New face for fresh FECRI program

INTERNATIONALLY renowned researcher, Dr Aparna Jayachandran will head a new breast cancer program at the Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute.

The senior research fellow has been appointed with the support of fundraising from the recent Ballarat Cycle Classic and private donations, and will explore the immunology of breast cancer, especially the high-risk triple negative category, which makes up 15 per cent of all breast cancers.

Dr Jayachandran is delighted to lead the new project.

“I am looking forward to working closely with the team’s outstanding group of cancer researchers and oncologists,” she said.

“I am excited and very keen to collaborate with both internal and external stakeholders, to deliver the desired outcomes which will help our community.”

FECRI director, Professor George Kannourakis was pleased to add another expert to his team.

“Dr Jayachandran’s background and expertise in cancer biology, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, cancer stem cells, and organ fibrosis is an asset to this work,” he said.

“The Institute is well placed to do this research and it is an expansion to the ground-breaking work that the team here at the Institute is doing into the immunology of cancer.

“It is only through research that we can improve the outcomes for patients with cancer. Our program is building great momentum and will continue to produce outcomes.”

Dr Jayachandran’s last role was head of the Gallipoli Medical Research Institute’s Liver Cancer Unit at the University of Queensland, but she has also worked in Germany, New York, at the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, the University of Melbourne and La Trobe University.