An emerging leader in bone biology has been awarded a $650,000 National Health and Medical Research Fund Investigator grant to set her sights on bone metastasis in breast cancer.
Dr Lena Batoon will be returning to Mater Research to undertake this innovative project after spending several years in the United States of America, most recently at the world-renowned Mayo Clinic.
Breast cancer remains one of the most prevalent and deadly cancers worldwide, with 2.3 million new cases and 685,000 deaths annually. Estrogen receptor alpha (ERα)-positive breast cancers make up approximately 80 per cent of all cases.
These cancers have high rates of recurrence and late-stage metastasis, often targeting bone tissue. Once breast cancer metastasizes, it becomes incurable. Current treatment options work to halt cancer cell growth, leaving them in a dormant—or senescence state —rather than killing them. These senescent cancer cells can later reactivate and contribute to cancer relapse and metastasis.
Dr Batoon’s research project aims to characterise persistent breast cancer cells and explore strategies to eliminate them, potentially preventing recurrence and metastasis for a permanent cure.
To do this, she will focus on innovative treatment strategies, using pioneering research into the use of senolytics—drugs specifically designed to eliminate senescent cells—which will be given to patients in addition to the current standard of care.
Dr Batoon said that, if successful, this will improve patient outcomes.
“This strategy has the potential to transform the landscape of ERα+ breast cancer therapy by addressing one of its biggest challenges, persistent cancer cells that evade traditional treatment,” Dr Batoon said.
“We hope that this research could lead to a major breakthrough in breast cancer treatment, improving survival rates and offering hope for a cure.”
Dr Batoon completed her PhD at Mater Research, under the supervision of Professor Allison Pettit. Their collaborative research on osteal macrophages (osteomacs) has resulted in 15 publications, shedding light on their crucial role in bone health and offering new therapeutic possibilities for bone repair and disease treatment.
Prof Pettit said that she is looking forward to welcoming Dr Batoon back to Mater Research to continue their collaboration.
“Lena’s work holds immense potential for benefiting those with breast cancer. I’m excited to see the impact she will have with this groundbreaking project,” Prof Pettit said.
