The Mark Hughes Foundation (MHF) has today announced a $1m investment to bring two of Australia's leading brain cancer research centres together in their mission to accelerate progress towards a cure.
The MHF Centre for Brain Cancer Research at the University of Newcastle and The Brain Cancer Centre based in Melbourne have formed a partnership to help find solutions sooner.
With brain cancer the leading cause of cancer death in children, and in adults aged under 40 in Australia, this powerful partnership will pool resources and combine research efforts to pursue better outcomes for brain cancer patients.
Established by Mark and Kirralee Hughes (above), after the former Newcastle NRL player was diagnosed with a high-grade brain cancer in 2013, the MHF is this year highly focused on collaboration.
Chair and Director of the MHF Centre for Brain Cancer Research at the University of Newcastle, Professor Mike Fay.
Chair and Director of the MHF Centre for Brain Cancer Research at the University of Newcastle, Professor Mike Fay, said more than 50 brain cancer researchers had engaged through the MHF Centre over the past 18 months, working together to find a solution.
"But we know we can't do this alone and in 2024 we are focusing on expanding and deepening our research partnerships to fast track a solution for brain cancer," Professor Fay said.
Due to the enormous success of the 2024 Beanie for Brain Cancer campaign, and in particular the support of the NRL through the Beanie Round, today's $1m MHF announcement includes the establishment of a National Collaboration Seed Fund to support a series of shared projects aimed at addressing immediate collaborative research needs.
Mark Hughes said bringing together brilliant leaders, experts and innovators was key to solving the brain cancer puzzle.
"By embracing a 'one team' mentality where competition gives way to collaboration, we will make progress in the fight against brain cancer," Mark said.
The Brain Cancer Centre CEO, Sam McGuane, said its centre connects the best and brightest medical research minds with a single focus on brain cancer.
"The Brain Cancer Centre unites phenomenal talent from leading hospitals, research institutes and universities from around the country," he said.
"Yet, we understand that no single institute, laboratory or hospital will solve this. We need to work together, bring our multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional expertise together to make progress on behalf of our brain cancer community. Many minds, one focus," Sam said.
"The MHF Centre has proven to do be doing great work in the brain cancer research space. We're excited to have the incredible team from the MHF Centre join our team of brilliant, passionate, committed researchers determined to build a brighter future for brain cancer patients.
The Collaboration Seed Fund's first project will support the MHF Centre to become an official collaborative partner of The Brain Cancer Centre's Brain Tumour Registry Australia INnovation and Translation Registry (BRAIN Registry).
Professor Fay said the new collaboration, focused on the BRAIN Registry, would provide the opportunity to collect real world data and use it to improve approaches to brain cancer.
"We are extremely excited about our partnership with The Brain Cancer Centre and the opportunity, through the BRAIN Registry, to accelerate progress in our quest to find new solutions," he said.
"We know that brain cancer outcomes have improved only slightly in the past three decades. Sadly, around 1,600 Australians are diagnosed with brain cancer each year and around 1,200 die from the disease.
"By working as one team with others, across the nation and the globe, such as The Brain Cancer Centre, we will deliver better outcomes for brain cancer patients."
Established with the intent of supporting a broad range of collaborative research projects and to link datasets and research endeavours, the BRAIN Registry is the first large clinical cancer registry dedicated to brain tumour patients in Australia and New Zealand. It captures clinical data on patients diagnosed with brain tumours, from diagnosis and throughout their brain cancer journey.
"Our partnership with The Brain Cancer Centre is an invaluable opportunity made possible by the strong, ongoing support of Mark and Kirralee Hughes of the Mark Hughes Foundation," Professor Fay said.
Sam McGuane said The Brain Cancer Centre was extremely grateful to Mark and Kirralee Hughes for their incredible contribution and continued advocacy towards better outcomes for patients and their families.
"Together we can make a difference. We're excited to have the MHF Centre for Brain Cancer Research on board as a collaborative partner with The Brain Cancer Centre to build on our momentum and help to translate discoveries into new treatments and trials," Sam said.
The MHF Centre for Brain Cancer Research is one example of the University of Newcastle's commitment to helping people live better, healthier lives.
