- Strategic funding boost: Two pediatric cancer biobanks in Australia have secured a combined $770,000 from Children’s Cancer CoLab to accelerate research into rare childhood cancers.
- Complementary biobanking models: The Monash Children’s Cancer Biobank expands access to high-quality patient samples, while the Hudson Institute Living Biobank develops renewable, patient-derived tumor models for global research.
- Advancing precision medicine: By pairing biospecimens and living models with clinical data, the initiatives aim to speed discovery of safer, more targeted therapies and improve outcomes for children with cancer.
Two Australian biobanking initiatives focused on rare childhood cancers have received a combined $770,000 in funding from Children’s Cancer CoLab, strengthening national and international efforts to advance precision medicine for pediatric patients. The funding will support both traditional biospecimen collection and cutting-edge “living” cancer models, helping researchers overcome long-standing barriers in studying rare childhood tumors.
Biobanks as Critical Research Infrastructure
Biobanks play a central role in modern cancer research by collecting, processing, storing, and distributing high-quality biological samples—such as tumor tissue, blood, and bone marrow—alongside detailed clinical data. For childhood cancers, where patient numbers are small and samples are scarce, biobanks are especially vital in enabling discovery, guiding treatment decisions, and supporting the development of less toxic, more targeted therapies.
Monash Children’s Cancer Biobank: Enabling Global Collaboration
Established in 2011, the Monash Children’s Cancer Biobank (MCCB) supports both local and international research while enhancing clinical care at Monash Health’s Children’s Cancer Centre. The biobank has grown rapidly and now houses a wide range of biospecimens, including blood, bone marrow, cerebrospinal fluid, and tissue samples.
Over the next two years, MCCB expects to enroll up to 200 additional pediatric cancer patients, further expanding its repository and research reach.
“Whilst also supporting researchers across the country, our biobank ensures that our patients can access precision medicine programs and clinical trials, while also contributing to research in Australia and internationally,” said A/Prof Peter Downie AM, Clinical Head of the Monash Children’s Cancer Biobank.
Hudson Institute Living Biobank: Addressing a Critical Research Gap
The Hudson Institute of Medical Research Living Biobank focuses on a major challenge in pediatric oncology: the lack of accurate laboratory models for rare childhood cancers. Many of these diseases occur too infrequently for researchers to develop robust systems for testing new therapies.
“Many childhood cancers are so rare that researchers simply don’t have precise models to study them,” said A/Prof Jason Cain, Lead Investigator of the Living Biobank. “Renewable patient-derived tumour models change that.”
Using advanced technologies, the Living Biobank generates renewable, patient-derived tumor models linked with clinical data. These models enable researchers worldwide to evaluate new treatments more effectively, accelerating the development of targeted and less toxic therapies for children.
Funding to Drive Innovation and Collaboration
The funding was awarded through Children’s Cancer CoLab’s Innovation Accelerators Impact Program, which supports shared technology platforms and multidisciplinary collaboration in childhood cancer research.
“Funding these biobanks transforms precious samples donated by children and families into accessible resources for discovery,” said Dr. Udani Reets, CEO of Children’s Cancer CoLab. “They will accelerate the pace of research, fulfilling the hopes of those families to help future generations of children not only survive cancer but thrive.”
Together, the two initiatives represent a strategic investment in pediatric cancer research infrastructure, ensuring that each donated sample has the potential to inform future breakthroughs.
Children’s Cancer CoLab Impact Program grants are supported by a $35 million investment from the Victorian Government and a $10 million commitment from the Children’s Cancer Foundation.
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