Grantee: Professor Georgina Long AO

Administering Institution: The University of Sydney

Grant Title: Translating cancer research to clinical use: Phenolmager HT 2.0 to enable high throughput, low-cost spatial biology data to bridge research to clinical use. A versatile system for rapid whole slide imaging of phenotypes to signatures, empowering precision medicine in cancer cell analysis.

Funding (excl.GST): $674,927

The tumour environment is complex. Understanding cells that are present, how they interact with each other and how they impact immune and tumour cell functions, is critical for developing biomarkers for diagnosis and treatment response, and for developing strategies for those who fail to respond to current therapies.

Research has been hampered by the lack of technologies that could be used for large-scale screening of tumour specimen that enabled a 'clear view' of all cells and how they interacted with each other.

“Technologies that provide a clear large-scale and detailed view of tumours and enable us to see how cells interact with each other are critical to move the cancer field forward."
- Professor Gerorgina Long AO

This imaging system will allow researchers to spatially identify immune and tumour cells populations and their interactions across various cancer types. This system will facilitate many cancer programs not only from campus, but the wider cancer research community within NSW.

Grantee: Professor Paul Timpson

Administering Institution: Garvan Institute of Medical Research

Grant Title: Akoya-PhenoCycler Fusion imaging platform for ground truth spatial assessment of distinct cancer niches and tumour ecosystems.

Funding (excl.GST): $695,160

Visualising the intricate spatial interactions between cells and connective tissue within the tumour microenvironment is crucial for effective treatment strategies in cancer. Crucially, within cells it is proteins that actually drive functional outcomes and constitute drug targets, yet existing spatial analysis technologies focus on gene expression measurements that do not accurately reflect protein activity at a specific location or time.

The Akoya-PhenoCycler Fusion 2.0 is capable of concurrently detecting and visualising 100 proteins (and expressed RNA) in whole patient tissue sections. This provides unprecedented insights into cell-cell interactions, chemotherapy and immunotherapy responses, cancer dormancy, and novel therapies for cancers like pancreatic, breast, and prostate cancer.

“Proteins drive functional outcomes within cells, and constitute drug targets, yet existing technologies do not accurately reflect protein activity at a specific location or time.
- Professor Paul Timpson”

This technology will benefit other researchers throughout New South Wales, enhancing local research and development and ultimately improving patient outcomes. This proposal aligns with the NSW Cancer Plan’s goal of increasing cancer survival through personalised treatments.