Children's Cancer Centre

The research laboratories of the Children's Cancer Centre are within the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital and affiliated with the University of Melbourne Department of Paediatrics.

Australian Cancer Research Foundation has committed $1 million to fund our innovative research to make discoveries in the fight against childhood cancer.

Early in 2006, we will officially launch our new research laboratories, funded by The Australian Cancer Research Foundation.

This research and innovation has seen childhood cancer cure rates increase from around 20% (early 1970's) to almost 80% for acute leukaemia and Hodgkins disease. Some cure rates remain disappointing.

Children's Cancer Centre treats the largest number of children with cancer in Australia per year. It is counted as one of the international leaders in the research and treatment of childhood cancer. Each year, the Centre treats around 160 newly diagnosed cancer patients under the age of 18. A further 1000 or so children receive ongoing treatment and/or active patient follow-up.

Around 40-50 children in our community continue to die each year of incurable cancers. Of those children who survive, some still experience a range of long-term side effects resulting from their cancer and/or associated treatment.

Research funded by the Australian Cancer Research Foundation will help us achieve our mission:

Research groups

Associate Professor David Ashley Children's Cancer Centre Murdoch Childrens Research Institute Royal Children's Hospital Flemington Road Parkville Victoria 3052 Australia T   +61 3 9345 5656

Supporters of children's cancer centre

Affiliated research groups

Chromosome & Chromatin Research

Chromosome instability is a major hallmark of cancer. The central structure controlling chromosome stability is the centromere. Defects in this structure have been directly shown to cause cancer. Professor Andy Choo, who heads the Chromosome & Chromatin Research Laboratory, is a world leader in the study of centromere and its role in chromosomal instability. Professor Choo's team are identifying factors increasing or decreasing the latency of tumourigenesis, including exploring the role of neocentromere formation in cancer development.

Skeletal Biology & Disease

The extracellular matrix (ECM) of connective tissues is a complex, dynamic and essential three-dimensional environment that supports the maintenance, growth and differentiation of cells. In addition to providing a highly organised structural framework, the ECM mediates signals to and from cells that are involved in important biological processes such as cell differentiation and migration during development, and specific pathological events such as tumour cell metastases, angiogenesis and invasion. The Skeletal Biology & Disease Laboratory, directed by Professor John Bateman, identifies and functionally characterises key components of the ECM including collagens, proteoglycans and several non-collagenous proteins. Understanding of the structural and regulatory complexity of the ECM is critical for a comprehensive understanding of cancer biology.