Vaccines to Prevent Breast Cancer Recurrence

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australian women. It can recur years after treatment when a small number of tumour cells survive and spread. Current therapies and follow-up cannot reliably eliminate or detect this minimal residual disease.

This PhD project aims to develop a personalised vaccine from extracellular vesicles or exosomes, tiny particles released by a patient’s own tumour, to train the immune system to recognise and attack these residual cancer cells.

The project will profile tumour-derived exosomes, engineer them to train dendritic cells, and test whether they stimulate immune responses. Preclinical studies will assess whether it reduces recurrence and metastasis and generates immune memory.

Combining liquid biopsy and multi-omics platforms at UNSW Sydney with nanomaterial engineering at Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China, the research lays groundwork for a tailored approach to preventing breast cancer recurrence. The successful candidate will gain training in exosome profiling and nanomaterial engineering, alongside international research experience.