Four researchers at the Peter Mac have recently been recognised for their contribution to cancer research with promotions.

Paul James is a Clinical Geneticist and the Director of the Parkville Familial Cancer Centre at the Peter Mac and Royal Melbourne Hospital, and Head of Clinical Genetics in the Department of Genomic Medicine (Royal Melbourne Hospital). Paul has been promoted to a Professor. 

Paul is currently focussed on studying the effect of Polygenic Risk Modification on breast cancer risk management and prevention: (PRiMo) trial.  The trial is a national randomised controlled trial coordinated from Peter Mac to examine if the addition of polygenic risk information improves the management of women at risk of familial cancer. This is one of the first trials internationally to bring polygenic risk into clinical care.

Amit Khot is a Senior Haematologist and Bone Marrow Transplant Physician, and Stream Lead for the Myeloma and Autologous Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) service at the Peter Mac and Royal Melbourne Hospital.  Amit has been promoted to Associate Professor.

Amit’s ongoing research interests include investigation of immunotherapy, bone marrow transplantation and novel agents to improve outcomes in myeloma and lymphoproliferative disorders. He is especially interested in T-cell disorders and in collaborations to optimise care of patients with myeloma and other haematologic malignancies that need intensive therapies with interventions such as prehabilitation.

Piers Blombery is a clinical and laboratory haematologist and lead of the molecular haematology service in the Department of Pathology at Peter Mac.  Piers has been promoted to Associate Professor . 

Piers is a haematologist specialising in the aggressive lymphoma tumour stream and leads the molecular haematology service at Peter Mac. Piers runs the Wilson Centre for Blood Cancer Genomics which is a translational diagnostics research program and he is also responsible for the genetic haematology service at Peter Mac including an expanding clinical research program in inherited blood diseases.

Lev Kats is a laboratory head within the Cancer Biology and Therapeutics Program at the Peter Mac. Lev has been promoted to Associate Professor. 

Lev has a primary research interest in blood cancers, epigenetics and targeted therapies.