A new research grants program is nurturing the next generation of cancer researchers. In 2025, Cancer Council Victoria joined forces with the Victorian Government to fund the best and brightest cancer researchers in Victoria.
Each year, around $40 million will be invested into early career and mid-career researchers, creating opportunities for them to pursue high quality studies that will advance cancer prevention, early detection, treatment, and care for people affected by cancer.
By combining resources and expertise, this partnership builds on Victoria’s international reputation as a leader in cancer research and works to ensure groundbreaking ideas can flourish.
"What matters most to us is backing passionate researchers with the support they need to turn strong ideas into meaningful, real‑world outcomes that can improve lives here in Victoria and beyond,” said Amy Shelly, Head of Research Governance and Business Operations
“This program ensures the next generation of cancer research leaders can thrive, and that their work reaches the people who need it most.”
One of the inaugural Cancer Research Fellowships Victoria recipients was Dr. Bonnita Werner from Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and the University of Melbourne. Awarded a three-year $450,000 fellowship, Bonnita’s research is focussing on better understanding peoples’ response to a new type of immunotherapy for ovarian cancer.
In recent years, immunotherapy has transformed cancer care by harnessing the body’s own immune system to fight the disease – yet it’s shown little success for ovarian cancer.
Instead, Dr Werner’s research focuses on B-cells that produce cancer-targeting antibodies and are linked to long-term survival.
“Ovarian cancer has really poor survival rates, but some individuals manage to do well long-term,” she said.
“Rather than focusing on those who sadly don’t survive ovarian cancer, we’re flipping the narrative and studying people who do well long-term to understand why and using that knowledge to improve outcomes for everyone.
“My colleagues have found long-term survivors often have antibody-producing immune cells at the cancer site.
“The research I’ve been funded to do aims to work out how we can leverage those antibodies to create a therapeutic tool in the future.”