2023 Lab Day

For ten years CIKA’s main focus has been on raising funds for the establishment of a world class Biobank (formerly known as the Tumour Bank) at the RCH.  We are very appreciative of the many supporters who have assisted CIKA in making it possible for us to fund this important project.

To mark our appreciation and to raise awareness of the work done by the Murdoch Cancer Research Institute (MCRI) at the Hospital over the years, we have been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to organise a series of Laboratory Open Days to share information on the progress being made in the research undertaken in the lab.  We were delighted that this year’s event was booked out.

Before the laboratory tours commenced, guests were given presentations by four of those involved in this initiative.

Professor David Eisenstat, head of the Neuro-oncology Laboratory provided background on the motivation to undertake research on paediatric brain cancer and described the projects that are currently underway.

Sue Hunt AM, CEO of The RCH Foundation, presented an overview of the funding that CIKA has provided to many research projects at MCRI and the Children’s Cancer Centre which culminated in the decade-long Biobank funding project.

Dr Louise Ludlow, Coordinator of the Biobank provided an update on the work within the Biobank and the worldwide distribution of the samples collected and stored there.

Ellen Webb, Vice President of CIKA, spoke briefly about the commitment of the CIKA team to continue fundraising for paediatric cancer research, with a special interest in cancerous solid tumours in children.

After the presentations, guests were divided into three groups and, in rotation, visited:
the Neuro-oncology laboratory with David Eisenstat and his team;
the Heart Disease laboratory with Dave Elliot and his team to look at induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) derived cardiac cells for research into human models of chemotoxicity;
the biobank with Louise Ludlow to observe primary cells from biopsies and to meet recent biomedical graduate, James Cooper, who has special expertise in molecular and cellular biology and their application to the development of childhood solid tumour models.