New MOGA chair announced
Dr Deme Karikios has been announced as the new Chair of the Medical Oncology Group of Australia (MOGA) following the society’s AGM last week.
Previously MOGA Deputy Chair, Dr Karikios has now officially stepped up to the top job after outgoing Chair Professor Prunella Blinman handed over the reigns following completion of her two year term.
Dr Karikios is a medical oncologist and director of clinical trials at Nepean Cancer Care Centre in Sydney. He is widely known for his advocacy and research into costs and improved access to anticancer drugs and decisions about treatment with expensive unsubsidised cancer treatments.
On Twitter he said he was “very humbled to be given the responsibility [of MOGA chair] … Hope I can make those that have trusted me with the role proud. I do my best to advocate for our patients and our profession.”
ACORD 21 workshop goes virtual
The Medical Oncology Group of Australia is set to host the 2021 Australia and Asia Pacific Clinical Oncology Research Development (ACORD) Protocol Development Workshop next week.
Now in its 10th year, the week-long educational program in clinical trial design and development will this year be an all virtual event.
Convened by Professor Martin Stockler, director of cancer trials at the NHMRC’s Clinical Trials Centre, the workshop looks at effective clinical trial design for early career clinical cancer researchers from all oncology sub-specialties.
It starts officially this Sunday with 72 junior oncology participants from Taiwan, India, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, New Zealand and Australia and an international faculty of 50 world experts.
Read more.
Honour for breast cancer researcher
Medical oncologist Professor Sherene Loi has been awarded a prestigious Jian Zhou Medal from the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (AAHMS).
The AAHMS said Professor Loi, from the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, had challenged the dogma that immunotherapy was not possible with breast cancer.
Her work had facilitated development of immunotherapy approaches internationally and contributed to better outcomes for breast cancer patients.
The Medal, for individuals who are making an impact in translational medical science, honours cervical cancer vaccine co-inventor, the late Professor Jian Zhou of Queensland.
The other 2021 recipient of the Jian Zhou Medal was immunologist Professor Di Yu from The University of Queensland’s Diamantina Institute for his work in autoimmune and infectious diseases.