Thursday, 18 August 2022

Ministers statements: Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute

Ms PULFORD (Western Victoria—Minister for Employment, Minister for Innovation, Medical Research and the Digital Economy, Minister for Small Business, Minister for Resources) (12:26): I rise to acknowledge the passing of Olivia Newton-John (ONJ) and recognise some of the incredible work that continues in her name. The Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute is one of the independent medical research institutes that our government has been supporting for many years through its operational infrastructure support program. The creation of the institute was inspired by Olivia Newton-John’s own journey with cancer and her sister’s death from glioblastoma multiforme in 2013, a disease that had seen little advancement in treatment in three decades. The institute is known for its leadership in the development of immunotherapies, targeted therapies and personalised cancer medicine. It is one of four medical research institutes in Australia that focuses entirely on cancer, and it is the only one that is embedded within a cancer centre, at Austin Health.

In recent years the government has continued to work with the ONJ centre to support their work. $1.2 million over two years was committed in December 2021 to support a COVID-19 research study led by the institute. Conducted as part of the Australasian COVID-19 trial ASCOT study, this new trial of lenzilumab in hospital COVID-19 patients will provide Australian patients with access to potentially impactful treatments. The study will also evaluate predictive blood markers to assist in identifying patients who have worse outcomes and would benefit from this treatment. Support has also been provided through the Victorian Cancer Agency, totalling close to $20 million.

Recent studies have included an early career research fellowship to develop targeted therapies for colorectal cancer, development of advanced molecular imaging biomarkers in lymphoma patients treated with novel therapies, new labelling strategies to study tumour cells and surrounding normal cells and identify new treatment options for aggressive breast cancers, and targeting mammary adipose tissue-resident regulatory T cells to improve immune checkpoint blockade therapies against breast cancer. My thoughts are very much with Olivia Newton-John’s family and friends at this difficult time, and I hope that the recognition of her advocacy and the ongoing work of the institute are some comfort to them.