Bank funds cancer research equipment

FUNDS from the Creswick Community Bank have assisted the Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute in purchasing new equipment.

The money went towards a QuantStudio Quantitative Real-Time PCR System that can help FECRI staff to look at the molecules of cancer samples.

The machine can show in real time how much of a section of nucleic acid is in the sample, which will allow a large number of samples to be processed at once.

It is hoped the equipment will accelerate the cancer research process.

“Cancer impacts so many families,” said Creswick Community Bank manager Grant Hopkinson.

“Our customers choose to bank with us, as they know that we return our banking profits to support clubs, projects and organisations, such as the Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute, who are at the heart of our community.”

The new equipment could be particularly useful in triple negative breast cancer research and uncovering the behaviour of cancer cells and disease progression.

That subtype makes up 15 to 20 per cent of all breast cancer diagnoses and has the poorest short-term prognosis.

“We are fortunate to have the support of the Creswick Community Bank for our laboratory,” said Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute head Professor George Kannourakis.

“As a community funded organisation, the Institute relies on the generous support of donors to continue and grow.

“We are an example that internationally recognised research can be performed outside of the metropolitan centres.”