Young scientists strive to make a difference to the lives of cancer and allergy sufferers
18 March, 2009
Talented young scientists Dr Elizabeth Forbes and Dr Rachel Perret from the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, Victoria University of Wellington, have been awarded prestigious New Zealand Science and Technology Postdoctoral Fellowships from the Foundation for Research Science and Technology, to further their promising careers in biomedical research.
"Getting to the guts of allergic inflammation" is the goal of Dr Forbes' research. Working within the Malaghan Institute Asthma Research Group, headed by Institute Director Professor Graham Le Gros, Dr Forbes will use her fellowship to develop an experimental model that can be used to better understand food allergy and the influence it can have on other allergic diseases such as asthma.
"The onset of food allergy is often preceded by atopic dermatitis, commonly known as eczema, in which the normal skin barrier is defective," said Dr Forbes. "The majority of young children with food allergies and atopic dermatitis go on to develop respiratory allergies and asthma, often identified by allergists as the ‘allergic march'."
"In addition, children with food allergies and asthma are more likely to suffer from severe asthma, and are at greater risk for severe and possibly fatal anaphylactic reactions."
With evidence indicating an increasing prevalence of food allergy in much of the Western World, food allergy and associated anaphylaxis have emerged as very significant public health problems, particularly in children.
Dr Perret will use her fellowship to investigate the immune effects of vaccination to improve cancer immunotherapy.
"Cancer is an insidious disease, affecting a third of New Zealanders, yet effective cures by standard therapies remain rare for major cancer types," said Dr Perret. "Immunotherapy is a promising novel therapeutic approach for many different cancers that has the potential to provide long-lasting protection against relapse."
Having recently completed her Doctoral studies at the Malaghan Institute under the supervision of Professor Franca Ronchese, Dr Perret's fellowship now enables her to continue her research in the laboratory of Professor Pedro Romero at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Switzerland, a world leader in immune-based approaches to cancer treatment.
The goal of Dr Perret's research is to further understand the immune responses generated by cancer vaccines, and to use this knowledge to improve their effectiveness.
"This research supports the Ministry of Health's Cancer Control strategy by contributing to the development of new vaccine therapies for the treatment of cancer. The results of this study will have the potential to enhance the profile of New Zealand science, as well as reducing the social and economic burdens of cancer in this country," said Dr Perret.
With their unfailing commitment to the development of more effective therapies and vaccines for the treatment of allergy, asthma and cancer, Dr Forbes' and Dr Perret's research promise to make a real difference to the lives of so many.
Sign up to stay informed
You may also be interested in our
News & Events RSS feed.
