Garvan’s head cancer researcher honoured

Professor Rob Sutherland is the recipient of this year's NSW Premier’s Award for Outstanding Cancer Researcher.

Premier Kristina Keneally presented Sutherland with the $50,000 prize at a black-tie dinner last Friday night at the Australian Technology Park in Sydney.

Director of the Cancer Research Program at Sydney’s Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sutherland is recognised globally for his research into cancers that are dependent on sex steroid hormones for their development and progression, particularly breast cancer and prostate cancer.

Among Sutherland’s many achievements over 25 years of research has been his contribution to understanding the role of the female sex hormone oestrogen in the proliferation of breast cancer cells.

“That basic biology led in turn to the application of tamoxifen and other agents that have been used very effectively in the treatment of breast cancer,” he said, adding that he hoped that recognition from the award would “help us secure the ongoing support we need to translate medical research discoveries into better outcomes for cancer patients."