Skip to content

Search

'Natural killers' potential new cancer weapon

The Cancer Immunology team at The Kids is investigating how the body's 'natural killer' cells can be harnessed to fight cancer – whilst also protecting kids from nasty chemotherapy side effects.

Reproducible Bioinformatics Analysis Workflows for Detecting IGH Gene Fusions in B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia Patients

B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (B-ALL) is characterised by diverse genomic alterations, the most frequent being gene fusions detected via transcriptomic analysis (mRNA-seq). Due to its hypervariable nature, gene fusions involving the Immunoglobulin Heavy Chain (IGH) locus can be difficult to detect with standard gene fusion calling algorithms and significant computational resources and analysis times are required. We aimed to optimize a gene fusion calling workflow to achieve best-case sensitivity for IGH gene fusion detection.

A biobank of pediatric patient-derived-xenograft models in cancer precision medicine trial MAPPYACTS for relapsed and refractory tumors

Pediatric patients with recurrent and refractory cancers are in most need for new treatments. This study developed patient-derived-xenograft (PDX) models within the European MAPPYACTS cancer precision medicine trial.

Temporal changes in childhood cancer incidence and survival by stage at diagnosis in Australia, 2000–2017

The Toronto Paediatric Cancer Stage Guidelines are a compendium of staging systems developed to facilitate collection of consistent and comparable data on stage at diagnosis for childhood cancers by cancer registries.

The diabetes management experiences questionnaire: Psychometric validation among adults with type 1 diabetes

To examine the psychometric properties of the Diabetes Management Experiences Questionnaire (DME-Q). Adapted from the validated Glucose Monitoring Experiences Questionnaire, the DME-Q captures satisfaction with diabetes management irrespective of treatment modalities.

Tretinoin improves the anti-cancer response to cyclophosphamide, in a model-selective manner

Chemotherapy is included in treatment regimens for many solid cancers, but when administered as a single agent it is rarely curative. The addition of immune checkpoint therapy to standard chemotherapy regimens has improved response rates and increased survival in some cancers. However, most patients do not respond to treatment and immune checkpoint therapy can cause severe side effects. Therefore, there is a need for alternative immunomodulatory drugs that enhance chemotherapy.

Caregiver burden, mutuality, and family resilience in colorectal cancer caring: A mediating model analysis

This study investigates the interaction between caregiver burden, mutuality, and family resilience in colorectal cancer management, and determines whether mutuality affects the effect of caregiver burden on family resilience.

Announcing our 2025 Premier’s Science Awards finalists

Eight outstanding researchers from The Kids Research Institute Australia and the Institute-led Broome STEM Festival are finalists in the 2025 Premier’s Science Awards.

Setting the agenda: Urgent priorities to close the childhood cancer gap for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children

A review led by the First Nations Childhood Cancer team at The Kids Research Institute Australia has highlighted the urgent need for Indigenous-specific studies focused on cancer outcomes, survivorship and equity.

New study uncovers dual benefit of bone-protecting treatment for childhood leukaemia

A groundbreaking study from cancer researchers at The Kids Research Institute Australia has identified a promising new therapeutic strategy for children battling the most common childhood cancer – B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.