TR-ANZGOG is an ANZGOG research initiative to add value to important clinical trials in women with gynaecological cancers by supporting the collection and use of biospecimens for further research. This will help to find biomarkers that are associated with good response to trial drugs, and, if response is not as good as expected, to find out why.

Chaired by ANZGOG Research Advisory Committee member Professor Anna DeFazio AM, Sydney West Chair of Translational Cancer Research, Centre for Cancer Research, the TR-ANZGOG Steering Committee is comprised of a panel of experts whose specialities include pathology, clinical trial management, pure science research, surgery, oncology, ethics, operations and people with a lived experience representation.

TR-ANZGOG is managing the translational component of the SOLACE2 trial. This Phase 2 national clinical trial is investigating whether immunological priming could improve the subsequent response to immunotherapy in women with the most common type of ovarian cancer (high-grade serous) at the first sign of relapse. The SOLACE2 Study Chair, clinician scientist Professor Clare Scott AM, Head of the Ovarian Cancer Laboratory at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, and ANZGOG Board member, considers it a “really important advance to be able to offer this trial to patients” as these asymptomatic women would otherwise only be observed until their disease progresses. In addition to studying immune therapy, every woman on this trial receives treatment with a PARP inhibitor, an exciting new treatment for ovarian cancer. SOLACE2 has a strong translational research component, to improve our understanding of the biology and to identify biomarkers associated with response to treatment.

  • Prof Anna DeFazio AM – Chair, TR-ANZGOG: Translational Research (NSW)
  • Claire Davies – Project Manager, TR-ANZGOG (NSW)
  • A/Prof Philip Beale – Chair, ANZGOG: Medical Oncologist (NSW)
  • A/Prof Lyndal Anderson – Gynaecological Pathologist (NSW)
  • A/Prof Pam Pollock – Principal Research Fellow (QLD)
  • Prof David Bowtell – Head, Cancer Genomics & Genetics (VIC)
  • A/Prof Alison Brand AM – Director, Gynaecological Oncology (NSW)
  • Dr Alison Davis AM – Medical Oncologist (ACT)
  • Prof Linda Mileshkin – Medical Oncologist (VIC)
  • Alison Evans – Chief Executive Officer, ANZGOG (NSW)
  • Prof Clare Scott AM – Medical Oncologist (VIC)
  • Karen Livingstone AM – Ex-Officio, ANZGOG (VIC)
  • John Andrews – Ex-Officio, ANZGOG (NSW)
  • Dr Niluja Thiru – Radiation Oncologist (NSW)
  • Dr David Chang – Radiation Oncologist (VIC)

TR-ANZGOG Network of Laboratories

TR-ANZGOG aims to have at least one to two laboratories in each Australian state and territory, as required, with expansion to New Zealand. The first TR-ANZGOG Network Laboratories have been approved in New South Wales  (NSW Health Statewide Biobank, Gynaecological Oncology Biobank at Westmead) and Victoria (Australian Ovarian Cancer Study (AOCS), Cancer Ageing and Vaccines laboratory, RMIT), with expansion underway to include regional and NZ representation.

For further information, please view the publicly available documents below, or contact TR-ANZGOG Program Manager – Claire:

Claire Davies
Project Manager – TR-ANZGOG
T: +61 8004 3401
E: tr-anzgog@anzgog.org.au