Chromatin and Mitochondria Directed Therapy

Neuroblastoma Australia is delighted to be partnering with the Kids' Cancer Project to fund a project led by Dr. Belamy Cheung, Principal Scientist - Program Manager, from the Children's Cancer Institute. 

Following an in-depth review of Dr. Cheung's proposal by our world class Scientific Advisory Board it was we recommended support this research project, alongside Kids' Cancer Project, as it demonstrated exceptional research quality and the potential to make a difference to treatments. 

Dr. Belamy Cheung from the Children’s Cancer Institute will study the potential for combined therapies to deliver neuroblastoma treatments that are compatible with children's bodies and therefore less toxic and less likely to leave children with long-term health challenges.

Development of novel therapeutics to treat neuroblastoma with reduced toxicity

Dr. Belamy Cheung

This research addresses a critical need for children with neuroblastoma that is under-studied, has no effective therapies due to its relative rarity, is ignored by pharmaceutical companies.

Most cancer chemotherapeutics today are general cytotoxins, that are highly toxic to normal tissues, and have been in use for more than 40 years.

One third of childhood cancer survivors have a major health problem in young adulthood, and there is an urgent need for new drugs with high specificity for cancer cells and low toxicity for the normal growing tissues of a child. Dr. Belamy Cheung

Achieving Neuroblastoma Australia's Mission

Dr. Cheung's project aligns directly with Neuroblastoma Australia’s mission to develop treatments which are more effective in treating high-risk neuroblastoma with reduced toxicity, ultimately to find a cure for neuroblastoma.

Dr. Cheung's team has discovered a new tumour promoting gene in neuroblastoma, called SLC25A5 and identified a new drug that targets SLC25A5, called PENAO. They have also developed an effective drug combination (PENAO + SAHA) treatment against neuroblastoma.

In the proposed project they aim to further improve the efficacy of this combination therapy, so they can rapidly translate these findings to the clinic and directly benefit children with high-risk and relapsed neuroblastoma.

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You can help fund groundbreaking research projects to find new, better treatments for children diagnosed neuroblastoma. Please donate today. If you want to help us support research, regular giving provides constant support, even $10 a month makes a difference.