SPHERE Cancer CAG secures $4 million grant

Congratulations to SPHERE’s Cancer Clinical Academic Group (CAG), which has been awarded $4 million over five years through the NSW Government’s Translational Cancer Research Capacity Building Grants.

Led by Professor Geoff Delaney, who holds roles across UNSW Sydney, South Western Sydney Local Health District (SWSLHD) and the Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, the funding will support SPHERE to accelerate the translation of data-enabled cancer research into evidence-based clinical and service improvements, helping to improve outcomes and deliver high-quality cancer care for patients across NSW.

Over the five-year funding period, the program will make it easier for cancer researchers to find, access and use high-quality health data from across NSW. This will include information from cancer registries, clinical trials and everyday patient care, as well as more specialised data such as medical imaging, genomics and patient-reported outcomes. The program will also support research projects that use these data to fill gaps in knowledge, better understand differences between patient groups and help reduce inequities in cancer care.

Professor Delaney said the funding would provide an important opportunity to strengthen the infrastructure needed to turn complex health data into better cancer care.

“This investment will allow us to build on the strong data capability and partnerships already established through SPHERE and across NSW. By making high-quality cancer data easier for researchers to access, link and analyse, we can generate stronger evidence, address important gaps in cancer care and ultimately support more equitable outcomes for patients across NSW.”

The grant is part of a broader NSW Government investment in translational cancer research, supporting research networks to strengthen collaboration, build research capacity and improve cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care.