An Australian-first cancer research facility that will allow scientists to examine individual cancer and immune cells in unprecedented detail has officially opened at the University of Sydney, marking a major step forward in tackling persistent and difficult-to-treat cancers.
The ACRF Single Cell Cancer Proteomics Laboratory, located within Sydney Mass Spectrometry at the Charles Perkins Centre, brings together cutting-edge technologies to help researchers investigate why some cancer cells survive treatment, go on to regrow and ultimately spread.
The facility is Australia’s first dedicated laboratory focused on single-cell cancer proteomics and will be available as a national resource for researchers across Australia.
It represents a $4.2 million combined investment from the Australian Cancer Research Foundation and the University of Sydney, with support from the Cancer Institute NSW.
Officially opened by NSW Minister for Medical Research, David Harris MP, the facility aims to help solve one of the enduring mysteries in cancer research: why some cancers respond to treatment while others persist.
The laboratory will combine leading-edge technologies including a Leica laser capture microdissection microscope, CellenOne Neo single-cell sample preparation system, advanced bioinformatics platforms, and the Orbitrap Astral Zoom Mass Spectrometer dedicated to single-cell cancer research.
