This talk will summarise work in the laboratory modelling cellular interactions in the microenvironment at the earliest stages of cancer invasion through to survival and outgrowth in metastatic tissues. Using these models, we have identified key signalling events that dictate risk of cancer progression, immune response against disseminated cells, and co-option of distant tissues, including bone.
Our work to date has offered explanation as to why most therapies fail in the metastatic setting, due to the complete loss of innate interferon immune pathways in tumour cells that are critical in response to chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy. We have uncovered new approaches to therapeutically restore tumour immunogenicity in metastatic tissues and are currently developing superior models utilising tissue taken at rapid autopsy to test these approaches in patient-derived metastases.
Prof Parker is currently a NHMRC Investigator Fellow and is an expert on metastasis and the tumour microenvironment, including the development of patient-derived tissue models. Prof Parker has identified immune biomarkers that predict metastasis in breast cancer and patients that should benefit from immune activating therapies. Based on her research, she is an inventor on biomarker and pathology device patents that are currently being tested in the clinical setting. Professor Parker is well-known for her multidisciplinary approach to research, which has resulted in many recent awards shared with her collaborators, including the Victoria Prize in Physical Science (VESKI), the Eureka Prize for innovative use of technology, and MedTech's Got Talent national prizes.
