Cancer

Cancer cells exhibit certain hallmarks that distinguish them from normal cells, including an unrestrained capacity to divide and the ability to spread throughout the body. The overall goal of the cancer researchers at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research and St Vincent’s Hospital is to identify and describe the mechanisms that drive the development and progression of human cancers and to exploit this information to develop new biomarkers and therapeutic strategies.

Our cancer research is underpinned by extensive tissue banks, collected through local, national and international collaborations, as well as by databases that document relevant clinical and pathological information. The Breast, Prostate and Pancreatic Cancer tissue banks and databases rank among the best in the world.

The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, which houses many of the research labs and groups from Garvan’s Cancer Research Division alongside clinicians from St Vincent’s, aligns research with best practice cancer services at the hospital, to facilitate rapid translation to the clinic and to develop innovative approaches in personalised medicine and improve outcomes for cancer patients.