Novel drug combination bullets for improved targeting of oncogenic signaling pathways driving high-risk paediatric cancer

More than 140 children with cancer die in Australia each year due to the occurrence of resistance to traditional chemotherapy. The global effort to understand the molecular basis of high-risk paediatric cancers has unravelled several important signaling pathways frequently genetically altered, including Ras-MAPK, PI3K-Akt-mTOR, cell cycle, and DNA damage response. This has led to the clinical use of drugs targeting selective key players in these pathways such as trametinib inhibiting the Ras-MAPK key player MEK. However, clinical responses to many targeted drugs have been disappointing because of 1) the challenge to accurately predict which patients might benefit from targeted therapies and 2) the occurrence of resistance to single targeted drugs.

The current study aims to identify improved predictive biomarkers and combination strategies to overcome resistance for clinically available drugs targeting key oncogenic signaling pathways driving high-risk paediatric cancers. We will make use of the unique resources available through the national Zero Childhood Cancer personalised medicine program, including WGS and RNA sequencing data for >600 tumour samples, in vitro drug response data for >150 tumour samples, and >150 patient-derived models. Biomarker identification and validation will be performed using technologies such as integrative data analysis, phosphoproteomics, and CRISPR gene editing. Novel drug combinations will be identified by in vitro high-throughput combination testing and genome-wide CRISPR screening. Novel discovered biomarker-drug response associations and drug combinations will be validated in vitro and in vivo in patient-derived model systems to guide future clinical trials for paediatric cancer treatment.

How to Apply

Express your interest in this project by emailing Dr Emmy Dolman at z3530988@ad.unsw.edu.au. Include a copy of your CV and your academic transcript(s).