Cancer in Primary Care Research Group

The Cancer in Primary Care Research Group was established at the University of Melbourne (Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences) in 2013 and has become the biggest primary care cancer research team in the world. The team has accrued over $30,000,000 of funding and published over 160 publications since 2018. The research group has steadily grown and currently includes over 30 core team members working in three distinct areas: Data Connect – links primary care data to hospital and clinical cancer registries to study the  patterns of care and impacts on patient outcomes, as part of a Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre Alliance (VCCC Alliance) research program. Clinical Trials – we are currently running nine randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in general practice testing novel interventions covering cancer prevention, risk-based screening, pharmacogenomics, and early cancer diagnosis in primary care. Primary Care Trial Infrastructure and Capacity Building – to inform new models of cancer prevention and management, our PC4 - Primary Care Collaborative Cancer Clinical Trials Group and The PARTNER Network focus on enhancing infrastructure and capacity for conducting primary care cancer research.

Would you like to join our wonderful team? 📢 We're looking for an enthusiastic Research Trial Coordinator to join our team! In this role you'll be responsible for the overall study coordination and management of our hashtag #CASSOWARYTrial. This randomised controlled trial focuses on the use of genomic testing for cancer risk prediction in general practice. The research trial coordinator will work individually and lead a team of research officers and research assistants. The role will involve participant recruitment, implementing trial interventions, and engaging with general practice staff to facilitate the delivery of the trial protocols and processes. Click on the link below for more information 👇🏼 https://lnkd.in/gWfNwBNa

As 2024 comes to a close, we reflect with gratitude on the consistent hard work of our members, advisory groups, committees, and Engine Rooms. We're proud to share our 2023/24 Annual Report, highlighting over $5M in funding awarded and the record-breaking Cancer in Primary Care Conference in Melbourne. You can read the full Annual Report here: https://lnkd.in/gxG4W5H3 #cancerinprimarycare #cancerresearch #primarycare

Our team is on a roll with incredible achievements to celebrate! We're excited to share that three team members have graduated with their respective degrees from the University of Melbourne 🎓🎉 First, a BIG congratulations to Dr Allison Drosdowsky who was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy in Cancer Epidemiology, attaining the highest academic credential. We're incredibly proud of Allison's accomplishment and the significant contributions she's made to her area of study. Next, a round of applause for Madeline Luke who has earned her Honours Degree in Bachelor of Science with flying colours. We're equally thrilled to celebrate Ekmini Ramanayaka outstanding accomplishment of receiving her Masters Degree in Epidemiology. These accomplishments are a testament to their hard work, dedication, and perseverance throughout their academic journeys. We're immensely proud of our graduates and honored to have such talented and driven individuals continue on as a part of our team. We can't wait to see the incredible impact they'll make in their respective fields. Please join us in congratulating these remarkable individuals and celebrating their well-deserved triumphs 👏🏻 👏🏼 👏🏽 👏🏾 👏🏿

It's been an incredibly exciting week for our team! We're thrilled to celebrate Sophie Chima and Jianrong Zhang, two of our brilliant colleagues who have submitted their PhD theses after years of dedicated research and hard work 💪🏽 👏🏽 Pursuing a PhD is a monumental undertaking, this milestone is a testament to their commitment and the countless hours they've invested in their research . We couldn't be prouder of their achievements and the significant contributions they've made to their respective areas of study. Please join us in congratulating Sophie Chima and Jianrong Zhang on this remarkable accomplishment! We wish them all the best as they embark on the next chapter of their academic and professional journeys.

Our team loves to prank Professor Jon Emery during our daily check-in meetings, and any occasion will do. The whole team gets involved with coming up with new silly ideas and themes, which over the years have gotten more and more elaborate. This time, Dr Allison Drosdowsky found a rare opportunity to get a sneaky photo of Jon's home office so we would all have the same Zoom background 😅 Below are a few examples of opportunities to prank Jon Emery: - Any time he returns to work from a conference or leave - Any anniversary (e.g. the anniversary of Jon moving to Australia) - Birthday or upcoming major holidays (e.g. Christmas) - When it feels like we haven't pranked him in a while

Do you work in the cancer sector or are someone affected by cancer? Have your say on the draft National Framework for Genomics in Cancer Control. This framework will assist health professionals, researchers, health services and policymakers to incorporate genomics within optimal care, in a way that is consistent, safe, high-quality, evidence-based, and culturally appropriate. Your participation is essential for refining and strengthening the framework. Visit our Engagement Hub to view the Draft National Framework for Genomics in Cancer Control and complete the online survey: https://bit.ly/3YZEwrU Consultation will close on 24 December 2024

We're excited to announce the launch of the Collaborative Centre for Genomic Cancer Medicine - a new chapter in cancer research 👏🏼 👏🏾 This is a joint venture between the University of Melbourne and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, bringing both organisation’s world-leading experts in cancer, genomics, and precision medicine into a unified group.

Huge congratulations are in order for our very own A/Prof Justin Tse and the entire team behind St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne's Boosting our Healthcare Workforce Clinical Supervision Program! 🎉 Their exceptional work has been recognized with the prestigious "Celebrating a Strong and Sustainable Workforce" award at the 2024 Victorian Public Healthcare Awards. This outstanding achievement is a testament to their unwavering commitment to nurturing and empowering our healthcare professionals. This program developed in partnership with the University of Melbourne and the Melbourne Academic Centre for Health to provide frontline clinical experience and developed clinical supervision skills. Contributing to the ongoing education and professional development of students. The innovative clinical supervision education and training program has helped boost student placements at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne following disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic that delayed student advancement and onsite training. Congratulations to everyone involved!

We’re proud to be named #1 for Research in this year’s The Australian Financial Review Best Universities Ranking. Our Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Mark Cassidy says, "We're working really hard to be the powerhouse for translating big ideas in fundamental research into solutions for the challenges society faces.’’ "We’re trying to embed ourselves with our community, with industry partners and policymakers within the university’s precincts, inverting the idea of a university. We’re in their spaces as well, in a bigger ecosystem, because we understand we are not going to solve all the issues we have unless we partner with others.”