NEW YORK – The University of Melbourne and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre on Tuesday announced a joint venture to establish the Collaborative Centre for Genomic Cancer Medicine.
The institutions are launching the center with the goal of improving equitable access to precision oncology advances and cancer patients' outcomes in Australia. "The Collaborative Centre for Genomic Cancer Medicine has been established from a shared vision to tackle the ongoing challenges cancer presents, by harnessing the latest advances in technology and research," University of Melbourne Vice-Chancellor Duncan Maskell said in a statement.
Within the collaboration, experts from both institutions will come together to conduct research and advance personalized treatment approaches for patients. They will start by conducting comprehensive genomic profiling of hard-to-treat cancers to improve understanding and treatment strategies.
Sean Grimmond, who will serve as the new center's inaugural director, said in a statement that this was the first example in Australia of an academic-enabled genomics center embedded within a cancer hospital. The Collaborative Centre for Genomic Cancer Medicine is based in the Melbourne Biomedical Precinct, alongside the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre Alliance, and other cancer institutions.
"Our mission is to make genomic-informed approaches the standard of care for cancer and within reach for all Australians," Grimmond said.