The Woolcock Institute of Medical Research

The Commonwealth government will launch a new national lung cancer screening programme on 1 July 2025. This will ensure lung cancer early identification is a key national priority over future years.

Our team in the Woolcock Centre for Lung Cancer Research is leading the way with our innovative lung cancer research programmes.

One of our research programmes aims to get a better understanding of the role of antibiotics as a co-therapy in lung cancer treatment. A large NSW study has shown that some types of antibiotics may in fact increase survival for patients with lung cancer. Woolcock researchers are involved in a clinical trial to examine this important question.

We are also investigating how the microbiome (the community of micro-organisms that live in the body) can shape the effectiveness of lung cancer therapies. We are particularly focused on developing new ways and better testing methods to identify those patients who are not likely to benefit from cancer therapy. These patients could then receive microbiome-correcting interventions which range from simple dietary modifications to microbiome-based biotherapeutics.

Additionally, our team is looking at rare variants of lung cancer genes in children. In collaboration with the Children’s Cancer Research Unit at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead Institute, we are hoping to understand the biological significance of these rare cancer genes and whether they predispose to the development of cancer in these children.

Find out more

• Woolcock Centre for Lung Cancer Research
• Lung Cancer Screening: The Bigger Picture
• Support our lung cancer research with a tax-deductible donation