We’re delighted to announce that three researchers in the Mark Hughes Foundation Centre for Brain Cancer Research have been awarded funding in the 2024/2025 Tour de Cure grant round.
Three innovative projects will receive funding to progress research into brain cancer treatments – improving the quality of people’s lives.
- Professor Hubert Hondermarck, from the Translational Neuroscience Stream has been awarded $100,000 Research Matching Grant with matched funding from the MHF Centre.
- PhD scholar James Brown-Miles awarded $10,000 PhD Support Scholarship.
- PhD Scholar Christian Behler awarded $10,000 PhD Support Scholarship.
Tour de Cure support all types of cancer from Australia’s leading medical research institutes and researchers, so we’re particularly proud that three of our brain cancer researchers have been awarded on the basis of scientific merit of the projects.
Since its establishment in 2007, Tour de Cure grant rounds have funded innovation and excellence in cancer research initiatives across the cancer spectrum.
Professor Mike Fay, Director of the MHF Centre for Brain Cancer Research and Foundation Chair was thrilled at the team’s success. “It’s really testament to the excellence and breadth of research that three of our research teams have been awarded competitive funding.”
Professor Hondermarck aims to address the urgent need to develop targeted therapies to improve treatment for glioblastoma. This project will repurpose an existing drug, able to penetrate the blood-brain barrier, as a targeted therapy to improve the efficacy of current treatments.
“Within the Mark Hughes Foundation Brain Cancer Research Centre, we aim at developing new therapeutic strategies to improve brain cancer treatment,” Hubert says. “This Tour de Cure Grant will reinforce our preclinical research capabilities.”
“We hope to develop a new targeted therapy that would not only improve the efficacy of current treatments against brain cancer but also minimise the side effects of these treatments.”
James Brown Miles’ work will use a combination of advanced MR imaging techniques to better define and visualise glioblastoma guiding clinicians when treating these patients and increasing our knowledge of how this lethal form of brain cancer behaves.
“This clinical imaging study will consolidate the knowledge of existing studies, giving us better insights into the anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology of brain tumours,” says James.
Christian Behler will use advanced MRI techniques, models and computer simulations to map the temperature of brain tumours with the aim of better understanding and treating them. Christian’s work builds on the knowledge of how brain tumour temperature can signal how they grow and function.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to see this research idea appreciated and supported by others who believe in its potential. I truly think we need to explore this path—understanding brain tumours better through their temperature might be a crucial piece of the puzzle in treating them more effectively,” Christian says.
“This grant gives us the opportunity to push boundaries and bring new insights into the fight against brain cancer.
Each project will build on previous work and scientific knowledge, demonstrating the importance of long-term collaboration and continuity in the brain cancer research space. “We know that collaboration is key to finding better treatments, improving outcomes and solving the puzzle that is brain cancer,” Professor Fay added.
About our researchers
Professor Hubert Hondermarck is stream leader for Translational Neuroscience.
James’ scholarship is funded by the Cancer Institute NSW through the NSW Regional Cancer Research Network
Christian’s scholarship is funded by a philanthropic grant in memory of Professor Garry Willgoose.