Boost for melanoma research in NZ

Saturday June 19, 2010

Melanoma research in New Zealand has been given a boost with the announcement of $4.5 million funding from the Health Research Council of New Zealand. Scientists and clinicians will work on developing a vaccine to treat melanoma.

The immunotherapy research project is headed by Dr Ian Hermans at the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research. However, it is a team effort also involving researchers from The University of Auckland's School of Biological Sciences and Department of Chemistry, Cancer Trials NZ, Industrial Research Ltd in Lower Hutt, and Wellington's Blood and Cancer Centre.

The newly funded study builds on more than a decade of research at the Malaghan Institute into developing techniques that train a patient's immune system to fight their cancer.  Immunologists and chemists will design and manufacture the vaccines, and clinical researchers will test them in patients. "Our vision is to bring together the best expertise in New Zealand to deliver more effective cancer vaccines," says Dr Hermans.

You can read a fuller article at http://www.malaghan.org.nz/newsevents/hrc-funded-cancer-vaccine/