GENOMICS AND RATIONALLY TARGETED THERAPIES IN ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKAEMIA
Professor Deborah White
Theme Leader Precision Cancer Medicine &
Group Leader Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia Group
South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI)
Adelaide, South Australia
RESEARCHER PROFILE
Filmed in Adelaide, South Australia | February 2025
Professor White is the Precision Medicine Theme Leader at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) in Adelaide. She is a NHMRC RD Wright Biomedical Research Fellow, a Beat Cancer Principal Research Fellow and Senior Principal Research Fellow with SAHMRI. She is a Professor in Health and Medical Sciences at the University of Adelaide and Health Sciences at University of South Australia.
Prof White’s research focus is genomics and rationally targeted therapies in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) and Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia (CML) and she holds peer reviewed grants from: The William Lawrence and Blanche Hughes Foundation and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (USA), the NHMRC, the Leukaemia Foundation Australia (LFA), Channel 7, Cancer Australia, Tour de Cure and the Cancer Council SA (CCSA). Professor White has presented more than 170 papers at scientific meetings, and authored more than 100 scientific publications as well as being an inventor on several international patents.
Professor White is the National Flagship Lead for the ALL Stream of Australian Genomics, and SA scientific lead for Zero Children’s Cancer She is an active member of the National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC) being a member of the NHMRC Academy, the Translational Research Program Advisory Committee, and the Women in Health Science (WiHS) Committee. She is a member of the Editorial Board for Cancer Letters.
In 2014 she was recognised as the Australian Society for Medical Research (ASMR) Leading Light for her Medical Research and in 2016 was awarded the University of Adelaide James McWha medal. In 2019 she was awarded a prestigious NHMRC Research Excellence Award and awarded the Beat Cancer Women in Leadership Award in 2020.
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At the frontier of human cellular neuroscience research
Associate Professor Cedric Bardy is the Director of The Laboratory for Human Neurophysiology, Genetics & Stem Cells, located at SAHMRI. South Australia.
His current research uses preclinical, patient-derived cell models to test innovative therapeutic strategies, with a current focus on Parkinson’s disease, brain cancer and childhood dementia (Sanfilippo syndrome).
His work has established a platform to facilitate the discovery and validation of treatments for brain disorders. Their research is at the frontier of human cellular neuroscience research and translational applications that benefit global public health.
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Radiation therapy techniques and combination treatments for sarcoma
Professor Angela Hong MBBS, MMed, PhD, FRANZCR is a Professor at Sydney Medical School of the University of Sydney. She is a radiation oncologist and has been a member of the Multidisciplinary Bone and Soft Tissue Tumour Clinic at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital/Chris O’Brien Lifehouse for the past 15 years.
As a radiation oncologist located in Sydney, Australia, Professor Hong is focused on treating patients with bone and soft tissue sarcoma. And as a clinician scientist, her research focuses on developing innovative radiation therapy technique and combination treatments to improve the outcome for patients with sarcoma.
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Identification, characterisation and role of leader cells in ovarian cancer progression
Dr. Maree Bilandzic is a molecular cancer biologist dedicated to advancing the understanding and treatment of ovarian cancer (OC). Her research addresses critical gaps in OC treatment by investigating the mechanisms behind metastasis, chemotherapy resistance, and tumour recurrence. By utilising innovative methodologies and disease-representative models, Dr. Bilandzic has pioneered the identification and characterisation of leader cells (LCs)—a unique, stem-like subpopulation within tumours that plays a crucial role in OC progression.
