ACT researchers can now apply for Cancer Council ACT Research Project Grants, which fund much-needed research into cancer treatments.

Several grants of up to $65,000 each are available in 2022.

The CCACT grants help local early career cancer researchers develop their research in Canberra’s universities and hospitals.

“A crucial part of reducing the impact of cancer is to support research into cancer,” said Dr Paul Craft, Cancer Council ACT Board Director. “New knowledge enhances cancer prevention and treatment.

“The grants we provide in the ACT are an important part of the international effort towards a cancer-free future.”

In 2021, Dr Tatiana Soboleva and Dr Amee George received funding to find new and more effective treatments of Hodgkin lymphoma by inhibiting the activity of H2A.B, an epigenetic regulator of Hodgkin disease. They hope to develop new therapies that target H2A.B., minimising the proportion of relapsed or refractory cases.

Six months into their research grant project, the scientists are already making vital progress into screening for small molecular inhibitors – but without that seed funding, their research would not have been possible.

“We wanted to undertake this screening for four years, but had no funding to do so,” Dr Soboleva said.

They also advocate for larger grants for salaries, so projects can be completed to the highest standards.

To learn more about the research funded by Cancer Council ACT, or to apply for the Research Project Grant round for 2022, visit: https://actcancer.org/research/

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