A/Prof Michael Dickinson

Michael Dickinson is the Lead of the Aggressive Lymphoma disease group within Clinical Haematology at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and Royal Melbourne Hospital. He specialises as a principal investigator in phase I/II clinical trials of new anticancer drugs with a current focus on Aggressive Lymphomas and novel immunotherapies, and with experience across a breadth of haematological malignancies. His investigator-initiated studies have focused on the role of epigenetic modifiers in haematological malignancies, eltrombopag as a supportive care agent in MDS/AML, and new CART therapies. Michael's clinical research includes industry and investigator-led trials in aggressive lymphoma, phase 1 studies, and CART trials. A/Prof Dickinson is a leading investigator in pivotal clinical trials of CART for Follicular Lymphoma (ELARA, tisagenlecleucel) and DLBCL (Zuma7, Zuma12 and BELINDA). He is an investigator on phase 1 studies of CART and CAR-NK cell trials, and is the senior author in the CD20/CD3 bispecific glofitamab phase 1 and pivotal trial and combination programme.

Michael prides himself on providing thorough and personal care to his patients throughout their cancer journey.

His current focus is:

1. Providing the best options for patients where standard treatments fail: Australia's largest and most comprehensive trials programme for patients with relapsed or treatment -refractory lymphoma. Our early-phase trial pipeline allows patients the best opportunity to access new targeted treatments for cell signalling in lymphoma, and immunotherapies. At Peter Mac, our special expertise is in the development of the BCL-2 inhibitors (e.g. venetoclax), epigenetic therapies, T-cell activating drugs, and CART. We have developed and run national trials of CART in Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL), bispecific therapy as part of front-line therapy for high-risk Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma (DLBCL), and for relapsed and refractory DLBCL and MCL.
    
2. The continuous improvement of the lymphoma assessment service for patients with a new diagnosis of lymphoma or a lump for investigation; delivering best in the country diagnosis and staging evaluation in collaboration with Australia's leading haematopathology and molecular pathology centre, and with PET-centre physicians with a special interest in lymphoma.
    
3. Providing new treatment options for patients with T-cell lymphoma and Hodgkin Lymphoma.
    
4. Building our CAR T programme with an emphasis on expanding and optimising routinely available care and enhancing trial opportunities.
    
5. Providing a training environment for tomorrow's experts and supporting our outstanding Fellows and registrars in the development of their careers.