Biospecimen and Data Resource
The NSWPCN has an extensive and well-annotated biospecimen bank sourced from two main sites in NSW - Bankstown Hospital and Royal North Shore Hospital. We also have cross-jurisdictional partnerships with tissue banks in Victoria, Western Australia and Queensland.
Our biospecimen resource consists of an extensive collection of archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue, which is accompanied by a wealth of clinical and pathological data collected via a minimum data set and managed through a purpose built comprehensive database.
We also have a range of tissue micro-arrays constructed for cancers and other associated tumour groups of interest.
In accordance with National guidelines, the Executive Committee of the
NSWPCN oversees the Network operations, including access to NSWPCN
tissue and data.
For more information on the tissue and data available through the NSWPCN please contact the Project Manager.
Amber Johns
Amber Johns is the project manager for the NSW Pancreatic Cancer Network, serves on the executive committee of the network and is a founding contributor of the NSWPCN Tissue and Data bank.
Amber has extensive experience in Anatomical Pathology, quality systems development and health industry management after many years of running national histology laboratories. Her research interests include improving patient management and the diagnosis of pre-cursor lesions of pancreatic cancer.
Amber Johns is the project manager for the NSW Pancreatic Cancer Network, serves on the executive committee of the network and is a founding contributor of the NSWPCN Tissue and Data bank. Amber has extensive experience in Anatomical Pathology, quality systems development and health industry management after many years of running national histology laboratories. Her research interests include improving patient management and the diagnosis of pre-cursor lesions of pancreatic cancer.
David Chang
David Chang attained his medical degree in 1998 from The University of Sydney. He completed his internship and basic surgical training at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and later advanced surgical training at Liverpool Hospital.
He was awarded his Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 2006. In 2007, he did a year of post fellowship training in the Department of Upper GI Surgery at Bankstown Hospital as part of the Cancer Institute NSW Clinical Fellowship Program. In the same year, he finished a Master of Surgery through The University of Sydney.
In 2008, he commenced his PhD study at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research with a project titled "Biomarkers of prognosis and response to therapy in Pancreatic Cancer".
Anthony Gill
Staff Specialist Department of Anatomical Pathology, Royal North Shore Hospital Clinical Senior Lecturer, University of Sydney
Dr Gill is both a working surgical pathologist in a major Sydney teaching hospital and an experienced researcher. His areas of clinical and scientific interest are endocrine, pulmonary and gastrointestinal pathology with a special emphasis on pancreatic pathology.
Much of his work has concentrated on adapting advances in basic science made at the theoretical, molecular or genetic level into techniques which can be used in diagnostic pathology laboratories to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Many of his discoveries have used the technique of immunohistochemistry.
Glenn Downes
Glenn is the Upper Gastrointestinal (UGIT) Clinical Nurse Coordinator (CNC) located at Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital NSW.
In conjunction with A/Prof. Andrew Biankin and A/Prof. Neil Merrett his role centres on the clinical support, education and monitoring of all UGIT patients with a specific focus on pancreatic cancer research.
This involves recruiting all patients diagnosed with a pancreatic disorder to the study on “The Molecular Pathology of Pancreatic Cancer”, which is part of the research conducted at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research.
Glenn oversees and coordinates the collection and transport of all blood and tissue specimens as well as specific demographic and clinical data from Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital to the Garvan Institute. Glenn also refers these patients and their families to the appropriate psychosocial supportive services.
Helen Gooden
Helen Gooden is the Pancreatic Cancer Support Project Coordinator working on the Cancer Australia "Building Cancer Support Networks Grant" at The Cancer Council NSW in partnership with the NSWPCN.
Her role is a combination of research, and the supportive care needs of patients, carers, and families affected by pancreatic cancer.
Helen coordinates the NSW Pancreatic Support Network information and supportive care services, and promotes the advocacy and awareness of pancreatic cancer.
Lynette Barrett
Tumour Bank Coordinator – Royal North Shore Hospital
Lynette Barrett is a registered nurse and serves as the NSW Pancreatic Cancer Network tissue bank support staff member based at Royal North Shore Hospital.
Lynette oversees the consenting of patients and the coordination of surgeons, pathologists, clinicians and operating theatre staff.
Associate Professor Andrew V. Biankin
- BMedSc, MB BS, FRACS, PhD
- Cancer Institute NSW Fellow
- A/Professor, conjoint appointee UNSW
- Head, Pancreatic Cancer Research Group, Cancer Research Program,
Garvan Institute of Medical Research - Consultant Surgeon (Gastrointestinal Surgery), Sydney South West Area Health
A/Prof Biankin's primary scientific focus is on the role of embryologically important pathways in the development and progression of pancreatic cancer with the overall aim of developing novel therapeutic, early diagnosis, screening and chemoprevention strategies. He has assembled clinico-pathological data and tissue resources for one of the world's most significant cohorts of patients with pancreatic cancer and its precursor lesions for study. Publications involving these cohorts have identified novel biomarkers of prognosis and response to therapy. In addition, he has identified new molecules and pathways that play a role in the development of pancreatic cancer p21WAF1/CIP1, hedgehog and retinoid signalling), and has used models of pancreas development and cancer to elucidate mechanisms in these pathways that are relevant to cancer.
Associate Professor James Kench
- BSc (Med), MB BS, FRCPA, MIAC
- Senior Staff Specialist, Anatomical Pathology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
- Visiting Scientist, Garvan Institute of Medical Research
Associate Professor David Goldstein
- MBBS, MRCP (UK), FRAC0
- Dept of Medical Oncology, Prince of Wales Hospital
- Conjoint Associate Professor, Department of Medicine UNSW
- Staff Specialist in Medical Oncology, Prince of Wales Hospital Sydney
- President Elect for the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia (COSA)
Associate Professor David Goldstein is a senior staff specialist in the Department of Medical Oncology at Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney. He works in a clinical capacity and particularly specialises in gastrointestinal malignancies. He was Chairperson of the Gastrointestinal Malignancies Group, Clinical Oncology Society of Australia (COSA) and was on the COSA executive for six years. He is the medical oncology principal investigator on ESPAC-3 and is also on the trial committee of PA3 and the TROG rectal trial. He has two investigator initiated trials underway that he is co-PI for AGITG trials biliary tract carcinoma and locally advanced pancreatic cancer. He is an active contributor to all AGITG trials and has been the convenor of the ASM for 2004 and 2005.
His research interests include novel modes of growth inhibition for which he has an ongoing laboratory program, multi-modality therapy in pancreatico-biliary cancers, post-treatment fatigue, cross-cultural attitudes to cancer and their potential effects on outcomes and cancer service delivery to regional Australia as a result of his own experiences as a provider of outreach rural services.
Associate Professor Minoti Apte
- MB BS, MMedSci, PhD
- Director, Pancreatic Research Group
- South Western Sydney Clinical School
- UNSW Faculty of Medicine
Pancreatitis is a major complication of alcohol abuse. The pathogenesis of alcohol-induced pancreatic injury is a major interest. Pancreatic fibrosis is a characteristic feature of chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. Mechanisms responsible for pancreatic fibrogenesis, in particular the role of pancreatic stellate cells in the fibrosis of chronic pancreatitis as well as pancreatic cancer is being studied. National and international collaborations have been set up to study the role of pancreatic stellate cells in the local and distant spread of pancreatic cancer.
The role of stromal cells and the epithelial-stromal reaction in the pathogenesis of pancreatic cancer is a topic currently under study.Pancreatic stellate cells have been found to be the predominant stromal cells in pancreatic cancer and the effect of their interaction with pancreatic tumour cells on the local and distant invasion of cancer is being investigated.
Professor Ross Smith
- MB BS, FRACS, MD
- Professor of Surgery
- Royal North Shore Hospital