Dr. Claire Sun, an AI expert at the Hudson Institute of Medical Research, has been awarded a prestigious Children's Cancer CoLab Mid-Career Researcher Future Leader Fellowship. This funding, totaling $619,926 over three years, will significantly boost her groundbreaking research on using AI and epigenetics to develop safer, targeted treatments for childhood brain tumors. These cancers are the leading cause of disease-related death in Australian children, and traditional treatments often fail due to the biological differences between childhood and adult cancers. Dr. Sun's research focuses on the epigenome, a layer of chemical switches that control gene expression, and her team aims to map, target, and predict therapies for these complex cancers using AI.
One of the key aspects of this project is the development of the Childhood Cancer Model Atlas (CCMA), the world's largest open-source collection of high-risk pediatric cancer cell lines. Dr. Sun has been instrumental in driving this initiative since 2018. The fellowship will fund three main pillars: mapping the epigenome, identifying functional targets through CRISPR gene editing, and predicting therapies using AI. This will result in a new clinician decision-support platform, CCMA-EPIC, to help oncologists interpret patient tumor profiles in real-time.
Dr. Sun's research is deeply rooted in patient experience, as it was co-designed with the Hudson Institute's Patient and Family Advisory Committee. The project's priority is to develop effective therapies with minimal toxicity, and the funding ensures that patient input remains central to the research process. The findings will be integrated into Australia's ZERO Childhood Cancer Program and shared globally through partnerships, ensuring a significant international impact.
In her own words, Dr. Sun expresses her honor and excitement about the fellowship, emphasizing the potential of AI to decode cancer complexity and provide personalized therapeutic opportunities for children with brain tumors. This project not only showcases the power of AI in healthcare but also highlights the importance of patient-centered research, where the voices and needs of those directly affected by the disease are at the forefront.
