The pseudohypoxic cluster of phaeochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PPGL) has a high metastatic potential, and there are few effective treatments for metastatic disease. Improvement in non-invasive diagnostics is of clinical importance. This project has the following aims:
1. Use PPGL gene-expression data to catalogue known and putative targets for positron emission tomographic (PET) imaging for diagnosis/surveillance as well as radionuclide therapy.
2. Analyse circulating tumour DNA in patients with late-stage metastatic PPGL for causative mutations and diagnostic/therapeutic targets
3. Develop a preclinical model of a pseudohypoxic PPGL subtype in order to test a candidate radiopharmaceutical
- Oral Presentation Abstract accepted “What drives radiation response to peptide receptor radionuclide therapy? Insights from whole genome and exome sequencing of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors”, Neuroendocrine Tumour Research Foundation (NETRF) Research Symposium Boston, US, 2024
- Poster Presentation “Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) for management of ectopic Cushing’s syndrome due to metastatic gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasia (GEPNEN): A single centre experience” European Neuroendocrine Tumour Society (ENETS) Conference, Vienna, 2024
- Poster presentation “Molecular imaging phenotype and exquisite imaging and hormonal responses of ACTH-secreting metastatic neuroendocrine neoplasms to peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT): A single centre experience” Endocrine Society of Australia (2023)
- No-Bell Prize, University of Melbourne (2023)
- Clinical Poster Prize, Endocrine Society of Australia (2023)
- Inaugural Foundation Grants Excellence in Innovation Award – Clinical (2024)
- Peter Mac Foundation; Australasian Association of Nuclear Medicine Specialists Registrar Research Award (2022)
- PI Peter Mac Foundation Grant 2024: Covering all bases: whole genome multi-omic analysis of circulating tumour DNA to understand temozolomide resistance in neuroendocrine tumours (won Foundation Grants Excellence award)
- CommNETs Travel Grant
- CommNETs Workshop (USA, 2024)