Epigenetics & Disease

Epigenetic modifications change the pattern of expression in genes. In some cases, this can give rise to cancers. The group research uses small molecule inhibitors to reverse some of these changes and block tumour progression. Having successfully identified combinations of epigenetic modifying enzyme inhibitors that stop the growth of tumour cell lines – making the more sensitive to clinical treatments or reversing the resistance of some cancers to some therapies – the group is now testing these combinations in animal models. The epigenetic studies target breast, ovarian, head and neck and lung cancers as well as melanoma.

CURRENT RESEARCH

  • Molecular epigenetics
  • Chromatin dynamics
  • Regulation of gene expression
  • Transcriptomics
  • Hypoxic signalling
  • Cancer metastasis

Internal Collaborators

External Collaborators

  • Dr Joan Massague, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
  • Dr Gregg Semenza, Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, USA.
  • Dr Paula Vertino & Professor Xiaodong Cheng, Emory University
  • Professor Daehee Hwang & Professor Sung Hee Baek, Seoul National University
  • Professor Wonki Baek, Keimyung University, Daegu, Korea
  • Professor Sunil Lakhani, University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research (UQCCR)
  • Professor Lewis Perrin & Professor John Hooper, University of Queensland/Mater Hospital Brisbane
  • Dr Donal Brennan, University College Dublin
  • Professor Susan Ramus, University of New South Wales
  • Professor Deborah Marsh, University of Technology Sydney
  • Professor Peter Soyer & Associate Professor Helmut Schaider, University of Queensland/PA Hospital
  • Professor Barbara Leggett, Honorary Group Leader
  • Queensland Emory Development Grant
  • Australian Skin and Skin Cancer Research Centre Enabling Grant Scheme Project Grant
  • QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute Seed funding
  • Cancer Council Queensland Project Grant
  • Brisbane Diamantina Health Partners Strategic Initiative Grant
  • Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation (OCRF)

STUDENT PROJECTS

Targeting non-coding RNAs to boost immunotherapy response in cancer

Suitable for Honours and PhD students Immunotherapy has emerged as a transformative mode of cancer therapy. However, a number of cancer-types do not respond to immunotherapy, and a significant proportion of cancer patients who initially show response develop resistance later in their treatment. Therefore, development of novel approaches to boost immunotherapy response are needed in […]

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Novel approaches in overcoming therapy resistance in pancreatic cancer

Suitable for Honours and PhD students Pancreatic tumours are aggressive and highly resistant to current therapies due to the dense fibrotic stroma, hypoxic tumour microenvironment and immune evasion. Pancreatic tumour cells switch their metabolism to survive better in this hostile environment and recent studies have shown that epigenetic changes play an important role in this […]

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Combining epigenetic drugs with immunotherapy in cancer

Suitable for Honours and PhD students Whereas advances in immune and targeted therapies have made tremendous progress recently, they are effective only in distinct subsets of patients or result in the emergence of drug resistance, and patients suffer considerable side effects. Thus investigation of alternative approaches is essential. Recent studies have shed light on the […]

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