Recognition of excellence for cancer vaccine research
1 December 2008
Groundbreaking research into the development of designer vaccines for the treatment of cancer has won Dianne
Sika-Paotonu, a PhD student from the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, Victoria University of Wellington, the 2008
Colmar Brunton New Zealand Research Excellence Award.
The Colmar Brunton Research Excellence Award recognises excellence in research being undertaken by a Victoria University
student.
Supported by a Health Research Council of New Zealand Pacific Health PhD scholarship, the focus of Dianne’s research is
to use designer vaccines to train the immune system to seek out and destroy cancer tissue. The cancer vaccines are
created from a rare group of immune cells called dendritic cells, which are responsible for initiating powerful immune
responses.
“The aim of my PhD project is to devise a simple strategy to enhance the effectiveness of current dendritic cell-based
vaccines for the treatment of all cancers,” Dianne says.
Under the supervision of Dr Ian Hermans, Head of the Malaghan Institute Vaccine Research Group, and guidance of research
fellow Dr Troels Petersen, Dianne has shown that the cancer killing immune response generated by the dendritic-cell
based vaccine is significantly improved when used in combination with a unique sea sponge extract.
Dianne said, “The incorporation of the sea sponge compound into the dendritic cell based vaccination protocol is a
simple modification to the current dendritic-cell based vaccine strategies that are currently being trialled both here
at the Malaghan Institute and overseas.”
By identifying ways to maximise the anti-tumour immune response directed by the dendritic cell cancer vaccine, Dianne’s
research offers the promise of a more effective cancer therapy that doesn’t come with the side effects of current
conventional treatments.
“This is a tumour specific therapy meaning only tumour cells are targeted for destruction, unlike other conventional
cancer treatments which can destroy both normal and cancer tissue,” said Dianne. “As this work has been conducted in an
experimental model of melanoma, it is of direct relevance to all New Zealanders, especially given our increased
incidence of skin cancer relative to other countries.”
Earlier this year, Dianne won the Advancing Human Health and Wellbeing category of the MacDiarmid Young Scientist of the
Year Awards for her cancer vaccine research.
The Malaghan Institute is very proud to congratulate Dianne on her distinguished success.
ENDS