Research
St John of God Pathology has established a
core research facility at the Bendat Family Comprehensive Cancer
Centre.
A dedicated research area within the routine diagnostic
laboratory is focused on bringing developments in cancer research
into clinical use, so called 'translational research'.
Dr Nik Zeps heads up the laboratory and come with over 10 years
experience in cancer research. His team is engaged specifically in
colorectal cancer research which is done in close collaboration
with the St John of
God Colorectal service and the clinical trial facility
operated by Prof Cameron Platell and Dr Siobhan Ng
respectively.
However, other areas of interest include gynaecological
malignancies and breast cancer and they are engaged in several
collaborative projects with the University of Western Australia
(Schools of Anatomy and Human Biology and Surgery) and with
interstate organisations such as the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
and St Vincents Hospital in Melbourne.
The St John of God Pathology service is also the first
private laboratory to establish a dedicated research tissue bank in
Australia and was recently awarded an enabling grant by the
National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) together with
their colleagues in the Australasian Biospecimen Network which is
based at eight sites around Australia. The tissue bank
operates at the highest level of governance and ethical compliance
and in being a part of the service laboratory ensures that the
donors of the samples have the highest level of protection as would
be expected for any St John of God Health Care
service.
For further information please contact Dr Nik Zeps at nik.zeps@sjog.org.au