16 August 2024
This National Science Week, we are proud to spotlight brain cancer researcher and Charlie Teo Foundation Research Rebel, Dr Giulia Silvani!
Dr Silvani was a recent recipient of our Research Rebel Awards, receiving grant funding of $AU200,000. An early career researcher from UNSW with a background in biomedical engineering, Dr Silvani brings a fresh perspective to brain cancer.
At the Charlie Teo Foundation, we believe in investing in innovative minds who can deliver research of the highest quality. Our strategy values the pursuit of creative research and excellence, and it all starts with our investment in courageous researchers like Dr Silvani.
We are not only supporting Dr Silvani. This grant will also provide Dr Silvani with funding support to bring on a PhD student to work under her mentorship, fostering the next generation of bright minds in brain cancer research.
This grant signifies a key stepping stone for Dr Silvani as she starts to build her own team and will contribute to her competitiveness in securing long-term sustainable funding.
We are proud to be part of Dr Silvani’s journey and to support her as she leverages her unique skills towards brain cancer research. Through your support, we’re making a difference in the lives of early career researchers and advancing the field of brain cancer research.
At Charlie Teo Foundation, we are investing in science, creativity, and the future health of Australian patients.
Giulia is a biomedical engineer who is tackling one of the biggest challenges in oncology – the most aggressive type of brain cancer, glioblastoma or GBM. Her research focus is to develop a 3D microenvironment based on microfluidic technology to replicate cancer tissues to help understand the mechanism of their aggressiveness.
She says her recent $200,000 Research Rebels grant over two years from the Charlie Teo Foundation will enable a PhD student to work with her on her project.
“It’s very exciting for me because the grant means I can begin to build my own team and hopefully it will help when I apply for funding in the future, especially big grants like a DECRA [ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award],” Giulia says.
As a UNSW Women in Maths and Science Champion, it’s no surprise that Giulia “loves engaging with students and sharing her passion for science”.
“I really love teaching – I take care of part of a course in polymer science – and I also have a couple of students following my research in the lab. We have a lot of fun together,” she says.
UNSW Inside, Edition 14 2024
16 July 2024
A team of investigators led by Amy Heimberger, MD, PhD, just published new findings in the Journal of Clinical Investigation!
Charlie Teo Foundation is proud to have supported this groundbreaking research through a AU$500,000 Better Tools grant at Northwestern University, USA.
Congratulations to Amy Heimberger’s Lab for their unwavering commitment to advancing brain cancer research!
9 April 2024
Charlie Teo Foundation held our research showcase in collaboration with the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in March 2024 to highlight the outcomes of our brain cancer research partnership over the last five years.
Charlie Teo Foundation Chair, Garry Browne AM, warmly welcomed our guests. We were proud to celebrate this work at our recent research showcase generously hosted by Garvan. We warmly welcomed scientists and supporters from Garvan and other research teams including University of New South Wales, University of Sydney, University of Technology, Sydney and University of Newcastle. We were honoured to have join us neurosurgeons, neurooncologists and neuropathologists from the St Vincent’s/Garvan network.
Charlie Teo Foundation CEO Alana Phadke opened the showcase by thanking all the scientists and clinicians working together to improve outcomes for people with brain cancer.
“I want to sincerely thank and acknowledge Garvan for the wonderful partnership that we have built over the last 5 years.
It is a collaboration based on professionalism, trust, confidence and fantastic working relationships.
This research collaboration genuinely showcases what can be achieved when two teams share their resources and expertise to achieve a common goal – better treatments for brain cancer.”
Alana Phadke, CEO of the Charlie Teo Foundation
Professor Joseph Powell, Director of Translational Genomics at the Garvan Institute, was travelling overseas, virtually shared an important update and his vision for the future.
“The collaboration with the Charlie Teo Foundation has been one of the most enjoyable, productive and rewarding experiences of a research partnership that I have had in my academic career.”
Professor Joseph Powell, Director of Translational Genomics, Garvan Institute of Medical Research
Joseph elaborated, “We started by generating an atlas of single-cell genomic data for brain tumours. This is the largest resource of its type in the world and is used by many researchers locally and globally.
That enabled us to move forward and develop computational and wet lab techniques to identify glioma stem cells (the origin cells in diffuse gliomas) and identify the genomic underpinnings of those cells that we think we can start targeting with new therapies.
Moving towards the future, we are looking at pre-clinical work—both for evaluating the role and impact of current therapies and for what we can do to start thinking about developing new therapies for diffuse gliomas.
This is something we are proud to continue in our lab at Garvan in collaboration with the Charlie Teo Foundation.” – Professor Powell
Dr Ashraf Zaman, a Garvan Research and Biobank Scientist, took guests on a deep dive into the team’s work and its future direction.
We were honoured to round off the evening with sincere thanks to everyone involved from Dr Charlie Teo AM.
A special acknowledgment to all our speakers on the night representing the Charlie Teo Foundation and the Garvan Institute of Medical Research
Together we are driving scientific progress in the field of brain cancer, and strategising for future success. Thank you for your incredible support of this collaboration!
14 December 2023 – Read Now
4 October 2023, updated 7 June 2024
Charlie Teo Foundation (CTF) has been made aware of online advertising scams that are illegally using our founder’s image and/or endorsement to promote alleged medications.
These scam ads use fake AI-generated images of Dr Charlie Teo on social media and website advertising. Dr Charlie Teo or CTF are not responsible for these fake online public advertisements, and we do not endorse or support them.
Dr Charlie Teo does not endorse or promote any medications in public advertising.
Many supporters have sent us copies of these online ads asking if they’re scams. The answer is yes. If you receive or see one of these fake ads, we urge you to report it. Please do not click on any ad links or provide your personal details.
The Australian Government provides information on how to report scams: https://www.cyber.gov.au/learn-basics/explore-basics/recognise-and-report-scams
