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University of Adelaide molecular epigenetic expert Dr Luke Isbel has been awarded a 2024 Sylvia and Charles Viertel Charitable Foundation Senior Medical Research Fellowship.

Dr Isbel, who leads the Molecular Epigenetics Laboratory group at South Australian Immunogenomics Cancer Institute (SAiGENCI) and the Adelaide Centre for Epigenetics (ACE), will receive $1.375 million over five years to support his work to address and unlock new cancer treatments.

“My project, Targeting Epigenetic Regulation of Transcription Factors in Cancer, aims to explore new ways to combat cancer by focusing on epigenetics — how our cells control the activity of genes — and its influence on a key group of proteins known as transcription factors,” said Dr Isbel.

“Unfortunately, these proteins have been notoriously difficult to target with existing cancer therapies.”

Dr Isbel and his team are exploring a novel approach where instead of directly targeting the transcription factors, they aim to influence the epigenetic processes that work hand-in-hand with transcription factors.

"This Fellowship represents a major opportunity to tackle a fundamental question in biology, how the genome is regulated by key proteins in the cell, and with incredible future potential for solving mechanisms that are highly relevant to cancer and even diseases beyond this."Dr Luke Isbel, SAiGENCI, The University of Adelaide

“For me, this not only underscores the value of asking critical and ambitious questions, but also in aiming to translate fundamental basic discovery into real-world applications," said Dr Isbel.

“It opens new possibilities to apply cutting-edge assays and set our goals high.

“I am excited to build on my previous momentum and push the boundaries of genomics research in cancer.”

Dr Isbel is the first researcher at the University of Adelaide to be awarded this prestigious Fellowship since it began in 1995.

“It is fantastic to have the Sylvia and Charles Viertel Charitable Foundation recognise the importance and potential of Dr Isbel’s work,” said Professor Anton Middelberg, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Research), University of Adelaide.

“This Fellowship will allow Dr Isbel to continue his pioneering research, which will have tremendous positive impacts for so many people.

“It also highlights the effort the University has made to attract and support high quality researchers.”

Professor Christopher Sweeney, Director SAiGENCI, at the University of Adelaide said the whole team was proud of Dr Isbel.

“This is a prestigious recognition of Dr Isbel’s work and the whole SAIGENCI team is profoundly grateful for the support of the Sylvia and Charles Viertel Charitable Foundation which enables Dr Isbel to continue his ground-breaking cancer research,” said Professor Sweeney.

Dr Isbel’s fellow epigenetics leader at the Adelaide Centre for Epigenetics and SAiGENCI, Professor Jose Polo was awarded the same fellowship while at Monash in 2013.

“The Sylvia and Charles Viertel Senior Medical Research Fellowship is one the most important fellowships in Australia and it has empowered the research career of many outstanding Australian scientists,” said Professor Polo.

“As such, I do not have a doubt that Luke has a brilliant future and that this fellowship will enable him to do his best science.”

On his passing in 1992, Charles Viertel, one of Queensland’s most successful share market investors, established the Sylvia and Charles Viertel Charitable Foundation in his will to benefit organisations or institutions involved in medical research into diseases, and the alleviation of hardship of the aged and the sick.