One of Children’s Medical Research Institute (CMRI)'s talented young PhD students, Erin Humphries, has been awarded a grant from Tour de Cure for her unique cancer research project.

Erin is a member of CMRI’s ProCan cancer research team, and the $10,000 Tour de Cure grant will turbocharge her PhD work.

The focus of Erin’s research is the study of cancer using proteomics – which involves studying the structure and function of proteins in our cells. She is using a branch of proteomics called “phosphoproteomics’’ to study tumour development and cell signalling in cancer tissue that has been processed using the routine procedure used in all clinical pathology laboratories (formalin fixation followed by embedding in paraffin).

Erin is developing phosphoproteomic workflows to analyse all kinds of cancer but has a special interest in human Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OPSCC) patients. OPSCC are cancers of the uvula, tonsils, base of tongue and soft palate. In the recent past these cancers were mostly caused by smoking and excess alcohol consumption, however they are now also occurring in younger and healthier patients who are non-smokers.

The big picture aim of Erin’s work is to use phosphoproteomics and advanced computational methods to identify whether an individual patient is likely to respond to the standard treatment or would benefit from additional treatment.

“I imagine a future of personalised medicine where each patient has the phosphoproteome of their cancer sample analysed to predict the most effective treatment plan available for their particular cancer,’’ Erin said.

“A future where patients receive the best available treatment first up and patients don’t suffer the side effects of treatments that were never going to work for them. A future where survival rates improve because time isn’t wasted on unsuccessful treatment attempts

whilst the cancer grows. A future where instead of people asking me, “Why haven’t you cured cancer yet?”, they ask “How do you best cure my cancer?”.’’

Erin said "I am extremely grateful to Tour de Cure for investing in my research here at ProCan. The grant will allow me to spend more time on my research and will also give me the opportunity to share my findings with the scientific community."