TRANSFORMING CLINICAL CARE: IMPACT OF LEUKAEMIA FOUNDATION’S RESEARCH FUNDING INTO BLOOD CANCER
With
Bill Stavreski, Head of Research
Leukaemia Foundation, Australia
RESEARCH IMPACT
Filmed in Melbourne | May 2025
Released to coincide with World Blood Cancer Day 2025
The Leukaemia Foundation is committed to funding research innovations that drive advancements in new diagnostics, treatments and novel therapies, supporting the careers of promising scientists and clinicians and giving Australians access to global clinical trials.
The Leukaemia Foundation state there are over 120 different types of blood cancer and all of which the Foundation provides support to people.
Bill Stavreski is the Head of Research at the Leukaemia Foundation who talks about the research impact in recent years. The Foundation itself marks its 25th anniversary in 2025, having funded a wide range of health and medical research since 2000. With a focus on basic science, health services research, treatment, and care, the organisation has invested nearly $90 million (adjusted in current dollars terms) in approximately 370 research grants over the years.
The Foundation primarily relies on the generosity of public donations, with no government funding. This funding has led to significant advancements in clinical practice, including a groundbreaking diagnostic test now available across Australia, significantly easing the financial burden on patients.
One notable achievement includes the first successful growth of leukaemic cells in a dish, facilitating advancements in treatment testing. Additionally, the Foundation established a pioneering genomic screening program for patients with hard-to-treat blood cancers, significantly improving the chances of finding effective treatments.
Through this work, the Foundation underscores that research is centred on people, aiming to transform lives and support families affected by blood cancer.
Source: Adapted from the Leukaemia Foundation website and transcript
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Inner ear organoids for the study of human hearing and balance
Dr Jackie Ogier is an auditory neuroscientist, with a research focus on the molecular biology of hair cells, the specialised sensory receptors in the ear that detect sound and balance. She is a postdoctoral research fellow in the laboratory of A/Prof Bryony Nayagam, supported by a prestigious Passe and Williams foundation fellowship.
Dr Ogier’s experience broadly spans the genetics of hearing loss, disease modelling, micro dissection, primary cell culture, stem cell culture, organoids, and proteomics. Overall, she aims to generate knowledge of hearing and vestibular sensory biology.
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Investigating new approaches to target plaque inflammation in atherosclerosis
Associate Professor Peter Psaltis is an Academic Interventional Cardiologist who holds Level 2 NHMRC Career Development and National Heart Foundation Future Leader Fellowships. He has Faculty positions within the University of Adelaide, Central Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN) and South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI). Within SAHMRI, he is the Co-Theme Leader of the Lifelong Health, Program Leader of Heart and Vascular Health and Co-director of the Vascular Research Centre in the Lifelong Health Theme.
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Life-changing donor milk for preterm babies
Dr Laura Klein is National Milk Research Leader at Australian Red Cross Lifeblood. Australian Red Cross Lifeblood is funded by Australian governments to provide life-giving blood, plasma, and transplantation and biological products.
Dr Klein works with clinicians and researchers across Australia to understand how donated breast milk can be used to improve outcomes for vulnerable babies. She’s passionate about generating evidence to improve the products and services that milk banks provide to donors and the families who receive donated breast milk.
