UniSA researchers have received a $2.9 million Federal Government grant to investigate the genetic causes of diffuse midline glioma (DMG), an aggressive paediatric brain cancer that claims the lives of around 25 children in Australia each year.
The project will be led by Associate Professor Quenten Schwarz from the Centre for Cancer Biology at UniSA, working with teams in Adelaide and Sydney over the next five years. Using engineered and patient-derived stem cell technology, the researchers aim to uncover the genetic abnormalities driving the disease and open the way to new treatments.
Assoc Prof Schwarz said the lack of progress in treating DMG made the work urgent. “There has been very little progress made in identifying the causes and finding effective treatments for DMG over decades,” he said. “We need to do better.”
The grant is part of a $23.3 million package from the Medical Research Future Fund awarded to three brain cancer research groups across the country.
Assoc Prof Schwarz said the new funding gave his team a chance to approach the disease differently. “This grant offers an exciting opportunity to pioneer a new approach to uncover the genetic and environmental factors that lead to the development of childhood brain cancer,” he said.
“There are limited treatment options right now, but we believe our research will provide vital insights into the mechanism behind the origins of DMG, paving the way for more effective therapies.”
The Adelaide-based team will collaborate closely with the Children’s Cancer Institute in Sydney to advance the research.
For families, the impact of the disease is devastating. Adelaide father Steve Bickley lost his 11-year-old daughter Jess to brain cancer in September 2023, nine months after her first symptoms appeared.
“The diagnosis in April 2023 came like a bolt out of the blue,” Mr Bickley said. “Nothing can prepare you for that. We were told there was no cure, and ‘to go home and make memories’ for the short time that Jess had left.”
Since Jess’s passing, he has supported charities in Adelaide and interstate to raise funds for DMG research. “Research is vital into this cruel and devastating disease,” he said. “It’s heartening to know that Adelaide has some of the best brain cancer scientists in the country who will be doing everything possible to uncover the causes and best treatment options for DMG.”
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🧬@UniversitySA researchers secured a $2.9m grant to study genetic causes of #DiffuseMidlineGlioma, a fatal paediatric #braincancer. 🏥 Led by Assoc Prof Quenten Schwarz, teams in Ade & Syd aim to uncover treatments. 🌟 #TheIndianSun @CCB_Research
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