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OVERVIEW

The Cancer Program is led by Professor Pilar Blancafort.

The mission of the Perkins Cancer Program is to transform cancer outcomes by uncovering the molecular and cellular causes, advancing early detection methods, and developing precision treatments for poor prognosis cancers, specifically women’s cancers (breast, ovarian), liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, melanoma and head and neck cancers.

Perkins Cancer Researchers are working towards understanding cancer, detecting it sooner and treating it smarter by: ​

  1. Uncovering how cancer starts, grows and resists treatment, to find new ways to stop it in its tracks.​
  2. Creating better tests and tools to detect cancer sooner and predict how it might respond to treatment.​
  3. Developing personalised cancer treatments, from new medicines to advanced immunotherapy, giving patients the best chance at beating even the toughest cancers.​
  4. Understanding the biological factors influencing poorer outcomes in Aboriginal people with cancer.​

Perkins researchers have made major discoveries in the field of cancer including uncovering the SLIRP gene which controls hormone production in breast and prostate cancers, the tumour suppressor gene HLS5 and a process for normalising blood vessels in tumours to allow more effective absorption of cancer-combating drugs. Detailed information about our cancer laboratories can be found below.

Professor Pilar Blancafort

Professor Pilar Blancafort

Cancer Epigenetics (Program Leader - Cancer)

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RESEARCH NEWS & EVENTS

People dressed in blue ride bicycles down a road under a start banner that says MACA Cancer 200 Ride for the Perkins

Perth Riders Raise $9 million for Cancer Research

Close to 1700 riders set off this morning from Riverside Drive cycling 100 kms to Mandurah, returning tomorrow to the Kingsman for the MACA Cancer 200 Ride for the Perkins.…

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Dr Elena Juan Pardo in qhite lab coat and Dr Abdul Ihdayid in dark suit.

Perkins researchers A/Prof Elena Juan Pardo and A/Prof Abdul Ihdayhid awarded $1M

Today on World Heart Day Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research Associate Professor Elena Juan Pardo and Associate Professor Abdul Ihdayhid have been awarded $1 million by AUScelerate. The grant…

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Perkins research finds new way to silence sarcoma gene

Perkins researchers have led a major collaborative study exploring a new way to switch off a key genetic driver of Ewing sarcoma, an aggressive cancer that mostly affects children and…

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