Developmental Cancer Immunology

The Developmental Cancer Immunology team is working to create better cancer immunotherapies designed specifically for children.

Immunotherapy uses the body’s immune system to fight cancer and has transformed treatment for many adult cancers. However, these treatments often do not work as well in children, as their immune systems are still developing and do not respond in the same way as adults. 

The team’s research focuses on understanding how childhood cancers interact with and hide from the developing immune system. By studying the differences between how children and adults respond to immunotherapy, they aim to uncover why immunotherapy is less effective in children and identify new ways to help children’s immune systems utilise the treatment to better recognise and destroy cancer cells. 

Using world-first paediatric cancer models developed at The Kids Research Institute Australia, the team investigates how cancer cells affect both immune responses within tumours and throughout the body. This research will help identify new treatment targets and develop more effective, child-specific immunotherapies for cancers including brain tumours, leukaemia and sarcoma. 

Working closely with researchers and clinicians through the WA Comprehensive Kids Cancer Centre, the team’s long-term goal is to translate these discoveries into safer, more effective treatments that improve outcomes and long-term quality of life for children with cancer.