Lumen Autumn 2017 - Flipbook - Page 27
They found that the tumour tissue
survives quite happily for a couple
of weeks if kept on sponges used
in dental surgery that are soaked in
a supportive media.
“The importance of this new technique
is that we can take a bit of tumour
with the consent of the patient and
treat it in real time to obtain relevant
insights into resistance or response
to drugs,” says Wayne.
“This is going to give us the next
wave of breakthroughs and fast track
getting drugs into the clinic.”
Meanwhile, the Dame Roma Mitchell
research team is in the process of
relocating to its new home at the $246
million Adelaide Health and Medical
Sciences building – a move that Wayne
believes will have major benefits.
“It will be a real advantage
because we are a bit isolated
at present. We’ll be juxtaposed
in a more dynamic, interactive
environment with other terrific
scientists and clinicians with
access to technologies that will
benefit our research.
“A critical aspect of our success
is an extremely good interface
with clinicians in both breast and
prostate cancer and with patients
who are willing to assist our
research by allowing us to use
their tumour tissue and be
involved as patient advocates.
The shift to the new building
will help us maintain those
linkages.”
One of the challenges
of coming up with a new
therapy is being able to
identify those patients
who will benefit and to
outsmart a disease which
has the ability to adapt
and become resistant to
current treatments
Professor Wayne Tilley
Photo by Jo-anna Robinson
The University of Adelaide | Alumni Magazine 25
