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

This Christmas, we’re thinking of everyone in our Peter Mac community — but particularly our patients and their families...
24/12/2025

This Christmas, we’re thinking of everyone in our Peter Mac community — but particularly our patients and their families and carers.

We know the festive season can bring a mix of emotions, especially when cancer is part of your life.

Whether you’re spending Christmas in hospital, at home, or supporting someone you love, please know you’re not alone.

To everyone who has trusted us with their care, shared their story or offered kindness to others — thank you.

From all of us at Peter Mac, we wish you moments of peace, comfort and connection this Christmas, and hope for brighter days ahead in the new year.

𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗹𝗮𝗯 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗰: A Peter Mac developed radioactive tracer is unlocking a clearer picture of inflammation deep inside ...
18/12/2025

𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗹𝗮𝗯 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗰: A Peter Mac developed radioactive tracer is unlocking a clearer picture of inflammation deep inside the brain through the pioneering work by Chief Radiopharmaceutical Scientist Associate Professor Mohammad Haskali and his Radiopharmaceutical Sciences team.

A/Prof Haskali says new radiopharmaceutical advances are opening doors for major neuroscience research programs across the country, including [18F]FBR, a tracer his team was the first to bring into operation in Australia.

"A few years ago, my team and I established [18F]FBR production at Peter Mac, making it the first site in Australia to provide this particularly useful and effective tracer for imaging the Translocator Protein (TSPO) in the brain," Dr Haskali said.

Imaging the Translocator Protein (TSPO) enables researchers to "see" inflammation in the brain. Using a PET scan, they can detect where the tracer collects, showing where neuroinflammation is happening and how active it is. While other TSPO tracers have been used in Australia, [18F]FBR offers distinct advantages in effectiveness and precision.

The tracer has already been supplied to the Melbourne Brain Centre at The Royal Melbourne Hospital, where it is being used to image patients with chronic orofacial and neuropathic pain in a study led by Prof. Luke Henderson at the University of Sydney - the first clinical study in Australia to use this agent.

"It's fantastic to now see this work from our team directly supporting clinical studies," Dr Haskali added. "The dedication and expertise of our Radiopharmaceutical Sciences team has been instrumental in bringing [18F]FBR from concept to clinical application."

Dr Haskali says collaboration across the Parkville Precinct, including with the Melbourne Brain Centre, is accelerating progress.

"Working with our partners means innovations like [18F]FBR can move from implementation to real clinical impact much faster," he said.

"Their expertise in brain cancer research, combined with our radiopharmaceutical capabilities, is helping drive a new wave of imaging and treatment possibilities."

Images on the right show A/Prof Haskali at the hot cell - a heavily shielded, enclosed workspace where scientists prepare, mix, and package radioactive tracers.

17/12/2025

𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝗣𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗰! Today we are beyond thrilled to announce that we have scanned the FIRST patient in the world with the groundbreaking GE HealthCare total body PET/CT technology — an incredible milestone in cancer imaging and precision medicine!

This technology has been installed within the Australian Cancer Research Foundation Centre for Advanced Imaging-Guided Therapeutics.

A huge congratulations and thanks to our patient Rod Dunbar for being part of this historic moment, and for partaking in this very first trial.

This cutting-edge total body PET/CT system captures the entire body in a single scan, with ultra-fast acquisition times, low radiation dose, and crystal-clear images that reveal disease in unprecedented detail — powering precision diagnostics and research that will help shape the future of cancer care.

The opportunities this opens for whole-body imaging, novel tracer research, and tailored treatment strategies are monumental — and we’re just getting started!

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲:

• Australian Cancer Research Foundation — for visionary support that drives innovation right here in Australia.
• National Imaging Facility — for enabling access to world-leading imaging research infrastructure.
• The University of Melbourne — for academic partnership and support.
• GE HealthCare — for developing this transformative technology and partnering with us to bring it to life.
• Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation — for ongoing, enduring support of research-led cancer care at Peter Mac.

This achievement underscores Peter Mac’s global leadership in precision medicine, and we couldn’t be more excited for what’s ahead — for patients here in Australia and around the world.

We are excited to announce our new national partnership with Oolio Giving, bringing life saving cancer research a little...
16/12/2025

We are excited to announce our new national partnership with Oolio Giving, bringing life saving cancer research a little closer with every coffee, meal or drink.

Through Oolio’s donation technology available on payment terminals, venues across Australia can now invite customers to round up or donate at checkout, with 100 percent of funds supporting the Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation.

A small act at your local café or restaurant can help drive big impact for people facing cancer.

Want to get your favourite local cafe or restaurant involved?

Learn more here: https://www.oolio.com/solutions/payments/oolio-giving

Together, with our Parkville Local Health Service Network, we extend our thoughts and deepest sympathies to all those im...
15/12/2025

Together, with our Parkville Local Health Service Network, we extend our thoughts and deepest sympathies to all those impacted by the devastating attack in Bondi last night.

Everyone has a right to feel safe and welcome in our community regardless of their religion, background, identity or beliefs. To our Jewish community, we are here for you. Everyone is always welcome here.

Events like this can be deeply distressing. If you, or someone you care about, needs support, confidential help is available.

Beyond Blue -1300 224 636
beyondblue.org.au
13YARN - 13 92 76
For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
Kids Helpline - 1800 551 800
For children and young people aged 5 to 25
Open Arms - 1800 011 046
For current and former ADF members and their families
If you are in immediate danger, please contact 000.

Today, we join with communities across Victoria in acknowledging and celebrating the historic Victorian Treaty Agreement...
12/12/2025

Today, we join with communities across Victoria in acknowledging and celebrating the historic Victorian Treaty Agreement — the first of its kind in Australia. This landmark moment marks a new chapter of truth, respect, and partnership between the Victorian Government and the First Peoples of this land.

For over 60,000 years, the First Peoples of this place have cared for Country, culture, language and community. Treaty recognises their unbroken connection to this land and opens a pathway toward healing, self-determination and shared understanding for all Victorians.

At Peter Mac, we believe health and wellbeing are shaped by social justice, equity and community. We acknowledge the strength, leadership, and resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We stand with them in commitment to better health outcomes and a future built on respect, truth-telling and shared purpose.

We pay our respects to Elders past and present and we welcome steps forward that honour the deep cultural heritage of the First Peoples of Victoria.

Returning to work after cancer can be challenging — and everyone’s experience is different.We want to understand what ma...
11/12/2025

Returning to work after cancer can be challenging — and everyone’s experience is different.

We want to understand what makes that transition easier, what gets in the way, and what kind of support would truly make a difference.

We're running a short 10-minute survey and a series of online focus groups to help shape a new program that supports people back into work after cancer treatment.

If you’ve had cancer (or supported someone who has), your voice matters.

Your insights can help us build better, more meaningful support for thousands of people.

👉 Take the survey or register for a focus group by 16 January
(Scan the QR code or follow the link): https://redcap.petermac.org.au/surveys/?s=N7NLLNYDE7YTRMEN

𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗣𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗰 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀!Last night we honoured the outstanding pe...
11/12/2025

𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗣𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗰 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀!

Last night we honoured the outstanding people and teams who make Peter Mac a global leader in cancer research, education and care — and this year was our biggest yet, with a record 250 nominations submitted from across the organisation.

More than 300 people joined us at Parkville (and online) for a vibrant, feel-good celebration of everything our 4,200+ staff and volunteers achieve together.

From Professor Jason Payne Payne’s opening reflections to the final applause, the message was clear: this was a celebration for all Peter Mac people.

A huge congratulations to all our 2025 award winners and nominees — spanning research, clinical care, education, pharmacy, legal, food services, nursing, allied health and more.

The biggest moment of the night — the Chief Executive’s Award presented to Amber Atkinson, Director of Health, Safety and Wellbeing, recognised for her incredible leadership and unwavering commitment to keep everyone at Peter Mac safe, healthy and supported.

👏 Thank you to every nominee, every supporter, and everyone who brings their best to Peter Mac each day.

See the full list of winners: https://www.petermac.org/about-us/news-and-events/news/details/celebrating-compassion-excellence-and-innovation-our-peter-mac-awards-winners

𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 “𝘄𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀” 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘀.A Peter Mac–led study has shown whole genome and transcrip...
09/12/2025

𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 “𝘄𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀” 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘀.

A Peter Mac–led study has shown whole genome and transcriptome sequencing can finally unlock answers for people with rare inherited blood diseases — solving diagnostic mysteries for more than a third of patients in the study.

Presented as a late-breaking abstract at , the research analysed 237 patients with suspected inherited bone marrow failure syndromes.

Associate Professor Piers Blombery says this level of testing is transformative.

“After testing performed in this study, we were able to give more than a third of these patients a diagnosis — information many had been waiting their whole lives for, A/Prof Blombery said.

The study delivered diagnoses for 88 patients (37%), uncovering conditions including hereditary thrombocytopenia, telomere biology disorders, Diamond–Blackfan anaemia, severe congenital neutropenia, Shwachman Diamond Syndrome and Fanconi anaemia — and even revealing new mechanisms of rare blood disease.

Read more: https://www.petermac.org/about-us/news-and-events/news/details/help-for-patients-waiting-their-whole-lives-for-a-diagnosis

This work was led by A/Prof Blombery, Dr Lucy Fox and The Wilson Centre for Blood Cancer Genomics team at Peter Mac, with collaborators across Australia: Victorian Clinical Genetics Services (VCGS), Royal North Shore Hospital, Monash University and the Centre for Population Genomics.

Proudly supported by:
The Medical Research Future Fund Genomics Health Futures Mission, Maddie's Vision, and the Snowdome Foundation supporting the Wilson Centre.

This study is part of the Collaborative Centre for Genomic Cancer Medicine, a partnership between Peter Mac and University of Melbourne.

It was an absolute pleasure to welcome Assistant Minister for Prevention Family Violence Ged Kearney to Peter Mac for ou...
08/12/2025

It was an absolute pleasure to welcome Assistant Minister for Prevention Family Violence Ged Kearney to Peter Mac for our special Children and Young People’s Voices event as part of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.

Assistant Minister Kearney is pictured here with Audrey and Molly — the two young stars of our new Child Safety video launched today. It's to let all young people in our care (or visiting our centre) know that every member of our staff is here to listen, support and protect them.

At Peter Mac, we’re committed to making sure the voices of children and young people are heard.

A big thanks to everyone who took part in this important conversation, including our speakers Lani Pereira, Natasha Sergent, A/Prof Geraldine McDonald and Ella Calkoen.

Check out the new video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh9NhALldUc

There was plenty of festive cheer and furry fun as Peter Mac’s Lort Smith Pet Therapy team came together for their annua...
05/12/2025

There was plenty of festive cheer and furry fun as Peter Mac’s Lort Smith Pet Therapy team came together for their annual Christmas celebration this week.

This year, we fondly remembered Rocky the Frenchie, a much-loved member of the pet therapy team who is sadly no longer with us. Rocky’s mum, Libby, joined the celebrations, and everyone reflected on his incredible legacy and the joy he brought to so many.

Many of our followers will know Baz and Olive, and we were also delighted to welcome Pearl (Baz’s sister) and Wally (Olive’s brother), both in training and hoping to follow in their siblings’ pawsteps.

It was a heartwarming day filled with connection, joy, and plenty of cuddles.

A huge thank you to the pet therapy team for bringing so much happiness to our patients and staff throughout the year, and to Lort Smith for making this exceptional program possible.

This week, on the International Day of People with Disability, we proudly launched the Peter Mac Disability Accessibilit...
04/12/2025

This week, on the International Day of People with Disability, we proudly launched the Peter Mac Disability Accessibility Plan 2025–2030 — a major step to ensuring accessibility and inclusion is embedded into everything we do.

Developed with input from more than 100 patients, consumers, family members, subject matter experts and staff, the Plan reflects a shared commitment to ensuring everyone who comes to Peter Mac feels welcomed, supported and understood.

One of those contributors was Jasmine, who brought her unique insight as a patient, carer and sector professional.

“Experiencing both sides… has shown me another level of how vital accessible and inclusive healthcare is,” Jasmine shared. “Small adjustments… don’t just improve systems; they improve lives.”

A massive thank you to every contributor who shared their time, insights and lived experience. This Plan is stronger because of you.

The Disability Accessibility Plan 2025–2030, including a screen-reader friendly Easy Read version, is available now: https://www.petermac.org/about-us/news-and-events/news/details/new-disability-accessibility-plan-launched-for-peter-mac

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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.