The Menzies Research Institute has been awarded $1.1 million in funding from the Australian Cancer Research Foundation to form the ACRF Tasmanian Inherited Cancer Centre.

The Menzies Research Institute has been awarded $1.1 million in funding from the Australian Cancer Research Foundation to form the ACRF Tasmanian Inherited Cancer Centre.

Director of the Menzies, Professor Simon Foote, said that this grant from the ACRF provides researchers with significant resources needed to unlock the causes of inherited cancers like prostate cancer and leukaemia.

"The assessment process for this grant involved a site visit by a number of eminent researchers from around Australia. That it was awarded to the Menzies Research Institute is a tribute to the quality of research performed in Tasmania," he said.

"Using a collaborative approach, we will be able to enhance and expand our genealogical resources, and link them with cutting edge biomedical and genetic research.

"The Centre will also encompass a strong program of clinical research and studies of the ethical considerations which are intrinsic to this type of research, including privacy issues.

"We will have a strong focus on the unique aspects of the Tasmanian population which make it so favorable to the study of the inherited components of disease, including excellent genealogical records, stable population and high rates of participation in research," Professor Foote said.

The ACRF Tasmanian Inherited Cancer Centre will bring together a number of groups in Tasmania that are working on different aspects of cancer research.

"The formation of this Centre will draw together geneticists, biologists, clinicians and ethicists to enhance cooperation and build a world-class cancer genetics programme," said Professor Foote.

"This Centre will be based in our new $43 million building which is due for completion in 2009. This grant will facilitate the fit-out of state-of-the-art laboratories in the new building and the purchase of cutting edge equipment not currently available in Tasmania," he said.

Many cancers, including some forms of prostate cancer and leukaemia, are caused by an inherited, or genetic, tendency that interacts with other factors to result in the onset of the cancer. The identification of the genes underlying many diseases has led to both a greater understanding of the disease and, in some cases, significant advances in treatment therapies.

Some cancers are due to a combination of genetic factors and environmental events. This grant from the ACRF enables the Menzies Research Institute to put all systems in place to allow researchers to identify not only disease genes but also the environmental triggers to disease.

The ACRF, which was established in 1984 by the late Sir Peter Abeles, provides grants in excess of $1 million nationwide each year to fund much needed facilities and equipment to assist Australian researchers to remain at the forefront of cancer research.

In 20 years they have raised over $40 million to support leading edge Australian research initiatives, ensuring our country remains at the forefront of global cancer research.

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