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New Ovarian Cancer Fellows
Posted 12 June 2009
A joint quest for OCRF and PHI is an early detection test for ovarian cancer. The PHI team L - R: Nicole Fairweather, Adam Rainczuk, Andrew Stephens, Katie Meehan, Simon Chu
The Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation and Prince Henry’s Institute are committed to a translational research program which seeks to develop an accurate and widely available test which can detect ovarian cancer early.
Dr Simon Chu is returning to PHI as the L'Oréal Paris Research Fellow after two years studying overseas. In a new research project he will be exploring the origins of some of the most serious forms of ovarian cancer.
After Simon completed his PhD studies at PHI, his research training took him to the Molecular Virology unit at the Pasteur Institute in Cambodia.
There is increasing evidence that many of the most serious ovarian cancers may originate from the ends of the Fallopian tube, adjacent to the ovary. These tubes normally transport the mature eggs from ovary to the uterus.
An important research goal will be to grow in the laboratory the cells from the Fallopian tube. Simon then plans to build upon the well established PHI expertise in protein and DNA analysis.
A better understanding of the origins of ovarian cancer will be a key aspect in the joint quest of OCRF and PHI towards an accurate and widely available early detection test for ovarian cancer.
Dr Katie Meehan has been appointed as the Witchery & Madison Research Fellow. The support allows PHI to continue to utilise Katie's extensive research experience in cancer detection, protein analysis and biomarker technologies. Katie completed her PhD in Western Australia and continued her research journey in Canada and the USA.
She joined the PHI team in 2008 and her focus has been on understanding some of the very rare but potentially serious side effects of IVF treatment in women.
These OCRF supported positions further build the ovarian cancer expertise in the Ovarian Cancer Biomarkers and the Steroid Receptor Biology laboratories.