Catalysis

Professor Paul Timpson speaks with Divya on pancreas cancer research, his relationship with mentors and mentees and how to deal with career rejection

In this episode, Professor Alex Broom shares his research insights into the social, political and economic aspects of cancer care, primarily investigating the inequities within our health system and the flow on effect this has for the individual and society. Professor Broom is a Professor of Sociology at the School of Social and Political Sciences, The University of Sydney. He is recognised as an international leader in sociology, with a specific interest in health. This has included a focus on the social, cultural and political dimensions of cancer and palliative care, and more recently, infectious diseases. His work takes a person-centred approach, qualitatively exploring the complex intersections of individual experience and social, cultural and political context.

Dr Alison Young is the current T2T3 Research Fellow at Sydney Catalyst and is working on implementing a smoking cessation pathway in several hospital sites across Sydney and regional NSW.

In this episode, I caught up with Dr Peter Fox, medical oncologist in Dubbo, Bathurst and Orange. We discussed the challenges of cancer care in regional NSW, and also some of the benefits of country life. You can read Peter's article on cancer care inequality - https://www.sydneycatalyst.org.au/media/439766/mja_article.pdf

Dr Haryana Dhillon discusses the potential impact of cancer treatment on cognition, research into the phenomenon and potential interventions to aid recovery.Haryana is a Research Fellow in Cancer Survivorship at the Centre for Medical Psychology and Evidence-based Decision-making (CeMPED) University of Sydney. She is also a member of the Board of the Clinical Oncological Society of Australia (COSA) and Council, and chair of the Survivorship Group of COSA.Haryana co-leads a Cancer Survivorship Research Group based in the University of Sydney. The group is supported on peer-reviewed funding, allowing studies in cancer and cognition, physical activity in cancer populations, sleep disturbance and symptom control. She also maintains an active research interest in health literacy, communication in the cancer setting and patient education.Read more - https://www.sydneycatalyst.org.au/events/speakers-ecr-debate/dr-haryana-dhillon.aspx

Professor David Thomas discusses genomic and the future of genomic medicine, particular for patients with rare cancers and the development of the Australian Genomic Cancer Research Program.For more information on the Australian Genomic Cancer Research Program see https://www.garvan.org.au/our-work/genomic-cancer-medicine-programInformation on MOST is available here - https://www.sydneycatalyst.org.au/our-research/david-thomas-molecular-screening-and-therapeutics-program-(most).aspx

This episode, I chatted with Lindsey Reece. Lindsey is director of the SPRINTER research team working in partnership across the University of Sydney and the Office of Sport within the NSW Government. Before arriving in Sydney, Lindsey managed a broad portfolio of research and consultancy, at Sheffield Hallam University’s (Yorkshire, UK) Centre for Sport and Exercise Science, focusing on the management of chronic disease through physical activity promotion including; Cancer Survivorship, Neurological conditions, Obesity Prevention and large scale Community Physical Activity and Sport program’s. She worked closely with Public Health England and Sport England to implement their national physical activity strategies and led numerous projects in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Care, British Lung Foundation, parkrun and Local Authority, NHS agencies.A copy of the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia Position Statement on Exercise in Cancer Care is available online - https://www.sydneycatalyst.org.au/media/434357/clinical_oncology_society_of_australia_position_statement_on_exercise_in_cancer_care.pdf SBS' Episode on The Exercise Pill is available online - https://www.sbs.com.au/news/insight/tvepisode/exercise-pill

This month I chatted with members at our annual Postgraduate & Early Career Research Symposium and recorded the thoughts, insights and advice from our esteemed panel.

Phyllis Butow and Phil Hogg sat down to chat about the nuts and bolts of translational research and finding your niche in the cancer research space.

In our inaugural episode, Sydney Catalyst Program Coordinator Ellen Brodie, sat down with Professors John Simes and Michael Boyer to chat about Sydney Catalyst and the change of Director.