The newsletter of the Children’s Medical Research Institute
under the micr
Summer 2009
scope
Features
Major Discovery
in Cancer Research
2
New Building
Plans Approved
3
Jeans for Genes
4
Earle Page Run
30th Anniversary
5
Discovery Partners
5
Committee Power and
Dates for your Diary
6
Today’s scientists for
tomorrow’s children
The Children’s Medical
Research Institute (CMRI)
is an independent
organisation committed
to unlocking the mysteries
of disease. Our scientists
investigate conditions such
as birth defects, cancer,
and epilepsy. Our philosophy
is that major advances in
prevention and treatment
come from research into the
fundamental processes of life.
Our work is made possible by
our community of supporters
and Jeans for Genes®.
L to R: Professor Adam McCluskey, CMRI Board Members
Professor Frank Martin and Mrs Carolyn Forster, CMRI Director
Professor Roger Reddel and Professor Phil Robinson at the
Ramaciotti Awards Dinner after the announcement of the
Biomedical Research Award for the CFK
The Centre for Kinomics
(Ramaciotti/ACRF)
A World First
With two exciting announcements for major funding in November 2009,
Children’s Medical Research Institute (CMRI) has secured the means to move
full steam ahead with the development of a world-first facility which will bring
together state-of-the-art instrumentation, personnel and expertise to enable an
entirely new approach to the understanding of therapeutic drugs and ways to
improve them.
Produced by the Fundraising &
Community Relations Department,
Children’s Medical Research Institute
Locked Bag 23
Wentworthville NSW 2145
Tel 02 9687 2800
Fax 02 9687 2120
Freecall 1800 GENIES (436 437)
Email info@cmri.org.au
Website www.cmri.org.au
© CMRI 2009
The grants of $3.1 million and $1 million respectively from the Australian
Cancer Research Foundation (ACRF) and the Ramaciotti Foundations will enable
the establishment of the ACRF Chemical Proteomics Centre for Kinomics (CFK)
supported by Ramaciotti at CMRI and the University of Newcastle (UoN).
The CFK will enable the new discipline of kinomics, not yet available in Australia,
to be used in a completely novel drug design strategy. It will enable better
understanding of current therapies and their unwanted side effects, as well as the
development of new drugs for a multitude of human diseases, many of which are
currently without any suitable treatment.
Continued page 3...
Director’s
desk
New test for
aggressive cancers
Scientists at the Children’s
Medical Research Institute
(CMRI), have developed a test for
approximately 15% of all cancers,
including some of the most
aggressive and potentially lethal.
You can’t help noticing that Children’s Medical
Research Institute (CMRI) is brimful of creative
energy. Professors Adam McCluskey (University
of Newcastle) and Phillip Robinson (CMRI) have
a decade-long history of sparking great ideas off
each other, and their latest creation is the Centre
for Kinomics. This facility will allow researchers
here, and around Australia, to analyse enzymes
called kinases that act as molecular switches,
controlling the processes of life.
The new technology of kinomics will allow
hundreds of these kinases to be analysed
simultaneously, allowing us to understand
healthy and diseased tissues at an unprecedented
level of complexity. It will also provide much
better understanding of drugs that target
kinases – how they work, why they have
side-effects, and how they can be improved.
Dr Jeremy Henson has focussed his creativity into
some remarkable discoveries, culminating in the
development of a blood test for a certain type of
cancer, and a laboratory test that will enormously
speed up the search for anticancer treatments.
This is a major step forward.
There has never been a more exciting time for
medical research. Discoveries with enormous
potential benefits for children’s health await us,
and the tools available for making the discoveries
have never been more powerful. We need an
influx of talented scientists to take advantage of
these opportunities, and cutting-edge facilities
in which they can work. We welcome the NSW
Dept of Planning’s approval of our building plans.
Now we need creative energy and funds to make
it all happen.
Almost all cancers use one of
two mechanisms to multiply
Dr Jeremy Henson has developed a new
indefinitely and become
test which will improve the diagnosis
‘immortal’. About 15% of cancers,
and treatment of cancers using the
including some aggressive brain
ALT mechanism for their growth
and bone cancers, and some
breast and lung cancers, use the
‘alternative lengthening of telomeres’ (ALT) mechanism. ALT is the mechanism measured
by this new test developed by Dr Jeremy Henson and scientists in the Cancer Research Unit,
headed by CMRI Director Professor Roger Reddel.
The other 85% of cancers use the enzyme telomerase – the subject of the 2009 Nobel Prize
in Medicine for Australian-born Elizabeth Blackburn and her US colleagues. Both ALT and
telomerase have low or undetectable activity in most normal cells, so there is enormous
potential for developing drugs that target these mechanisms to treat cancer – hopefully
with far fewer side-effects than today’s chemotherapies.
Professor Reddel’s team discovered ALT in 1995 and have made many significant discoveries
about the mechanism. However, a better understanding of the ALT mechanism and the
search for drugs that block ALT in tumours has been held back by the lack of a rapid and
accurate test for ALT activity.
Dr Henson has now discovered an abnormal type of circular DNA that is very specific for
the presence of ALT activity. These abnormal DNA circles appear in the blood of patients
with ALT tumours but not in healthy people. Dr Henson says “The number of C-circles
reflects the amount of ALT activity so precisely that we think they must actually be part
of the ALT mechanism”. The test or assay will speed up the search for drugs to treat these
cancers because it offers a rapid method for screening compounds for their potential as
anti-cancer drugs.
As a clinician as well as a scientist, Dr Henson sees first hand the impact that such
devastating diagnoses have on patients and their families. “It is these patients that
motivated me to develop this assay in the hope that its use as a blood test could help the
early diagnosis and clinical management of cancer patients”, he said.
With further development the assay could be used as a rapid blood test for some cancers
and will help provide information on prognosis. It is also likely to assist with monitoring the
effectiveness of cancer treatments.
Dr Henson’s work has been published in the prestigious international scientific journal,
Nature Biotechnology. His work on the ALT assay was made possible by generous support
from the Cancer Council NSW, pilot funding from Cure Cancer Australia and donors to
Jeans for Genes and CMRI.
“O” in Under the Microscope
Professor Roger Reddel
The “O” in Under the Microscope shows ALT positive brain tumour cells that have been
stained and magnified 100 fold. The big red blobs are ALT-associated PML Bodies (APBs)
and are specific to tumours that use the ALT mechanism. They can be seen inside the
blue stained nuclei of the cells.
Continued from page 1...
Architect’s drawing of the new building when complete
Building plans
get Minister’s
stamp of approval
Children’s Medical Research Institute (CMRI) often refers to its
dedicated researchers as “Today’s Scientists for Tomorrow’s Children”.
The research excellence which has led to major discoveries in the
areas of cancer, epilepsy, birth defects and gene therapy is the
result of world class scientists being supported by a clear vision of
the importance of research into the fundamental processes of life.
But CMRI is very aware of the need for much more work in all of
these areas, and has begun the planning that will underpin a major
expansion of our research activities.
CMRI presently accommodates 120 research scientists in twelve
laboratories, supported by 30 administration, fundraising, and scientific
support staff. In 2008, CMRI’s Board decided that the Institute should
substantially increase its research activities by recruiting many more
top scientists in all of CMRI’s existing areas of international research
excellence, and to build the laboratory space and facilities needed
to make this possible. The planning process was overseen by CMRI’s
Operations Manager, Greg Craig, who inspected leading research
facilities internationally. Dale Swan, from architectural firm Ancher,
Mortlock and Woolley who designed our existing building were
given the task of planning facilities suitable for the next generation
of cutting-edge CMRI research. Together, they have developed a
5-stage, 7-year building program, that will deliver a world-class,
energy-efficient “green” building capable of accommodating 500
research scientists,with maximum flexibility and functionality, without
major disruptions to the ongoing research work in the meantime.
The building plans have now been fully evaluated and approved by
the NSW Department of Planning. The quality of the plans and the
submitted documents was so high that full approval was able to
be given less than four months after submission. In October 2009,
the then NSW Minister for Planning and now NSW Premier Kristina
Keneally, accompanied by the Minister assisting the Minister for Health
(Mental Health and Cancer), Barbara Perry, visited CMRI to tour CMRI’s
existing facilities, and announce her Department’s approval of the
expansion plans.
The new facility will benefit medical researchers throughout
Australia. The Ramaciotti award supports a collaboration
led by CMRI and UoN, and involving three universities,
five medical research institutes, and a total of 23 medical
research teams across NSW. The ACRF award widens the
collaboration even further to involve cancer research
teams throughout the nation.
The CFK is the brainchild of CMRI’s Professor Phil Robinson
and UoN’s Professor Adam McCluskey, whose teams have
worked together for over 10 years. CMRI Director Professor
Roger Reddel describes their long-standing partnership as
“extraordinarily dynamic and highly creative”.
Working in unison in the two purpose-built laboratories at
CMRI and UoN that will comprise the CFK, scientists will set
about understanding the Kinome - the subset of proteins
known as protein kinases.
Protein kinases are the master switches for all normal cell
functions. For this reason they are the target of many drugs
to treat human conditions. Humans have 518 protein kinases
and errors in kinases contribute to at least 400 different
diseases. These include cancer, neurological conditions,
cardiovascular diseases, inflammatory conditions, and asthma.
The combination of the expertise of the CMRI in proteomics
and UoN in medicinal chemistry in this exciting, worldfirst venture opens the door to new ways to translate basic
research into new and improved therapies in many areas of
disease to benefit generations to come.
For Professors Robinson and McCluskey and their teams, and
CMRI Director Professor Roger Reddel, this fulfils a big dream.
Thanks to the foresight of the ACRF and the Ramaciotti
Foundations, and their willingness to support high risk
projects with high potential, we expect that the reality
will be even bigger.
Postscript
As well as the prestigious award of the 2009 Major Initiative
for Biomedical Research Award, CMRI also received two
other Ramaciotti awards announced at the Awards Dinner on
November 12.
Dr Claus Hallwirth from
CMRI’s Gene Therapy
Unit received a $50,000
Biomedical Research
Establishment Grant, and
CMRI Director Roger Reddel
received a $50,000 grant
for the purchase of a new
ultracentrifuge to be used
in cancer, gene therapy and
epilepsy research.
A project of this scope will inevitably require government funding to
help make it a reality. CMRI was therefore very disappointed to be
informed by the Commonwealth Government that the rules relating
to the nation-building funds were inadvertently written in such a way
that they exclude applications from medical research institutes that
do long-term basic research into the underlying causes of disease.
Despite this major setback, CMRI will explore other ways of funding
its planned building, and is keenly anticipating the many exciting
opportunities this will bring towards the ultimate goal of improving
the health of future generations of children.
Ramaciotti Award recipient,
CMRI’s Dr Claus Hallwirth
at the awards dinner
Finalists in the Womens
Best Hat Competition
Jeans for Genes Race Day
The inaugural Jeans for Genes Race Day Luncheon
was held at the AJC Randwick. Guests enjoyed a great
afternoon with H.G. Nelson who joined us for a wonderful
lunch held in the Oaks Lawn Marquee. Guests dressed up
for the best fashion in the room awards won by Jan Mullin
and Markus Preston, not to be out done by Marika Preston
who won the best hat, with a design by Neil Grigg. A big
THANK YOU to our three major sponsors, the Preston
Group, Pendragon and the Protectors Insurance Brokers,
and of course to our special guest H.G. Nelson and his wife
Kate who helped us pick the women’s fashion finalists.
Thank you also to Mark Couter, Chairman of the Jeans
for Genes Executive Committee who was a great MC
for the day and also to our prize sponsors: The leading
Hotels of the World, Hayman Island, Medina, East Sail,
Hoyts, BridgeClimb, DKM Blue, Herbalife, Universal, Sony,
Penrith Whitewater, ZTE Telstra, Sydney Wildlife World,
Karmabelles and the AJC Convention Centre.
Finally, thank you to our volunteers and all guests
who supported the day.
Finalists in the
best dressed
man category
at the Race Da
y
The Sydney Opera Hou
se turns blue
on the eve of Jeans for
Genes Day
School Genies
y
at Circular Qua
Jeans for Genes Thank you Drinks
A gathering of artists, celebrities and supporters joined staff
at CMRI on 20 October to receive plaques and certificates
from CMRI Director Professor Roger Reddel in appreciation
of their support for the Jeans for Genes Campaign in 2009.
Following refreshments, Zeenia Kaul, one of our gifted
young scientists,took guests on a tour of the Institute
which by all accounts was a highlight of the afternoon.
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Genies
Jeans for Genes Day was a huge success with over 1,000
genie volunteers selling merchandise on the streets of
Australia. Martin Place in Sydney CBD raised us over
$25,000, Central Station Brisbane raised over $4,500 and
Metro Perth raised over $6,500. In total, the genies across
Australia helped us to raise approx $160,000 for Children’s
Medical Research Institute. Well done to everyone for their
fantastic efforts and for helping us to create a great vibe on
the streets across Australia.
Christmas is just around the corner and the preparation
for Gift Wrapping for a Cause begins. This year, the genie
volunteers will be wrapping in four Myer stores across
Sydney, one regional Myer store in NSW and at Castle
Towers Shopping Centre. The community support has
been overwhelming with over 150 volunteers scheduled
to wrap over 10 days. We look forward to the fantastic
support genie volunteers provide CMRI during this busy
Christmas period.
Artist Yvonne
Sherring How
with CMRI D
ard
irector Profes
sor Roger
Reddel (L) an
d Mark Cou
ter
Lastly, the team begins to plan for Jeans for Genes 2010
and has started to work on school participation across
Australia. Busy times ahead with lots of new and innovative
ideas surfacing for next year’s campaign.
CMRI Ca
nce
(and frien r researcher Zeen
ia Kaul
ds) join in
the fun
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ists L to R Re
CMRI scient
Campbell
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d Daniel Sp
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join in the sp
Genes Day
on Jeans for
Jeans for Genes is a major fundraiser of the Children’s Medical Research Institute
Help us protect
precious lives
by becoming a
Discovery Partner
N obby
The Coast Run team for 2009 from Earle
Page College during their visit to CMRI
y
Nobb
(in for the long haul)
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please find a gift towards your vital research of:
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Please complete Section 1 or 2 and Section 3
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Children’s Medical Research Institute (CMRI ) was delighted to
welcome students from one of our most loyal and longstanding
supporters, Earle Page College (EPC) from the University of New
England in Armidale. Every year, a team of runners from EPC sets
off on a 220 km run relay style from Armidale through Dorrigo to
Coffs Harbour. This year, two CMRI researchers, Allison Dane and
Hamish Campbell joined in at the commencement of the run, and
enjoyed it so much they’re going back next year. For 30 years,
EPC has been raising money for research into childhood diseases,
approximately $350 000 in total, and this year came to Sydney to
celebrate the 30th Anniversary of their fund raising. The 30-strong
team of students ran across the Harbour Bridge to Circular Quay
and the Opera House, culminating in a run into Government
House where they attended a reception hosted by the Governor
of NSW, Professor Marie Bashir AC, CVO, Patron of CMRI, who
congratulated the College for its high level charity fundraising and
presented each with a special certificate.
Lunch and a tour of CMRI followed, and CMRI Director Professor
Roger Reddel was presented with a cheque for $35,000 from the
Coast Run Committee. This celebration recognises the long term
commitment of Earle Page College in raising funds for CMRI and is
a wonderful example of the high regard in which CMRI research is
held by the community.
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3. YOUR DETAILS
Major discoveries by researchers at the Children’s Medical Research
Institute (CMRI) could result in the development of new drugs that
we hope will help treat most types of cancers.
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By becoming a Discovery Partner today you can help us unlock the
mysteries of life-threatening childhood diseases and protect precious
lives, like little Nobby.
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Nobby was diagnosed with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma, a particularly
aggressive form of childhood cancer, just after his 2nd birthday. While
Nobby is now in remission, less than 50% of all children diagnosed with
Neuroblastoma survive, and his family live with the fear that Nobby’s
cancer could return at any time. Nobby has endured incredible pain for
such a young child and we are determined to do all we can to ensure
that future generations will not have to suffer from this terrible disease.
*As part of current privacy legislation you are entitled to view all your personal information
held by the Children’s Medical Research Institute. We ask for your date of birth as verification
of your identity, in the event of you wishing to access this information.
t CMRI we recognise the importance of your privacy and the safeguarding of your
A
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If you have any questions please do not
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Discovery Partners
Thank you!
As a Discovery Partner, your contributions could help make medical
history and change the world forever... With a regular gift of $15
a month, just 50 cents a day, your regular support will give us the
stability that comes from guaranteed funds at a low administrative
cost to us and enable us to plan all our research projects with
greater confidence and accuracy. It’s a simple and effective way
to help protect precious lives like Nobby.
Committee Power
Quirindi Committee – Luncheon at Rockgedgiel
A glorious day heralded the annual luncheon in the spectacular garden at “Rockgedgiel”.
The marquee was packed with eager guests who had come from far and near to hear local
girl Gina Anderson CEO of Philanthropy Australia give an amusing and insightful talk on her
career and the importance of planned and structured philanthropy. The various stalls, raffle
and delicious homemade luncheon made the day a great success.
Thumbelina Committee – Literary Dinner
Held at Killara Golf Club with special guest Andrew Tink who gave an entertaining address
on his biography on William Charles Wentworth, providing very interesting insights into
one of Australia’s remarkable founding fathers. The dinner was prepared by the well known
chef Walter Fernandez. Guests included NSW Opposition leader Barry O’Farrell and his wife
Rosemary, Shadow Attorney General Greg Smith SC, and CMRI Director Professor Roger
Reddel.
Hills Committee – Springtime Luncheon in the Vineyards
A gourmet luncheon was enjoyed at Centennial Vineyards, Bowral but not before all had
coffee and cake and browsed through the gift shop at “Hopewood”, a magnificent historic
home nearby.
Strathfield Committee – 50th Anniversary Luncheon
A major milestone was reached when Strathfield committee celebrated 50 years of
fund-raising at a luncheon at the Royal Automobile Club. The Governor of NSW, Professor
Marie Bashir, patron of the CMRI delivered a memorable speech highlighted with anecdotes
of her early medical career with Sir Lorimer Dods. The Governor presented Past President
Mrs Joyce Thiele with a plaque commemorating her 40 years of dedicated fundraising.
Canberra Committee – Annual Luncheon
The spectacular gardens at “Huntly” provided many a shady spot for the 450 guests who
browsed through the Christmas stalls while anticipating the gourmet champagne luncheon.
Thank you to Mr John Gale for sharing his garden with us. Do not miss next year’s special
lunch at Government House Canberra on 10 November 2010.
CMRI mourns
the passing
of a legend
It was with great sadness that CMRI staff said
farewell to Dr Peter “PJ” Jeffrey, who passed away in
August 2009. PJ enjoyed a long and distinguished
career as a biochemist, specialising in the intricacies
of brain development. He headed CMRI’s
Neurobiology Unit from 1985 until his retirement
in 2005. PJ was teacher, mentor and friend to many
CMRI scientists, staff and students, and will be
sorely missed both professionally and personally.
Clockwise from top left:
CEO of Philanthropy Australia Gina Anderson
and Quirindi Committee president Pam Lord at
the Rockgedgiel luncheon;
L to R Professor Roger Reddel, Andrew Tink,
Naomi Stokes and Barry O’Farrell;
Jeanie Fedelas, Jan Mullin and Linley McIntosh
at the Hills Committee Centennial Vineyards
Luncheon in Bowral;
NSW Governor, Professor Marie Bashir cuts
the special 50th Anniversary cake with
Mrs Joyce Thiele and members of the
Strathfield Committee.
Dates for your Diary
Vaucluse Committee Tennis Day
Sunday 21 March, 2010. Mixed Doubles
Round Robin. Preliminaries around Eastern
Suburbs Courts with finals and luncheon
at “Fairwater” Double Bay. Play tennis or just
join us for luncheon with spectacular views of
Sydney Harbour. Contact Elsa Zavattaro
02 9313 6384.
Gosford Committee 50th
Birthday Luncheon
Friday 19 March, 2010. Come and celebrate
this milestone at the Upper Deck Restaurant
Gosford Waterfront with old and new friends.
Contact Alison Elms 02 4325 0076.
Thumbelina Committee Theatre Night
Thursday 6 May, 2010. Pymble Players
presents “Speaking in Tongues”,
a provocative modern Australian drama.
Come and enjoy the performance in the
Pymble Theatre 7:30pm $25.
Contact Helen Walker 02 9416 4658.
Hills Committee Mothers Day Luncheon
Friday 7 May, 2010. Lock this date in your
diary for this popular, not to be missed event.
There will be a special celebrity guest and MC
is the affable John Mangos.
Contact Patti Payne 02 9499 7083.