Q&A – BREAST CANCER RESEARCH UPDATE: CURRENT PROGRESS AND FUTURE PATHWAYS

Our online Q&A will be moderated by Annabel Crabb, one of Australia’s most beloved journalists.

She is a multi-faceted writer and broadcaster who ranges between federal politics, gender, current affairs, history and cooking and is a sought-after speaker and presenter for her incisive and humorous approach.

Professor Bruce Mann is the Director of Research at Breast Cancer Trials, Professor of Surgery at The University of Melbourne and Director of the Breast Tumour Stream at the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre.

He has facilitated clinical and translational research into all aspects of breast cancer via the development and maintenance of extensive clinical data collection.

His research interests focus on tailored screening and treatment for early breast cancer. He was the Principal Investigator (PI) on Australia’s first decision impact study of Oncotype Dx, PI on a validation study of the DCISionRT assay for DCIS, national PI of the POSNOC study of axillary treatment for those with positive sentinel nodes, and is an instigator and principal investigator of the PROSPECT clinical trial.

Professor Fran Boyle is a medical oncologist at North Sydney’s Mater Hospital where she is Director of the Patricia Ritchie Centre for Cancer Care and Research. She is also a professor at the University of Sydney where she is heavily involved in structuring the medical oncology teaching program.

For over 20 years, Fran has been involved in setting up clinical trials, supportive care and psychosocial research in breast cancer. She has previously chaired the Board of Breast Cancer Trials, and contributes to clinical trial development nationally and internationally through Breast Cancer Trials and the International Breast Cancer Study Group.

Fran’s dedication to improving the understanding of metastatic disease, improving access to new therapies, and involving breast care nurses in cancer care, led to her founding Australia’s Metastatic Breast Cancer Alliance.

In 2008, Fran was awarded Membership of the Order of Australia for her contributions to breast cancer research, education, policy and advocacy.

Dr Stephen Luen is the Study Chair of Breast Cancer Trials OLIO clinical trial, and a Medical Oncologist and translational researcher at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre with specialist interests in breast cancer, sarcoma, and phase 1 trials.

He completed his PhD under the primary supervision of Professor Sherene Loi in 2021 investigating genomic landscapes and drivers in hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative early breast cancers, and continues to work closely with the lab as a postdoctoral scientist.

His current research interests include the study of genomic and immune biomarkers in breast cancer, with a particular focus on investigating biological characteristics and developing clinical trials for high-risk subgroups of patients.

Additionally, he has research interests in Precision Oncology approaches, and the clinical development of novel therapeutic agents through early-phase clinical trials.