MRFF funding to kick off brain cancer patient platform
A team of early career researchers is set to kick-start a new project aimed at delivering better outcomes for brain cancer patients with funding from the Medical Research Future Fund.
Led by Dr Nikitas Koussis a post-doctoral researcher at the Mark Hughes Foundation Centre for Brain Cancer Research at the University of Newcastle, and in collaboration with a team of young, predominantly Indigenous researchers from across the nation, the project aims to build a digital health platform for brain cancer patients for more efficient and improved treatment decision-making.
Working with teams from the MHF Centre, The Brain Cancer Centre at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI), Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) and National Imaging Facility (NIF), this project develops a digital health platform that will centralise patient data with early prediction of tumour grade and survival.
“OncoPortal aims to meet a real gap in personalised care for brain cancer patients,” Dr Koussis says. “Their brain scans will go through our algorithms, and their doctor will receive our insights extracted from their imaging.”
The team will embed community and Indigenous co-design in into the project, ensuring that the patient voice is always central to the concept and delivery.
Brain cancer is a rare and devastating disease that often affects vulnerable populations. OncoPortal is a dynamic, consumer-informed and co-designed decision-making tool for multi-disciplinary and clinical care teams.
More than 2000 people in Australia are diagnosed with a brain tumour each year, and this number is expected to grow. Brain cancer disproportionately impacts people under 40, and is the leading cause of cancer death in children.
“Every patient is different, and we aim to tailor treatment to the individual, and to do so in real time,” adds MHF Centre Director Professor Mike Fay.
There is currently a lack of digital data available that will help build a better understanding of brain cancer with the input of people living with brain cancer.
“This work aims to leverage the huge clinical experience developing locally to inform the development of more efficient care models,” Dr Koussis adds.
Contact
- Linda Drummond
- Email: linda.drummond@newcastle.edu.au
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