Dr Trevor Lockett,  Novel Diagnostics Stream Leader, Preventative Health Flagship

Catching cancer before it appears sounds like an impossibility – but it is not as improbable as it seems thanks to the work of research scientists who are investigating novel diagnostics for colorectal cancer.

The Preventative Health Flagship is working in partnership with the Flinders University of South Australia and medical diagnostic technology company Enterix in a novel diagnostics project to identify the next generation of biomarkers which can be used to identify pre-cancerous adenomas, a proportion of which are capable of progressing  to cancer.

Project partners include Professor Graeme Young from Flinders University and CSIRO PhD student Larry LaPointe, who is also chief technical officer and co-founder of Enterix, a company committed to the development of diagnostics for use in colorectal cancer screening. 

Flagship novel diagnostics stream leader Dr Trevor Lockett says being able to identify the next generation of biomarkers that can be used to identify colorectal cancer at its earliest stages is essential in the drive to lower mortality rates in individuals at risk of developing this disease.

“If colorectal adenomas can be detected early and removed, it is estimated that more than 50 per cent of full cancer cases could be prevented,” he says.

Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer deaths in Australia.

This Flagship project includes scientists from both CSIRO Molecular Science and Mathematical and Information Sciences (CMIS).  CMIS researcher Dr. Rob Dunne plays an important role in the project, which involves bioinformatics - the application of information technology, statistics and mathematics to biological problems involving large volumes of data with complex interrelationships.   Dr. Peter Molloy directs the project's molecular data collection and gene expression experiments within Molecular Science.

Researchers are using gene expression microarrays to analyse the expression of tens of thousands of genes on a single glass slide and thereby identify sensitive new cancer-specific markers of early-stage colorectal cancer.

“This is exciting research which synthesises mathematics, molecular biology and clinical science with the CSIRO working in partnership in this project to help Australians live longer, healthier lives through early diagnosis,” Dr Lockett says.

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The Preventative Health Flagship is a CSIRO initiative and part of the National Research Flagships program that aims to deliver scientific solutions to advance Australia's most important national objectives. One of the largest scientific initiatives ever mounted in Australia, it aligns closely with the Federal Government's National Research Priorities. The initiative brings together our national research resources to deliver breakthroughs in fields ranging from healthcare to light metals and the environment.

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