The Diamantina Institute for Cancer, Immunology and Metabolic Medicine
The Diamantina Institute for Cancer, Immunology and Metabolic Medicine is a newly created Institute of the University of Queensland, based at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Australia. The Institute focuses on translational research, which works to produce better outcomes for patient treatment. Nearly 200 researchers and postgraduate students work at the Institute within ten research teams divided into three major programs – immunology, cancer cell biology and metabolism.
Professor Ian Frazer, 2006 Australian of the Year, heads the Institute, which was created through an amalgamation of the Centre for Immunology and Cancer Research and the Centre for Diabetes and Endocrinology Research. Professor Frazer, an immunologist, is well known for his work on the development of a cervical cancer vaccine, which works by protecting women from Human Papillomavirus.
Researchers in the immunology research program, headed by Professor Matt Brown, focus on understanding immune physiology, investigating dendritic cell biology, immunotherapy, and musculoskeletal genetics, in order to design better therapeutics for patients.
The cancer biology research program, headed by Professor Tom Gonda, exploits the biology of cancers to develop new anti-cancer therapies through four research areas – investigating molecular oncogenesis, epithelial pathobiology, molecular virology and cell cycle biology.
Researchers in the molecular oncogenesis group focus on the molecular regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation in normal and malignant cells, in particular on the identification and characterisation of oncogenes. Of particular interest are haemopoietic cells and mammary epithelium, which are involved in leukaemias and breast cancer.
Professor Tom Gonda’s previous research involved work on two molecules involved in haemopoiesis – the MYB oncoprotein and the receptor for the cytokine GM-CSF. Unique cell systems were developed that enable researchers to approach important issues in normal and leukaemic haemopoiesis. The group are also looking at the role of the MYB gene in breast cancer.
The metabolic research program, headed by Professor John Prins, focuses on a broad range of metabolic disorders including diabetes, obesity, cell signalling, liver metabolism, bone metabolism, pregnancy-related metabolic disorders and endocrine cancers. Basic research is conducted in hormone signalling, adipose, bone and liver cell function and metabolism. Researchers also conduct clinical research with investigator-driven studies in patients with Type 2 diabetes, obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and renal disease.
The metabolic research group work collaboratively towards one common goal – to provide [...]-edge translational research, from bench to bedside, to improve understanding, treatment and prevention of endocrine and metabolic disorders.