The Woolcock Institute of Medical Research

LUNG CANCER CHALLENGE

Lung cancer is one of the respiratory research community’s greatest challenges and the Lung Cancer Research Network, based at the Woolcock Centre for Lung Cancer Research, is leading the way with collaborative projects and research into new treatments and diagnostics.

“I want to build on the lung cancer programme at the Woolcock in partnership with other researchers and clinicians,” says Executive Director Professor Paul Foster. “This will form an important new partnership with Macquarie University and the Respiratory Health Service at Macquarie Hospital.

“Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer related deaths in Australia and is understudied. Our goal is to close the knowledge gap for improved health outcomes.”

REGIONAL AND RURAL

The importance of sleep is more widely recognised today than ever before and the research being done in Sleep at the Woolcock, by both acknowledged leaders in the field and the next generation, is wide ranging says Executive Director, Professor Paul Foster.

Improving sleep improves people’s lives – helping them work, play, think, engage with their community and thrive but access to sleep services in some parts of Australia is limited.

“As an institute, we’re focussed on research but we can also identify an unmet need and, through education and our Clinic, go some way to addressing it. We need to reach out to regional and rural people and let them know there are services available to them. And resources they can access.”

ASTHMA ADVANCES

Professor Foster is a world leader in the field of asthma research and has been instrumental in the development of biologics which, in the past 10 years, have provided answers for people with severe asthma.

“Treatment for asthma hadn't changed since the '70s or '80s until biologics came along. There’s still a long way to go though. At least 50 percent of people with severe asthma are not responsive to current treatments.”

“And too many people rely on their puffer. Many see respiratory disease as something that people need to ‘suck up and get on with’. That has to change. Respiratory disease is one of the leading causes of why people don’t attend work. It’s one of the leading causes of why kids don’t go to school. Respiratory diseases kill people and they stop them from living their lives to the fullest.”

MENTORSHIP AND MENTORING

Professor Foster’s way of approaching his work stems from his time working with Professor Michael Denborough at the John Curtin School of Medicine at ANU, an important mentor.

“His influence on my career was profound because he was a humanist and he taught me not just about science, but about life and life processes. Science should always be about promoting the health and wealth of individuals. That’s why most people do science. Then science runs into medicine and medicine produces a much better, healthier community.”

Professor Foster, in turn, has been a mentor to many others – graduating 33 PhD students and is looking forward to working to nurture the next generation of researchers at the Woolcock.

Find out more

• About Professor Paul Foster
• About the Woolcock
• Sign up to our monthly newsletter