About the project and the involvement opportunity
Breast cancer is a common type of cancer that affects many women around the world. It occurs when cells in the breast start growing uncontrollably and form a lump or tumour. One important feature of breast cancer is its stiffness, which can influence how the tumour grows and responds to treatment. To better understand why breast cancer becomes stiff, our research team is using two specialised techniques called optical elastography and spatial transcriptomics. Optical elastography uses light to measure the stiffness of the tumour, while spatial transcriptomics helps us see which genes are active in different parts of the tumour.
Our main goal is to uncover the genes and cell types responsible for making breast cancer stiff. By doing this, we hope to learn more about how the cancer spreads and becomes resistant to treatment. Additionally, we will investigate biological targets to assist the delivery of anti-cancer therapeutics. This information could help us find new ways to treat breast cancer and improve the lives of patients.
Our research is crucial because it has the potential to lead to groundbreaking discoveries in breast cancer. Understanding how stiffness influences the behaviour of tumours could help doctors diagnose the disease earlier and choose the best treatment options for each patient. This could lead to more effective and personalised therapies, increasing the chances of a successful outcome for breast cancer patients.
In summary, our research aims to shed light on the mysteries of breast cancer stiffness using advanced techniques. By deciphering the role of genes and cell types, we hope to make a significant impact on breast cancer research, leading to better treatments and improved outcomes for those affected by this disease.
About the position
We are looking for a Research Buddy to meet regularly with the research team and assist the project by providing their unique insights into breast cancer.
What am I expected to do?
Community representatives will actively contribute to the project by participating in discussions on the future translation of the research, offering advice regarding how end users would benefit from this research, and providing feedback on funding application and plain language summaries to help communicate this work to the wider community.
What skills or experience do I need?
Lived experience of breast cancer.
How long am I expected to be involved?
12 months.
Where will meetings be held?
The Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands.
What support is offered?
$37.50 per hour honorarium. Training and support is offered by the Consumer and Community Involvement Program.
Note: By checking this box, you agree to allow us to save your details to a cookie on your device. Your information will not be saved to our servers and will only be used to assist in pre-populating your details on other registration forms. You can clear your saved details by removing this cookie through your browser settings.