Peter Mac announces Strategic Support for Research Leaders recipients
11 September 2024
Peter Mac is pleased to announce the recipients of the Strategic Support for Research Leaders initiative are Dr Mo Haskali and Professor Paul James.
This program provides research leaders with additional funding of $100,000 a year for up to five years to recognise excellence in research, and further develop the careers of our exceptional research leaders at Peter Mac.
“We are proud of this initiative and to support our exceptional research leaders whose work and dedication is crucial towards continuing Peter Mac’s reputation for research excellence,” Executive Director Cancer Research, Professor Ricky Johnstone said.
“These leading researchers have secured sustained research funding and led investigator-initiated trials and research programs, published high impact papers that often prompt changes in national and international policy and have represented Peter Mac on various committees and conferences nationally and abroad.
“This initiative is aligned with the 2020-25 Research Strategic Plan, in particular our strategic goals around developing and enhancing our workforce, and is generously funded by the Peter Mac Foundation.”
Strategic Support for Research Leaders Recipients:
Dr Mo Haskali
Dr Mo Haskali leads a clinical and research program in radiopharmaceutical sciences at Peter Mac, where he has assembled a talented team to establish Australia’s only fully integrated radiopharmaceutical program, supporting advanced research and clinical developments.
His team is engaged in several major projects aimed at developing novel radiopharmaceuticals for cancer imaging and treatment. Dr Haskali has secured substantial funding through various agreements and is actively involved in commercial activities.
His achievements include four patent applications, influential publications, and groundbreaking work in peptide-based radiopharmaceuticals. Notably, he developed new methods for fluorine-18 labelling and produced the world’s first Carbon-11 labelled Fluoroform, an innovative synthon for tagging bioactive molecules.
Dr Haskali is recognised for his expertise in radiopharmaceutical sciences and is part of the committee organising the 26th International Symposium on Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry, which will be held in Australia in 2025. He is certified by the Australasian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine (ACPSEM) as a radiopharmaceutical scientist and currently serves on the ACPSEM's Professional Standards Board as the national representative for radiopharmaceutical sciences in Australia (2019-2024).
“This generous funding and strategic support will be crucial in establishing a new Department of Radiopharmaceutical Sciences—the first of its kind in Australian hospitals—dedicated to advancing research in this rapidly growing field,” Dr Haskali said.
“This initiative reflects a strong commitment to supporting excellence in research and innovation within our organisation. Personally, it empowers me to pursue my vision and make meaningful advancements in patient care and treatment options.
“I am excited about the opportunity to collaborate with talented colleagues and create a significant impact in this field.”
Professor Paul James
Professor Paul James has led the Familial Cancer Research Group (FCRG) at Peter Mac since 2016, a unique group in Australia combining clinical and laboratory research into the inherited risk of cancer. He has secured $31 million in grants, including recent funds for significant studies including the PRiMO trial.
His team manages the Variants in Practice (ViP) study, a major Australian cancer cohort with over 9,000 participants. The ViP study has influenced practice guidelines and contributed to advances in genetic testing.
Professor James's work is highly cited, with 153 publications in the past five years and has had significant impact on international clinical guidelines and testing panels. He also leads national and international research initiatives and serves on several expert advisory bodies to integrate research into clinical practice.
“This funding will allow me to further my research that focuses on understanding why people are born with different risks of developing cancer in their lifetime and looking at ways of using that information to change cancer outcomes,” Professor James said.
“This support will provide great opportunities to bring new approaches and dive deeper into the huge collection of genomic and clinical data that the familial cancer team have collected in cohorts and clinical trials over more than a decade in the pursuit of personalised cancer risk management.
“I am very grateful to our Foundation for their support with this wonderful initiative.”
If you would like to support research at Peter Mac, visit our Foundation’s website.