FORUM FOSTERS DIALOGUE BETWEEN BREAST CANCER LIVED EXPERIENCE ADVOCATES, RESEARCHERS AND CLINICIANS Organised by the University of Queensland and Translational Research Institute
In October 2024, the Frazier Institute hosted an event dedicated to breast cancer advocacy and research, supported by TRI (Translational Research Institute), National Breast Cancer Foundation, PA Research Foundation, Health Translation Queensland, QUT and The University of Queensland Faculty of Medicine/Frazer Institute.
The key aim of the event co-organised by Associate Professor Joy Wolfram, Group Leader, Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology & School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland was to foster dialogue between breast cancer lived experience advocates (consumers), researchers, and clinicians.
Co-organiser Associate Professor Fernando Guimaraes, Group Leader, Principal Research Fellow, Frazer Institute, The University of Queensland spoke to Australian Health Journal about the need to host the event and regularly engage with consumers.
Jo Maxwell, Principal Project Officer, Consumer and Community Involvement in Research Strategy and Support at The University of Queensland also spoke about the standards for consumer participation and collaboration adopted from the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2).
“IAP2 guides the researcher to structure consumer involvement all through the different stages of their research”, says Maxwell.
Associate Professor Cleola Anderiesz, Chief Executive Officer National Breast Cancer Foundation presented at the Forum and spoke to Australian Health Journal on the impact of engagement when communities, researchers and clinicians come together to hear about the latest research and discuss a future of better breast cancer care and outcomes.
The day long event was enlightening and impactful. The forum in Brisbane included a workshop focused on creating international connections between breast cancer consumers in Australia and the United States, with insights from leading breast cancer oncologists, clinicians, consumers, researchers, and community.
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Maximising benefits, minimising harms in population health screening
Population screening is an important contributor to advancing health outcomes through the early detection of and successful intervention for chronic disease. The evolution of science, technology and evidence relating to diseases which are or may be amenable to a population screening approach deserve broad discussion and the sharing of expertise and evidence. They also warrant close scrutiny in context of health policy and health resource allocation considerations.
In March, Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) convened Screening Conference Conference 2025 with the theme of ‘Population Screening for Chronic Disease – Maximising Benefits, Minimising Harms’.
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Trends report identifies prototyping targets for breakthroughs in digital and hybrid futures
Vishaal Kishore, a Professor of Innovation and Public Policy at RMIT in Melbourne, serves as the Executive Chair of the RMIT-Cisco Health Transformation Lab and RMIT’s Director of Impact. Led by the RMIT-Cisco Health Transformation Lab, the National Industry Innovation Network (NIIN) Health Alliance combines the best minds, technologists, industry capabilities and academic resources to solve pressing industry and social challenges through technology-driven innovation. The NIIN aims to pool insights and expertise to address national health challenges, marking its first vertical focus on health.
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Significant funding announced for NSW biomedical researchers
The Snow Medical Research Foundation (Snow Medical) has announced a new $24 million investment in three outstanding Australian biomedical researchers through its prestigious Snow Fellowships.
These Fellows will tackle major global health challenges spanning autoimmune disease, neurological disorders, and genetic disease. Their work addresses conditions that disproportionately affect vulnerable and underserved populations, including First Nations communities, while advancing precision medicine and translational care. Collectively, their research aims to deliver safer vaccines, better diagnostics, and more equitable genomic and neurological healthcare.
