Recipient: Professor Maria Kavallaris
Institute: Children’s Cancer Institute
Funding: $820,173 July 2009 to June 2017
Neuroblastoma, the most common solid tumour of young children, frequently presents with aggressive metastatic disease and for these children the five-year survival rates are dismal.
Research by the Kavallaris’ group funded by The Kids’ Cancer Project has shown that a protein called stathmin mediates neuroblastoma metastasis. Thanks to continuation of funding by The Kids' Cancer Project, the study further focussed on understanding the role that specific DNA sequences play in regulating metastasis in the hope of developing new targeted therapies.
“I’m passionate about making sure that I try and drive my research to be a step ahead and to see what sort of new technologies and what new opportunities will make a difference.” - Professor Maria Kavallaris