Haematology and Oncology

Contact

Dr Nick Gottardo | Consultant
Nick.Gottardo@health.wa.gov.au

Departmental Overview

This is the only specialized paediatric haematology, oncology and BMT department in Western Australia which diagnoses, treats and follows all children and adolescents with cancers and complex non-malignant haematological disorders. 80-90 new oncology patients are diagnosed annually with around approximately 20 inpatients at any given times. We have a large multidisciplinary team providing a comprehensive service with medical and psychosocial expertise. 
We are members of a number of national and international collaborative clinical trials groups including ANZCHOG (Australian and New Zealand Childrens Haematology/Oncology Group) and Children’s Oncology Group (COG) benefitting our patients from state of the art clinical trials. Our aim is to achieve a 100% cure rate and minimise complications. To achieve this, we have robust research programmes at The Kids Research Institute Australia and our staff have made significant contributions to the field of cancer research and treatment with many publications in peer-reviewed journals.

Research Projects

Some of the key research projects are:
  • Pre-clinical research in association with The Kids Research Institute Australia.

Brain Tumour Research Team

Dr Nick Gottardo is Co-Head of Brain Tumour Research Team at The Kids Research Institute Australia. The team strives to improve the understanding of paediatric brain tumour biology and finding more effective treatments.

Medulloblastoma research - We established two new models of medulloblastoma using surgical samples obtained from Perth Children’s Hospital. These models represent a subgroup of medulloblastoma with a poor prognosis, and allow us to test new therapies on this specific subtype. We found that treatment of mice bearing these tumor types with a drug that targets the cancer cells’ ability to repair the damage caused by conventional chemotherapeutics resulted in decreased cancer cell growth and increased cancer cell death, indicating treatment efficacy. These new models established by our laboratory enable rigorous assessment of new treatments for this subgroup of medulloblastoma, allowing the identification of viable new agents for clinical trials.

Leukaemia and Cancer Genetics Research Team

Dr Rishi Kotecha is Co-Head of Leukaemia and Cancer Genetics Research Team. The overarching goals of the team are to understand the genetic features and mechanisms underlying different types of childhood leukaemia and to develop novel therapeutic strategies.

Clinical Research

Phase III Clinical Trials

We participate in phase III clinical trials conducted by international collaborative groups like Children’s Oncology Group and International Society of Paediatric Oncology. 

Early Phase Clinical Trials

Dr Santosh Valvi leads our newly established Early Phase Clinical Trials Unit. With the availability of several phase I & II clinical trials, patients have an opportunity to receive newer therapies which would be otherwise unavailable. This unit will provide the clinical framework to test newly identified therapies in TKI laboratories.  

Last Updated: 28/10/2024