Record $3.5 million injection of hope for ovarian cancer research 

MEDIA RELEASE:

• The Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation (OCRF) today announced its largest-ever funding distribution with $3.5M dedicated to cutting-edge ovarian cancer research.
• Eight projects have received funding from the OCRF’s 2025 National Research Grants Program. Awardees include Australian researchers who are among the few in the world with programs dedicated to rare ovarian cancer subtypes. 
• The OCRF grant recipients are from five institutions including the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, QUT, Griffith University and QIMR Berghofer.
• Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynaecological cancer

Eight innovative medical research projects will share in a record $3.5 million awarded in the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation’s 2025 National Research Grants Program.

This is the largest funding distribution in the OCRF’s 25-year history, reflecting the foundation’s growing success in fundraising and awareness, and a strong drive in the broader community to get behind the cause and change outcomes for the most lethal gynaecological cancer. Current average five-year survival rate for women diagnosed with ovarian cancer is just 49 per cent, and this drops to 29 per cent for women diagnosed at an advanced stage.

“I believe we are on the cusp of change for ovarian cancer. For too long the statistics have been stubborn and progress toward effective methods of early detection, and development of enduring successful treatments, has been too slow,” said Robin Penty, OCRF’s Chief Executive Officer. 

“Momentum, however, is building. This new funding is critical, and these funded projects hold great promise. There’s still a long way to go, but, combined with strong advocacy to government and vital research collaborations in Australia, and overseas, there is reason for renewed hope in the effort to overcome this feared disease.”

Five of the eight grants are newly supported by the OCRF, including the first ever projects supported by the Mother’s Day Classic Foundation in association with the OCRF. Another is an extension of an existing OCRF grant and a further two grants are collaborations with the Australian Cancer Research Foundation.

The new 2025 Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation National Research Grant Program major grant recipients are:

• Associate Professor Simon Chu, Hudson Institute of Medical Research and Monash University, $724,293 over three years: study focusing on a specific mutation present in adult granulosa cell ovarian tumours and its interaction with a family of proteins, to develop a new treatment for this rare subtype.
• Associate Professor Kylie Gorringe, The University of Melbourne and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, OCRF Mother’s Day Classic Foundation grantee*,$481,667 over three years, to examine the proteins present in mucinous ovarian cancer to identify ways to therapeutically target the disease, and screen drugs to find new treatment approaches for this rare subtype.
• Dr Emma Bolderson, QUT, $460,552 over two years to investigate whether targeting a process in DNA damage repair involving lactate could provide the foundations of an effective treatment approach for rare ovarian cancer clear-cell carcinoma. 
• Dr Dale Garsed, The University of Melbourne and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre: $299,584 over three years to examine the immune response to cancer in long-term survivors of high-grade serous ovarian cancer to determine how antibody-producing immune cells promote survival, and whether this information can be leveraged to develop new treatments.
• Dr Nicole Campbell, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, OCRF Mother’s Day Classic Foundation grantee*: $892,212 over three years, to study a new immunotherapy that targets high-grade serous ovarian cancer by focusing on a naturally-produced protein known as interferon epsilon, which can help activate the immune system.

Notably, three of the major grants will examine treatment options for more rare subtypes of ovarian cancer. One of the most challenging aspects of ovarian cancer is the diversity and complexity of the disease, so it’s vital to support research into the rarer types, to ensure better outcomes for everyone who receives an ovarian cancer diagnosis. 

In addition to the five major grants for new projects, the OCRF will support three ongoing projects:

• $473,458 to Professor Michael Jennings, Griffith University, investigating a promising sugar-based biomarker early detection approach (final year expansion of current grant)
• Collaborative Grant to support ovarian cancer research at the Australian Cancer Research Foundation (ACRF) Centre for Optimised Cancer Therapy at QIMR Berghofer, $100,000 (one year)
• Collaborative Grant to support ovarian cancer research at the ACRF Centre of Advanced Image-Guided Cancer Therapeutics at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, $100,000 (one year)

All this research funding is 100 per cent enabled by the Australian community, which raises every penny the OCRF awards for ovarian cancer research. 

“I’m genuinely in awe of the collaborative and generous spirit at the heart of the OCRF community. From our incredible partners and corporate donors to every fundraiser and community member who puts their time, precious dollars and passion into this cause,” concluded Ms Penty. “To be awarding our largest ever grant distribution illustrates that the entire ovarian cancer community is behind the dedicated researchers working in the lab. The OCRF is proud to be entrusted with investing in the best and most promising research projects possible.” 

Grant applications are rigorously assessed by the OCRF’s International Scientific Advisory Committee and Consumer Representative Panel. 

These major research investments are a testament to the commitment and energy of the OCRF community, and a shared determination to change the future for generations of women and girls toward a healthy vital future for all those impacted by ovarian cancer.

*The projects led by Dr Nicole Campbell and Associate Professor Kylie Gorringe are supported Mother's Day Classic Foundation in association with the OCRF.