Projects per year
Personal profile
Research interests
Unlike many cancers, prostate cancer develops over decades, but when it spreads beyond the gland to other parts of the body, and no longer responds to the usual hormone therapies, there are very limited treatment options for the patients. "That is where our research is focused; we are trying to develop something for men who have end-stage disease.' Androgen-deprivation therapy is used to treat prostate cancer that has spread. It is effectively castration by drugs, depriving the body of the hormones that fuel tumour growth. Although it's effective, some cells always remain. "In some patients, they eventually regrow and they are lethal,' Gail says. Those are the cells she wants to target. In the past, oestrogen therapy came with dreadful side effects but Gail sees great promise in the carefully designed hormones it is now possible to make. 'We have just found a way that oestrogens might be used to effectively target those cells, working differently to the old therapies, without the bad side effects.' With the collaboration of urologists, oncologists and other clinicians, the discovery is being tested on human tissue specimens. Work on benign disease is just as important because it affects so many men. Although current drugs can be effective, many men have surgery.'There is an irony in the focus on prostate cancer, because most men, if they live long enough, will develop benign disease and yet relatively less research dollars and time are devoted to this aspect of prostate health, and we could do much better.' In both diseases, for example, stopping regeneration is important: in benign disease to prevent enlargement of the prostate, and in cancer to prevent growth of tumour cells. 'In both of those instances, we think that oestrogens can be useful,' Gail says. Although she notes that many myths exist about the complementary (or herbal) medicines often taken for benign disease, some have components that function like oestrogens. More knowledge of the mechanisms involved could lead to better, more potent drugs. 'There will come a time when we have to marry what we're doing with new drugs and what is known in traditional medicine to be effective,' 'Can what we do give some validity to using these complementary medicines? "That's a tough question but we've thought a lot about it." Prostate disease predominantly affects older men, but work on it is very much a forward-looking enterprise and Gail puts much emphasis on the need to train the next generation of experts. "This is not a disease that's going to be cured overnight." "We need a workforce of scientists and clinicians to continue the research."
Biography
Professor Gail Risbridger gained her PhD in Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. Currently, Prof Risbridger holds the positions of Deputy Dean (Special Projects), Research Director of Monash Comprehensive Cancer Consortium (MCCC) and Chair, Faculty Research Centres & Institutes Committee as well as advisory roles in Andrology Australia and the Freemasons Foundation Centre for Men’s Health. She is one of Australia’s leading prostate cancer researchers and has authored >200 publications. Her awards include an International Fulbright Senior Scholar Award, British Endocrine Society Asia-Oceania Medal and Honorary Life Member of Endocrine Society of Australia.
External positions
Head & Group Leader, Prostate Cancer Research Program, Research Division, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
2016 → …Executive Committee, Member, Monash Health
2015 → …Assigner’s Panel, Member , National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC)
2015 → 2016Research Director, Cancer & Blood Diseases Theme, Monash Partners Academic Health Science Centre (known as MPCCC)
2015 → …Scientific Advisory Board, Member, DoD-TIA
2014 → …Laureate Awards Committee, Member, The Endocrine Society
2014 → …Director, Epworth Research Institute
2013 → 2016Research Translation Faculty Steering Group, Cancer Control, Member, National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC)
2013Project Grants Grant Review Panel, Member, National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC)
2013Board Member, Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia
2013 → …South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Beat Cancer Advisory Group
2012 → …Chair, Fulbright Scholarship Victorian Selection Panel
2012Research Fellowship Review Panel Member, National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC)
2012Southern Melbourne Integrated Cancer Service (SMICS) & Monash Comprehensive Cancer Consortium (MCCC) Joint Council, Member
2012 → 2014Southern Melbourne Integrated Cancer Service (SMICS) Management Committee, Member
2012 → 2014Ambassador for Promotion of Cancer Research, European Association for Cancer Research (EACR)
2012Council Member, Monash Partners Academic Health Science Centre
2012 → …Victorian Selection Panel, ANZ Trustees Medical Advisory Committee
2010 → …Chair, Australian Women in Endocrinology
2010 → 2012Member of ANZUP Committee: Prostate Cancer & Renal Cell Cancer, Australian and New Zealand Urogenital and Prostate Cancer Trials Group (ANZUP)
2010 → …Project Grant Review Panel, Chair, National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC)
2010Annual Meeting Steering Committee, Basic Science Chair for ENDO 2011, The Endocrine Society
2010 → 2011Scientific and Educational Programs Core Committee (SCIED) as Basic Science Chair for ENDO 2011, Member, The Endocrine Society
2010 → 2011Executive Committee, Chair, Monash Comprehensive Cancer Consortium (MCCC)
2009 → …Academy Member, (Cancer Biology) , National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC)
2009 → …CRC Asthma & Airways, Co-operative Research Centre for Asthma, Director & Board Member
2008 → 2014Communications Committee, Member, Women in Endocrinology
2008 → 2010Medical and Scientific Advisory Committee, Cancer Council Victoria
2007 → …Co-Chair Scientific Advisory Group, Freemason's Foundation Centre for Men's Health
2007 → …Member, Fulbright Scholarship Victorian Selection Panel
2007 → 2012Career Development Awards Panel, Chair, National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC)
2006 → 2009Annual Meeting Steering Committee, Member, The Endocrine Society
2006 → 2008Executive Committee of Management, Australian Prostate Cancer Consortium (APCC)
2005 → …Grant Review Panels: Endocrinology, Cancer Biology, Genetics & Development , Member, National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC)
2005 → 2008Scientific Advisory Group, Executive Member, Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia
2005 → 2007Board Member, Chair, US Women in Endocrinogy
2005Awards Committee, Member, Women in Endocrinology
2005 → 2011Postgraduate Student Committee, Chair, Monash Institute for Medical Research
2001 → 2006Andrology Australia, Centre for Excellence in Male Reproductive Health, Member of Board & Executive Management Committee
2000 → …Discipline Panel for Endocrinology & Reproduction, Chair, National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC)
1998 → 2000Advisory Board Subcommittee for Commercialisation, Member, Monash Institute for Medical Research
1997 → 2003Strategic Planning Committee, Member, Monash Institute for Medical Research
1996 → 1998Assigner’s Panel Member, National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC)
1995 → 1997Council Member & Secretary, The Endocrine Society of Australia
1994 → 1998NH&MRC Regional Grants Interviewing Committee , National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC)
1991 → 1997Keywords
- Activin
- Differentiation
- Inhibin
- Leydig Cells
- Tumours
- Cancer
- Cancer Biology
- Cancer/Carcinogenesis
- Stromal Cells
- Experimental Models
- Immune-Deficient Models
- Endocrinology
- Prostate
- Oestrogen Action
- Prostate cancer
- Prostate stem cell
Network
Recent external collaboration on country level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots.
Projects 2000 2023
New combination therapies for castration-resistant prostat e cancer
Lawrence, M., Risbridger, G., Azad, A. & Taylor, R.
15/02/19 → 14/02/23
Project: Research
Investigating the origins of neuroendocrine prostate cancer
Toivanen, R., Risbridger, G., Taylor, R., Goode, D., Clouston, D. & Murphy, D.
15/02/19 → 14/02/23
Project: Research
Giving prostate cancer enough rope with supraphysiologic testosterone
Lawrence, M., Risbridger, G. & Joshua, A.
National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC)
1/01/19 → 31/12/21
Project: Research
Targeting Prostate Cancer with Maths
Lister, N., Polo, J. & Risbridger, G.
1/01/19 → 1/01/20
Project: Research
Transforming endocrine therapy for breast and prostate cancer
Tilley, W. D., Risbridger, G., Carroll, J., Lim, E., Clark, S. J., Hicky, T. & Selth, L.
1/11/18 → 31/10/21
Project: Research
Research Output 1981 2019
Germline BRCA2 mutations drive prostate cancers with distinct evolutionary trajectories
Taylor, R. A., Fraser, M., Livingstone, J., Espiritu, S. M. G., Thorne, H., Huang, V., Lo, W., Shiah, Y-J., Yamaguchi, T. N., Sliwinski, A., Horsburgh, S., Meng, A., Heisler, L. E., Yu, N., Yousif, F., Papargiris, M., Lawrence, M. G., Timms, L., Murphy, D. G., Frydenberg, M. & 8 others, 9 Jan 2017, In : Nature Communications. 8, 10 p., 13671.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access
File
Intraductal carcinoma of the prostate can evade androgen deprivation, with emergence of castrate-tolerant cells
Porter, L. H., Hashimoto, K., Lawrence, M. G., Pezaro, C., Clouston, D., Wang, H., Papargiris, M., Thorne, H., Li, J., Investigators, K., Ryan, A., Norden, S., Moon, D., Bolton, D. M., Sengupta, S., Frydenberg, M., Murphy, D. G., Risbridger, G. P. & Taylor, R. A., 1 Jun 2018, In : BJU International. 121, 6, p. 971-978 8 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Enduring epigenetic landmarks define the cancer microenvironment
Pidsley, R., Lawrence, M. G., Zotenko, E., Niranjan, B., Statham, A., Song, J., Chabanon, R. M., Qu, W., Wang, H., Richards, M., Nair, S. S., Armstrong, N., Nim, H. T., Papargiris, M., Balanathan, P., French, H., Peters, T., Norden, S., Ryan, A., Pedersen, J. & 9 others, 1 May 2018, In : Genome Research. 28, 5, p. 625-638 14 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access
File
Breast and prostate cancer: more similar than different
Risbridger, G. P., Davis, I. D., Birrell, S. N. & Tilley, W. D., 2010, In : Nature Reviews Cancer. 10, 3, p. 205 - 212 8 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Other
Characterization of the ERG-regulated Kinome in Prostate Cancer Identifies TNIK as a Potential Therapeutic Target
Lee, R. S., Zhang, L., Berger, A., Lawrence, M. G., Song, J., Niranjan, B., Davies, R. G., Lister, N. L., Sandhu, S. K., Rubin, M. A., Risbridger, G. P., Taylor, R. A., Rickman, D. S., Horvath, L. G. & Daly, R. J., 1 Apr 2019, In : Neoplasia (United States). 21, 4, p. 389-400 12 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access
File
Prizes
Academic Links and Interchange Scheme Award, British Council
Gail Risbridger (Recipient), 1991
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Asia & Oceania Medal - British Endocrine Society (for contributions to Endocrinology)
Gail Risbridger (Recipient), 2006
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Australian Academy of Science Royal Society Exchange Program Award
Gail Risbridger (Recipient), 1997
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Endocrine Society of Australia (ESA) Senior Plenary Award
Gail Risbridger (Recipient), 2012
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Finnish Academy Science Award - Visiting Scientist
Gail Risbridger (Recipient), 1991
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Activities 1992 2018
18th International Congress of Endocirnology (ICE) 2018
Gail Risbridger (Keynote/plenary speaker)1 Dec 2018 → 4 Dec 2018
Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to conference
Vic VIP Trade 2018
Gail Risbridger (Invited speaker)28 Mar 2018
Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to conference
Australian Diabetes Society (ADS) and the Australian Diabetes Educators Association (ADEA) Annual Scientific Meeting 2017: Bioscientific Symposium - Practical Publishing Advice
Gail Risbridger (Keynote/plenary speaker)30 Aug 2017 → 1 Sep 2017
Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to conference
Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, University of Western Australia: Seminar Series
Gail Risbridger (Invited speaker)31 Aug 2017
Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to workshop, seminar, course
Nobel Forum, Karonlinska Institutet
Gail Risbridger (Invited speaker)23 Feb 2017 → 24 Feb 2017
Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to workshop, seminar, course