 |  | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE Discovery, Acceleration, Equity, Leadership |
Discovery, Acceleration, Equity and Leadership are the four pillars of the VCCC Alliance Strategic Research Plan (SPP) 2021-2024 released last week. I’m inclined to add a fifth pillar of flexibility given the plan’s development during the height of the pandemic and at a time when patients and the healthcare workforce have been challenged in so many ways. It is the most extraordinary achievement, and I am grateful to everyone who has held the vision and persisted in the development of the plan in difficult circumstances. | | |
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Latest News |  |
 | An ambitious plan to tackle complex challenges “This plan is different… We started by asking why this work is important for patients, consumers and community. Putting that question first makes a real difference to the prioritisation of work and the nature of the programs being developed. It meant the direction stays focused on patient benefit.” These words from Ms Sophy Athan, Chair of the VCCC Alliance Consumer Advisory Committee, kicked off the launch of the VCCC Alliance Strategic Program Plan 2021-24 (SPP) last Friday 6 August, highlighting the strategic, purposefully different approach this new plan takes to delivering system-level change. | | |
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 | Professor Sanchia Aranda AM appointed Deputy Chair The Board of the VCCC Alliance has announced the appointment of Professor Sanchia Aranda AM, as new Deputy Chair of the alliance. As the VCCC Alliance prepares to roll out an ambitious new three-year Strategic Program Plan, Professor Aranda’s 40 years of experience in cancer control will be an invaluable asset. | | |
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 | Driving discoveries into dollars Professor Andrew Scott AM appointed VCCC Alliance Research Translation and Commercialisation Lead
In an exciting move for the VCCC Alliance, Professor Andrew Scott AM has embraced an important role for the future of research translation in Victoria. “The opportunity to engage with the VCCC Alliance, Victorian Government, the wider clinical and academic community, and key industry stakeholders to drive successful research translation of discoveries relevant to patients with cancer holds enormous potential,” he says. |
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 | Overcoming barriers for young Australians to access clinical trials Cancer clinical trial access findings from the VCCC Alliance’s Strategic Research Plan have the potential to change the game for adolescents and young adults (AYA) in Australia. A paper, published in the Journal of Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology and co-authored by VCCC Alliance Associate Head of Research, Associate Professor Justine Ellis, seeks to implement system-level change to improve access to clinical trials for this cohort. |
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 | Nurse-led research publication milestone The Australian Journal of Cancer Nursing (AJCN) has produced a special issue featuring three research initiatives emerging from the VCCC Alliance Nurse-led Research Hub. In 2020, three nurses from VCCC Alliance member organisations were recipients of competitively awarded funding of $50,000 each to lead a multi-site nurse led research project with a focus on improving the quality and safety of care for people affected by cancer. |
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 | Head of Quality and Strategic Initiatives Due to a long-term member of our staff team relocating out of Victoria, the VCCC Alliance is offering a rare opportunity to join the Senior Leadership Team as Head of Quality and Strategic Initiatives.
The position provides a wide range of variety and rich involvement cross the organisation and alliance, covering strategic and business development, overseeing consumer involvement and equity initiatives and leadership for program management frameworks and evaluation. |
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Upcoming Events | |
16 AUG | Monday Lunch Livestream Picchi Awards for Excellence in Cancer Research
Presentations from the 2021 winners Book now › |
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23 AUG | Monday Lunch Livestream with Dr Laura Forrest The psychosocial implications for AYA living with an inherited cancer syndrome Book now › |
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24 AUG | Research and Education Lead, Head & Neck Cancer program Ethics series - moral distress in the provision of care Book now › |
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25 AUG | Grand Round Breast Cancer with A/Prof Carolyn Nickson and Dr Pietro Procopio Risk-based breast cancer screening: insights from the Australian cohort and modelling studies Book now › |
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09 SEP | Nurse-led Research Hub Online Workshops Research-based workshops for nurses Book now › |
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10 SEP | 4th Postdoctoral Symposium: Advances in Cancer Research Showcasing the latest developments in basic, translational and clinical cancer research Book now › |
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Education & Training | |
 | Picchi Award winners join long list of stars The 2021 winners of the prestigious Picchi Awards have added their names to an honour board already littered with successful scientists. As we celebrate our newest crop of Picchi Award winners, we checked in with the winner of the 2017 Picchi Award in Clinical Science, the newly appointed Associate Professor Kathryn Field, to reflect on her remarkable journey thus far. |
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 | What's next in breast cancer research? During July, representatives from the VCCC Alliance and a multidisciplinary group of healthcare professionals and breast cancer advocates from the Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) met online for the first VCCC Alliance Consumer-Driven Research Workshop to explore research questions related to breast cancer. |
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 | Cancer Clincal Trials Internship program 2022 open The VCCC Alliance is once again offering unique and highly sought-after internship opportunities for enthusiastic science/health graduates as well as PhD and post-doctoral graduates looking to build a career in clinical trials.
The 40-week clinical trials internship program provides successful applicants with the opportunity to learn and gain valuable skills and practical experience in cancer clinical trials at various participating sites across Victoria, commencing February 2022. |
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 | Jo Leonard Memorial Scholarship Melbourne Business School is offering a scholarship for a VCCC Alliance member, senior female leader working in cancer research, to participate in their Senior Women in Leadership Program.
This scholarship opportunity is in honour of Jo Leonard who was a long standing and valued member of Melbourne Business School. |
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Spotlight on... | |
Priority vax for patients with cancer The Victorian COVID-19 Cancer Taskforce and Cancer Council Victoria have been working with the Victorian Government to address the high vulnerability of patients with cancer during the pandemic, and the elevated priority to make vaccination available to this group.
Victoria has now reserved COVID-19 vaccine appointments for people aged 16 years and over deemed to be vulnerable and at high risk from COVID-19, including people with or recovering from cancer. Immunocompromised adolescents aged 12- 15 years are also eligible under these new priorities. |
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1,000 cancer voices needed Cancer Council Victoria and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre have developed an online survey to understand the experiences and attitudes of people impacted by cancer that have received, intend to receive or do not intend to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The results will be used to tailor information, communications and strategies to help people with cancer understand and access the COVID-19 vaccine. 1,000 responses needed. |
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WEHI Indigenous Visiting Research Fellowships program WEHI's Indigenous Visiting Research Fellowships program provides funding support for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander researchers to undertake research at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute.
The fellowships support Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander researchers to leverage the expertise of a WEHI laboratory and associated research infrastructure to advance their research and develop their scientific skills and experience. Fellows will be part of a workplace that is actively committed to inclusion and enabling all our people to flourish.
The Indigenous Visiting Research Fellowship program forms part of WEHI's commitment to support the career development and progression of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander researchers. It is one aspect of WEHI’s reconciliation program. |
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July Snapshot | |
 | 9 Education and training events |
|  | 625 Education and training event attendees |
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| KEY | | Leadership and collaboration | | Clinical trials development | | Consumers |
| | Education and training | | Research development |
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