North Shore Times (New Zealand)
Funding better treatment
A funding boost will help a scientist with his work in the field of breast cancer research.
Dr Dean Singleton has received a $80,000 grant from the New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation (NZBCF) Belinda Scott Fellowship Programme.
The Hauraki resident is a molecular biologist working at the Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre at the University of Auckland.
His work involves researching breast cancer tumour cells which are resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment.
The grant will help him research ways of eliminating the resistant cells, investigating the potential for hypoxia-targeted drugs in breast cancer.
‘‘We hope to target those cells to stop them metastasising and prevent the chances of them recurring and failing treatment,’’ Singleton says.
He’s hopeful the targeted drugs, once characterised and developed, will be successful in treating breast cancer, and potentially other cancers, he says.
Singleton has a PhD in Molecular Medicine and Pathology from the University of Auckland.
He spent about six years in Oxford, England researching breast cancer before returning to Auckland at the beginning of 2015.
He has a particular interest in cancer research and has always gravitated to that area, he says.
‘‘I’ve had a lot of family members who have had cancer and close friends who’ve been through it in the last several years,’’ Singleton says.
‘‘I’ve come to realise the impact of it and how many people are affected by it. It’s a very interesting and rewarding career to be involved in.’’
The NZBCF Belinda Scott Fellowship Programme is a medical research grant awarded each year to fund innovative breast cancer research by a New Zealand scientist. This is the first year the organisation has been able to grant two fellowships to researchers. The other recipient is Dr Anita Muthukaruppan, who is researching genetic mutations that affect hormone therapy.
Singleton and Muthukaruppan both received $80,000 for their projects and will spend up to two years completing them. At the conclusion of their projects, they will share their findings with NZBCF and the medical community through medical publications.
‘‘It’s nice to be awarded it, I’m extremely grateful for the foundation supporting my work,’’ Singleton says. 181A Greenhithe Rd, Greenhithe Big five bedroom family home on a 2000 square metre section. Close to Albany mall and easy access to motorways.
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‘‘We hope to target those cells to stop them metastasising and prevent the chances of them recurring and failing treatment’’
Dr Dean Singleton
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