Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre Australia's only public hospital solely dedicated to cancer treatment, research and education.

Peter Mac is one of the world’s leading cancer research, education and treatment centres globally and is Australia’s only public hospital solely dedicated

When Fil learned they carried the same BRCA2 gene mutation that caused their aunt’s breast cancer, their world changed o...
13/11/2025

When Fil learned they carried the same BRCA2 gene mutation that caused their aunt’s breast cancer, their world changed overnight.

At just 29, they made the life-changing decision to have a double mastectomy and remove their fallopian tubes — not because they had cancer, but to drastically reduce their chances of getting it.

Along the way, a genetic counsellor became their compass, guiding them through major decisions about their future.

This is a story about courage and finding peace in taking control.

👉 Read Fil’s powerful story this Genetic Counsellors Awareness Day: https://www.petermac.org/about-us/news-and-events/news/details/knowledge-gives-me-peace-fil-s-journey-to-rewrite-their-cancer-risk

A new research project at Peter Mac led by Dr Isabelle Munoz aims to develop personalised immunotherapy designed to help...
12/11/2025

A new research project at Peter Mac led by Dr Isabelle Munoz aims to develop personalised immunotherapy designed to help the body recognise and destroy pancreatic cancer cells.

She has received a $300,000 grant from Pancreatic Cancer Australia to address this issue.

Dr Munoz and her team, including Peter Mac’s Professor Paul Beavis, and Dr Eric Tran and Dr Rom Leidner from Providence Cancer Institute in Portland, USA, will work to overcome this barrier by genetically engineering a patient’s own immune cells (T cells) so they can better survive and function within pancreatic tumours.

Read more: https://www.petermac.org/about-us/news-and-events/news/details/peter-mac-awarded-300-000-grant-to-help-unlock-new-immunotherapy-for-pancreatic-cancer

We’re proud to share that 62 Peter Mac researchers have been named among the 𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁-𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝘄...
10/11/2025

We’re proud to share that 62 Peter Mac researchers have been named among the 𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁-𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱𝘄𝗶𝗱𝗲, according to the Stanford University/Elsevier Top 2% Scientists List for 2025.

This prestigious global ranking highlights researchers whose work has had the greatest influence and impact through citations — recognising excellence, collaboration, and scientific leadership across disciplines.

Peter Mac’s Executive Director Cancer Research, Professor Ricky Johnstone, said the recognition reflects the global reach and excellence of our research.

“It’s an incredible achievement to have so many of our researchers included among the world’s most influential scientists. This recognition speaks to the calibre, collaboration and commitment of our teams, and to Peter Mac’s strong reputation for research that makes a real difference for people living with cancer.”

👏 Congratulations to all those recognised!

Read more: https://www.petermac.org/about-us/news-and-events/news/details/62-peter-mac-researchers-among-world-s-most-cited-scientist

Four of our outstanding leaders have been recognised for their excellence and impact in cancer research and care at the ...
06/11/2025

Four of our outstanding leaders have been recognised for their excellence and impact in cancer research and care at the at the 2025 VCCC Alliance Awards.

* 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺, led Professor Bernhard Riedel – winners of Outstanding Changemaker, for their visionary work to improve safety, access and outcomes for cancer patients before and after surgery.

* 𝗔/𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗔𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 – winner of Outstanding Leadership by Example, for building a thriving pharmacy research program.

* 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗿 𝗞𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗸𝘆 – winner of Outstanding Team Leader, for driving collaboration through the Centre for Health Services Research in Cancer.

* 𝗗𝗿 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘆– awarded the Tony Burgess Medal for world-leading collaborative research into low-grade serous ovarian cancer.

Congratulations to all the recipients — your leadership, innovation and teamwork are advancing cancer care and improving lives. 💜

Congratulations to Dr Dane Cheasley Dane from Peter Mac who has been recognised for his world-leading research into low-...
05/11/2025

Congratulations to Dr Dane Cheasley Dane from Peter Mac who has been recognised for his world-leading research into low-grade serous ovarian cancer.

Dr Cheasley, who featured in the Herald Sun this week, received the VCCC Alliance Tony Burgess Medal for his leadership in bringing together an international network to find better ways to diagnose and treat this cancer, and for identifying five subtypes that could respond differently to therapies.

His ongoing research aims to improve personalised treatment options and outcomes for women worldwide.

Massive congratulations Dane!

Celebrating 15 years of helping people thrive beyond cancer!The Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre (ACSC) at Peter Ma...
03/11/2025

Celebrating 15 years of helping people thrive beyond cancer!

The Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre (ACSC) at Peter Mac has been a national leader in survivorship care since 2010, supporting people to live well after cancer.

From evidence-based wellbeing programs and online care plans to workshops, education, and advocacy, the Centre addresses the lasting physical, emotional, and practical effects of cancer.

Director Professor Michael Jefford says, “People often feel lost or abandoned after treatment. Our goal has always been to meet these unmet needs.”

Since 2019, the Centre’s free online care-plan generator, mycareplan.org.au, has been accessed more than 13,000 times, helping create thousands of individualised plans for people in cancer survivorship. Hundreds of health professionals have also benefitted from the Centre’s education programs, and the team has shared over 200 research publications globally.

Here’s to the next chapter of innovation, supporting the 1.6 million Australians living with or beyond a cancer diagnosis.

Find out more: https://www.petermac.org/patients-and-carers/support-and-wellbeing/living-with-and-beyond-cancer

𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗘𝗫𝗛𝗜𝗕𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗡𝗢𝗪 𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗡 𝗢𝗡 𝗟𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟 𝟳We are please to announce the opening of ART YOU OK™ x Peter Mac - an exhibition celeb...
27/10/2025

𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗘𝗫𝗛𝗜𝗕𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗡𝗢𝗪 𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗡 𝗢𝗡 𝗟𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟 𝟳

We are please to announce the opening of ART YOU OK™ x Peter Mac - an exhibition celebrating the creativity and resilience of Peter Mac patients, families and staff.

Many of the artworks were created on the wards during chemotherapy treatment as part of a special art therapy project with ART YOU OK™ .

Patients, their families and some staff found moments of calm and connection, expressing feelings that words couldn’t capture – many rediscovering their artistic voice for the first time in decades.

It became a way to step beyond the hospital walls and into another world, with curator and art therapist Xiang Li, providing safe, supportive spaces for people to explore their emotions and creativity.

Each piece on display is a testament to courage, hope and the power of art to support mental wellbeing during care and recovery.

"𝗜𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗰 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝗲, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗮...
27/10/2025

"𝗜𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗰 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝗲, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹."

Those are the words of Peter Mac’s Head of Spiritual Care Reverend David Dawes who led our annual commemoration service late last week.

Held for family and friends of Peter Mac patients who have passed in the past 12 months, it’s an opportunity for remembrance and reflection, alongside others who share similar experiences.

The commemoration service, which has been run by the Spiritual Care team for the past 20 years, is part of our commitment to building strong connections with our community, providing continued support not only to our patients but to their families as well.

Each year, attendees are invited to bring a framed picture or memento to be placed on a table, creating a heartwarming display to those who have passed. They can then drop a pebble into the memory bowl and light a candle in remembrance.

A big thanks to our Spiritual Care and Music Therapy teams (pictured bottom left) for putting this special service together and to all those who attended.

Peter Mac is proud to be recognised as a finalist in two categories in 2025 Victorian Public Healthcare Awards.🏥 Support...
23/10/2025

Peter Mac is proud to be recognised as a finalist in two categories in 2025 Victorian Public Healthcare Awards.

🏥 Supporting young people through cancer transitions
In partnership with the Victorian Adolescent & Young Adult Cancer Service, The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, the Victorian & Tasmanian Youth Cancer Action Board and the Paediatric Integrated Cancer Service — our team co-designed a program to support young people moving from children's cancer services to adult care at Peter Mac.

This youth-centred, multidisciplinary project includes a video resource with advice from clinical experts and young people to make this emotional transition clearer and less daunting.

📚 Health Volunteer Team of the Year – Peter Mac Archivists
Congratulations to volunteer archivists Lyndel Wischer and Bridget Slattery (top image), whose incredible work researching and curating our 75th anniversary exhibition, timeline and video has preserved the rich history of Peter Mac for future generations.

💬 CEO Professor Jason Payne said:

“Both projects highlight the collaboration, creativity and compassion that makes Peter Mac so special.”

This year’s nominations follow on from the 2024 Victorian Public Healthcare Awards where Peter Mac was named the Premier’s Large Health Service of the Year.

🏆 Winners will be announced on 26 November — wish our teams luck!

Read more: https://www.petermac.org/about-us/news-and-events/news/details/two-peter-mac-finalists-in-the-victorian-public-healthcare-awards

𝗰𝘁𝗗𝗡𝗔 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵: 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁.New research led by Peter Mac’s Profe...
22/10/2025

𝗰𝘁𝗗𝗡𝗔 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵: 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁.

New research led by Peter Mac’s Professor Jeanne Tie shows circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) in the blood may reveal exactly who needs chemotherapy after surgery—and who doesn’t.

Read more about this new research, just published in Nature Medicine: https://www.petermac.org/about-us/news-and-events/news/details/colon-cancer-dna-detectable-in-blood-can-guide-chemo-decisions

Happy Children’s Week! This week, we’re celebrating the joy, creativity, and resilience of kids everywhere — especially ...
21/10/2025

Happy Children’s Week!

This week, we’re celebrating the joy, creativity, and resilience of kids everywhere — especially our amazing young patients and the kids who have parents going through a cancer experience.

This year we’re sharing the joy of music in conjunction with our Music Therapy Department.

Led by our Child Safe Program Project Manager Natasha Sergent snd Music Therapist Hayley Miller, our team has sent out musical instrument packs along with a special playlist from our Music Therapy department to kids all around Victoria.

Once they receive the packs in the post, the kids can hit play on the playlist and bop along to some feel good tunes.

Children’s Week is a special reminder to celebrate the wonder of childhood, to support kids in being themselves, and to make space for joy, play, and creativity, even in a hospital setting.

Across the media today, a groundbreaking study led by Professor Sherene Loi, published today in Nature Portfolio, has re...
20/10/2025

Across the media today, a groundbreaking study led by Professor Sherene Loi, published today in Nature Portfolio, has revealed why having children and breastfeeding lowers a woman’s long-term risk of breast cancer.

The research shows that breastfeeding triggers the development of specialised CD8⁺ T cells that remain in breast tissue for decades after childbirth.

These long-lived immune cells act as local surveillance – ready to recognise and destroy abnormal cells before they can become cancer.

“These cells act like local guards ready to attack abnormal cells that might turn into cancer," says Professor Loi.

"This protection may have evolved to defend mothers during the vulnerable post-pregnancy period, but today it also lowers breast cancer risk, especially the aggressive type called triple-negative breast cancer.”

This discovery shifts the focus from hormonal changes to the immune system and could pave the way for new prevention and treatment strategies.

Congratulations to Prof Sherene Loi and co-first authors Dr Balaji Virassamy, Dr Peter Savas and Dr Michael Harris, with contributions from Professor Laura Mackay at the The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, and the Darcy and Neeson labs at Peter Mac.

Read more and access the full paper: https://www.petermac.org/about-us/news-and-events/news/details/breastfeeding-linked-to-lasting-immune-protection-against-breast-cancer

This study was supported by The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research, National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) and the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).

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Welcome to Peter Mac

Peter Mac is an integrated cancer research, treatment and education centre. A place where normal days are extraordinary – as are the people we care for.

We are an internationally recognised cancer centre at the forefront of groundbreaking research that leads to improved treatments, better outcomes and new hope for people affected by cancer across the globe. Through our advances in research, education and treatment we are breaking new ground and changing lives for people affected by cancer.