prof Kara Britt

Associate Professor Kara Britt leads the Breast Cancer Risk and Prevention Lab at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre where her team focuses on the development of effective preventative therapies to lower breast cancer incidence. 

Kara obtained her BSc(hons) from Monash University in the fields of Immunology and Biochemistry. She then completed her PhD at Monash and the former Prince Henry’s (now Hudson) studying the effects of estrogen in the ovary. Her ground-breaking work was recognised with a Centenary Medal from the Governor General and the Young Australian of the Year (Science and Technology) as well as numerous scientific awards.

With a passion for breast cancer research stemming from the mother’s battle with the disease, Kara secured a prestigious CJ Martin, NHMRC fellowship and moved to London to train in in oncology at the Institute of Cancer Research under Alan Ashworth and Matt Smalley. The second half of her CJ Martin was spent under the mentorship of Gail Risbridger at Monash and an additional post doc under the mentorship of Robin Anderson at Peter Mac.

In 2016 Kara she began her own lab at the Peter Mac. Her work has helped define why women in today’s society have an increased incidence of breast cancer. Her team has defined the cell types within the breast that can be targeted to aid in breast cancer prevention and they are currently testing novel drug targets.  The long term aim of the labs work is to reduce breast cancer incidence.

Kara has been supported by an NHMRC New Investigator grant, NHMRC Ideas grant, VCA and NBCF Early Career fellowships, NBCF Novel Concept grants, a VCA Mid-career fellowship and a Harold and Pam Holmes Charitable Trust research grant.