Please support us
“I know all too well how devastating these cancers can be. As well as being life threatening, they can lead to facial disfigurement, which has a huge impact on people’s lives. Please help us continue our research and make a real difference.” - David Wiesenfeld
Please support us
“I know all too well how devastating these cancers can be. As well as being life threatening, they can lead to facial disfigurement, which has a huge impact on people’s lives. Please help us continue our research and make a real difference.” - David Wiesenfeld
Our Research Foundation has already achieved a lot, but there’s much more to do
In my 30 years of experience working with patients with head and neck cancers, there’s no doubt that there have been significant improvements in their treatment and care.
These improvements, some of which have been pioneered in Australia, have come through the application of clinical, translational and laboratory research. They are also a reflection of the teamwork approach to treatment that we have championed.
Our Research Foundation plays an integral role in the mission of the ANZHNCS to improve the lives of patients affected by cancer in the head and neck. By raising funds, we can provide the facilities and support that researchers need to better understand head and neck cancers, with the ultimate aim of preventing and curing these diseases.
Like most serious diseases, research into head and neck cancers requires significant funding to facilitate improvements in care. We rely on the generous support of Australians like you to help us provide this funding.
There are a number of ways you can help the Australian ANZHNCS Foundation make a difference. We have a general research fund, or specific funds for skull base cancer, adenoid cystic carcinoma or reconstructive surgery.
The Foundation is an ACNC approved charitable organisation established to support research and improve the lives of people diagnosed with cancer in the head and neck. All donations in excess of $2 are tax deductible in Australia.
Thank you.
Assoc. Professor David Wiesenfeld
Immediate Past Chairman ANZHNCS Research Foundation Australia
Members of the Research Foundation Board
Chair
Dr Kerwin Shannon, Head & Neck Surgeon, Sydney
President
Dr Julia Crawford, Otolaryngologist Head & Neck Surgeon, Sydney
Treasurer
Dr Felix Sim, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, Melbourne
Immediate Past President
Associate Professor Eng H. Ooi, Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgeon, Adelaide
Scientific Committee Chair
Dr Jacqui Frowen, Clinical Lead Speech Pathologist, Victoria
Committee Members
- Associate Professor Martin Batstone, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon, Queensland
- Dr Suren Krishnan, Otolaryngologist Head & Neck Surgeon, South Australia
- Dr Ryan Sommerville, Otolaryngologist Head & Neck Surgeon, Queensland
- Professor Swee Tan, Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon, New Zealand
Members of the Scientific Committee
Chair
Dr Jacqui Frowen, Clinical Lead Speech Pathologist, Melbourne
Committee Members
- Associate Professor Martin Batstone, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon, Queensland
- Dr Tim Iseli, Otolaryngologist Head & Neck Surgeon, Victoria
- Professor Camile Farah, Oral Medicine/Pathology/Oncology Specialist, Western Australia
- Dr Alesha Thai, Medical Oncologist, Victoria
- Dr Chris Daniels, Radiation Oncologist, Victoria
- Dr Rebecca Nund, Speech Pathologist, Queensland
Lauren Barrett Fund
Support research into oral SCC in young people.
Learn more Donate nowSkull Base Fund
Support specific research into this common type of head and neck cancer.
Learn more Donate nowAdenoid Cystic Carcinoma Fund
Support research into adenoid cystic carcinoma, which is difficult to treat.
Learn more Donate nowReconstructive Surgery Fund
Support research into reconstructive surgery for head and neck cancer patients.
Learn more Donate nowResearch Foundation (General Fund)
The general Research Foundation fund raises money to support critical clinical, translational and laboratory research undertaken by academics and medical practitioners. Each year grants are made in support of important research initiatives that are already improving the quality of care and life for head and neck cancer patients.
If you’re as passionate about improving the treatment of patients with cancers of the head and neck as we are, please support us by making a donation to our Research Foundation today.
In addition to donations made to the general fund of the Research Foundation, contributions can also be made to support specific aspects of Head and Neck Cancer treatment.
Please donateSkull Base Fund
The Skull Base Cancer Fund is a dedicated special fund of the ANZHNCS Research Foundation created to support skull base cancer research. Some of these tumours arise at the base of the skull, while others extend to the region from skin or mucosal cancers of the head and neck.
Due to the high numbers of skull base cancers in Australia, and their advanced nature, patients require complex specialised surgery and often they need chemo-radiotherapy as well.
Extensive research is needed to improve the outcomes of patients affected by skull base cancers. You can assist us by making a donation to support Australian research in this important field.
The Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Fund
Adenoid cystic carcinoma (AdCC) is a little-known cancer that most often arises from one or more of the salivary glands. Management is difficult due to its nasty habit of invading nerves around the cancer.
The ANZHNCS Research Foundation has established a special fund to support research into AdCC. Our goal is to find a cure and reduce the debilitating effects of this cancer.
Trudi is an Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma patient who is willing to share her story with you. Please join us and make a difference by donating to fund research into AdCC.
Hi. I’m Trudi and I have adenoid cystic carcinoma (AdCC) – one of those little-known cancers.
My primary cancer was surgically removed from my neck and facial nerve some years ago. More recently I found out that AdCC had metastasised to my lungs.
There is currently no medical treatment for me.
Through my journey I have come to know other brave souls who are also battling this insidious disease. Surgery and radiotherapy are often the initial and only forms of treatment for AdCC. The ongoing effects are devastating. Hearing, speaking, swallowing, breathing and taste can be some of the casualties. Worse is the threat to life. When this cancer spreads, there are no medical solutions and the prognosis is frightening.
Clinical research funding for rare cancers is scarce, and so without effective medical treatment for those affected, outcomes are often poor.
We have in Australia excellent expertise in medical science and some exciting new research proposals for the treatment of AdCC, along with plenty of will to get work under way. We just need funding.
Thank you in advance for whatever you can give. Together we can make a difference!
Trudi
Please donateReconstructive Surgery Fund
Treatment of head and neck cancers, especially large ones, can result in partial or complete loss of the body part treated. This can lead to deformity and impaired self-image, or significant impairment of essential functions like speech, swallowing, chewing or breathing.
Reconstructive surgery aims to restore both appearance and function as much as possible, which can go a long way to helping patients return to their ‘normal’ family, work and social lives.
With continued research, we can further improve the outcomes of reconstruction surgery. You can help us with this vital research by donating to the Reconstructive Surgery Fund of the ANZHNCS Research Foundation.
Lauren Barrett Fund
Lauren completed her forensic science degree in late September 2018 and in October, whilst planning a trip around the world before commencing a full-time job, an ulcer developed on the side of her tongue. Lauren sought prompt treatment seeing her GP and a dentist, they believed that it was a traumatic ulcer from bruxism.
The following month, whilst holidaying in New Zealand, a lump suddenly came up on her neck, she returned home and presented to the Emergency department on November 23. Despite not having any of the usual risk factors (smoking, drinking alcohol, HPV virus) Lauren was diagnosed with oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Lauren underwent a 16 hour operation and this was followed by Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy. Shortly after her recovery from these extensive treatments she was found to have widespread disease in her lung, spine, liver and skull. Even with Lauren undergoing 2 rounds of immunotherapy, she tragically lost her battle with this aggressive cancer on June 30, 2019.
Lauren’s family started fundraising for the ANZHNCS Australian Research Fund at her funeral, determined that they would raise money in her name to research the insidious cancer which robbed Lauren of the bright future that she had ahead of her. The money raised in Lauren’s name will be used to support research into oral SCC in young people.
Please donateHerschel Wiesenfeld Fund
The Herschel Wiesenfeld Fund for Research in Oral and Oropharyngeal Cancer was established by his family in 2012, in memoriam. Herschel sadly passed away in 1956 with advanced oro-pharyngeal carcinoma.
Please donate2024 Research Grants
On the recommendation of the ANZHNCS Scientific Committee, under the leadership of Dr Jacqui Frowen, the 2024 grants were awarded to:
- Prof Ruta Gupta, Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, Sydney – Tailoring Adjuvant Therapy for Oral Care in Young People Through BioPrinting (Lauren Barrett Fund)
- A/Prof Hubert Low, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Sydney – Overcoming Facial Paralyis – Bionic Lid Implant for Natural Closure (BLINC) (General Fund)
2023 Research Grants
On the recommendation of the ANZHNCS Scientific Committee, under the leadership of Dr Jacqui Frowen, the 2023 grants were awarded to:
- Dr Alesha Thai, Melbourne Dental School – The oral microbiome and immune checkpoint inhibitor response in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (General Fund)
- A/Prof Sydney Ch’ng, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney – In-vivo evaluation of a novel bioactive synthetic graft for skeletal and soft tissue reconstructive surgery (Reconstructive Surgery Fund)
2022 Research Grants
On the recommendation of the ANZHNCS Scientific Committee, under the leadership of Dr Jacqui Frowen, the 2022 grants were awarded to:
- Prof Jonathan Clark, Chris O’Brien Lifehouse – Bio-printed adipose derived stem cells for engineering vascularized bone tissue within an in vivo bioreactor (Reconstructive Surgery Fund)
- Dr Ryan Sommerville, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital – The Use of Ultra High-resolution MRI for the assessment of Cranial Neuropathies in Base of Skull Tumours (Skull Base Fund)
2021 Research Grants
On the recommendation of the ANZHNCS Scientific Committee, under the leadership of Dr Jacqui Frowen, the 2021 grants were awarded to:
- Dr Rajdeep Chakraborty, Macquarie University – A tumour-cell based initiation of immune evasion (Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Fund)
- Dr Alesha Thai, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre – Validation of the prognostic marker CD103 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (General Fund)
2020 Research Grants
On the recommendation of the ANZHNCS Scientific Committee, under the leadership of Dr Jacqui Frowen, the 2020 grants were awarded to:
- Dr Charbel Darido, The University of Melbourne – Profiling the Oral Microbiome in Novel Barrier Impaired Mouse Models of OSCC
- Associate Professor Ruta Gupta, Chris O’Brien Lifehouse – Young Oral Cancer (Lauren Barret Fund)
2019 Research Grants
On the recommendation of the Research Advisory Committee, under the leadership of Dr Lyndell Kelly, the 2019 grants were awarded to:
- Associate Professor Ruta Gupta, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital – Investigating the genomic landscape of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma in an emerging young cohort
- Dr Tami Yap, University of Melbourne – Specificity of a non-invasive oral cancer test in head and neck cancers beyond the oral cavity
- Dr. Elise Gane, The University of Queensland – Neck rehabilitation after neck dissection for head and neck cancer: a pilot intervention study
- Professor Rob Ramsay, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre – Exploiting 3-D Models of Salivary Gland Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma to Discover Novel Therapies and Biological Insights
- Professor Ben Panizza, Princess Alexandra Hospital Brisbane – Therapeutic potential for the treatment of adenoid cystic carcinoma
2018 Research Grants
On the recommendation of the Research Advisory Committee, under the leadership of Dr Lyndell Kelly, the 2018 grants were awarded to:
- Dr Swee Tan, Gillies McIndoe Research Institute New Zealand – Cancer Stem Cells in Metastatic Head and Neck Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma
- Professor Robert Ramsay, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre – Novel Immunological Targeting of the Rare Cancer Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma
- Associate Professor Ruta Gupta, Chis O’Brien Lifehouse – Can Clinical Validation of Biologic Predictors of Metastases in Head and Neck Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma be Achieved by Transcriptomic Profiling
- Professor Jonathan Clark, University of Sydney, Chris O’Brien Lifehouse – The Bionic Lid Implant for Natural Eye Closure (BLINC)
- Ms Mistyka Schar, Flinders Medical Centre – Pharyngeal Augmentation for Dysphagia (PAD) Therapy: A Novel Therapeutic Surgical Approach to Improve Swallowing Following Head and Neck Cancer Treatment
2017 Research Grants
On the recommendation of the Research Advisory Committee, under the leadership of Dr Lyndell Kelly, the 2017 grants were awarded to:
- Merran Findlay, University of Sydney – Enhanced Recovery After Surgery: Feasibility of Pre-operative Carbohydrate Loading in Patients Undergoing Major Head and Neck Cancer Surgery with Free Flap Reconstruction
- Dr Giri Krishnan and Dr Andrew Foreman, University of Adelaide – Magnetic Nanotechnology For Sentinel Lymph Node Mapping In Oral Cancer
- Dr Roger Yazbek and Assoc Prof Eng Hooi Ooi, Flinders University – A Development and validation of new breath analysis tools for the non-invasive detection of head and neck cancers
2016 Research Grants
On the recommendation of the Research Advisory Committee, under the leadership of Dr Lyndell Kelly, grants were awarded to:
- Dr Peter Graham, University of New South Wales – Understanding the effect of regional dosimetry and lymphoedema on swallow dysfunction
- Dr Bruce Ashford and Chris O’Brien, Lifehouse – Unravelling genetic markers of progression and metastases in Head and Neck Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma
- Professor Jonathan Clark, c/- Sydney Head and Neck Cancer Institute – Analysis of RNA in metastatic cutaneous SCC with nanostring
2015 Research Grants
On the recommendation of the Research Advisory Committee, under the leadership of Dr Lyndell Kelly, grants were awarded to:
- Tami Yap, Melbourne Dental School, University of Melbourne – Oral swirl samples – a robust source of microRNA protected by extracellular vesicles
- Tami Yap, Melbourne Dental School, University of Melbourne – Predicting the Presence of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Using Commonly Dysregulated MicroRNA in Oral Swirls
- Kendrick Koo, University of Melbourne – Targeted Next-Generation Sequencing of Oral Cavity Carcinomas in an Australian Cohort
- Rebecca Nund, The University of Queensland – Development and validation of the Significant Other Scale for Eating in Head and Neck Cancer