Monash Health and Monash University Launch Groundbreaking Brain Tumour Research Platform
Professor Justin Moore and his neurosurgical team operating on a brain tumour
$150,000 Grant from Monash Health Department of Oncology Funds Innovative "Brain on MoLBi" Initiative
Monash Health and Monash University's School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health are proud to announce the launch of the "Brain on MoLBi" platform, a cutting-edge research initiative aimed at revolutionising the understanding and treatment of brain tumours. This pioneering project has been made possible through a $150,000 Research Support Programme (RSP) grant from the Monash Health Department of Oncology.
The "Brain on MoLBi" platform utilises the Monash Live Bio-Banking (MoLBi) infrastructure to collect, preserve, and analyse live brain tumour biospecimens. This innovative approach will enable researchers to explore the immunopeptidomic landscape of brain tumours and develop precision immunotherapies tailored to individual patients.
"This platform represents a significant leap forward in our fight against brain cancer," said Dr Gwo Yaw Ho, the Study Principal Investigator from the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health and Head of Cancer Immunology Laboratory. "The grant allows us to accelerate our research efforts and develop new, targeted therapies that could dramatically improve patient outcomes."
The project brings together a multidisciplinary team of experts from Monash Health and Monash University. Key contributors include:
- From Monash Health Oncology Department: Dr Sophia Frentzas (Early Phase Clinical Trial Lead), Dr Kate Webber (Gynae-oncology Lead), Dr Liz Ahern (Brain Tumour Lead), and A/Prof Zee Wan Wong (Director of Oncology)
- From Monash University: A/Prof Josh Ooi (Head of T-Cell Therapies Group), Dr Pouya Faridi (Head of Translational Antigen Discovery Laboratory), and A/Prof Tu Nguyen-Dumont (Head of Clinical Genomic Laboratory, School of Translational Medicine)
- From Monash Health Department of Neurosurgery: Professor Justin Moore and Mr Adrian Praeger, whose expertise is crucial for high-quality sample collection and processing
Initially focusing on patients undergoing neurosurgical procedures at Monash Health, the platform aims to establish a robust biobank of brain tumour specimens before expanding to other tumour types. These samples will undergo real-time analysis, including genomic and immunopeptidomic profiling, to identify novel therapeutic targets.
The project also integrates consumer advocates into the research process, ensuring that patient perspectives are central to the development and implementation of new treatments.
Patient recruitment is set to begin in October 2024, with the platform expected to be fully operational for tissue collection and analysis by late 2024. The first wave of research findings is anticipated by mid-2025.
This collaborative effort between Monash Health and School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health demonstrates the power of interdisciplinary research in advancing medical science and improving patient care.
About Monash University
Monash University is Australia’s largest university with more than 80,000 students. In the 60 years since its foundation, it has developed a reputation for world-leading high-impact research, quality teaching, and inspiring innovation.
With four campuses in Australia and a presence in Malaysia, China, India, Indonesia and Italy, it is one of the most internationalised Australian universities.
As a leading international medical research university with the largest medical faculty in Australia and integration with leading Australian teaching hospitals, we consistently rank in the top 50 universities worldwide for clinical, pre-clinical and health sciences.
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