Associate Professor Simon Chu
My research is focussed on potential therapeutic targets for both Epithelial thyroid cancer (ETC) and Granulosa cell tumours (GCT), which are a subset of malignant ovarian tumours. My goal is to understand the pathogenesis of these diseases and the efficacy of a combination therapy as a novel strategy for both cancers.
Areas of interest
Research group
Biography
Associate Professor Simon Chu completed his PhD at Prince Henry’s Institute of Medical Research (now Hudson Institute of Medical Research) in 2005. His studies focused on the roles of the estrogen receptor in the pathogenesis of a subset of ovarian tumours, those of the granulosa cells, and in particular, the impact that molecular signalling pathways of the cell have on the activities of this receptor. After gaining his PhD, A/Prof Chu continued his work at PHI, examining the consequences of blocking these pathways using new therapeutic compounds to explore whether this might lead to a new chemotherapeutic approach to treating this disease.
In 2007, A/Prof Chu took up a postdoctoral position at the Pasteur Institute in Cambodia, where he helped develop a new molecular technique to investigate the incidence of exposure to avian influenza in the human population in that country.
On his return to Australia in 2009, A/Prof Chu re-joined PHI, now Hudson Institute. His work continued to focus on the underlying causes of the less common type of ovarian cancer, granulosa cell tumours, as well as the more common type, epithelial cancer. He established his own research group, Hormone Cancer Therapeutics, in 2018 and is currently investigating an exciting potential therapeutic option for treating these cancers, using a combination treatment that targets two important biological pathways in the cancer cells. This presents a new targeted therapy for the treatment of ovarian cancers.
A/Prof Chu’s research continues to be funded by the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation, which is the leading funder of ovarian cancer research in Australia.
Associate Professor Chu’s expertise
- Molecular endocrinology
- Molecular and cellular biology
- Ovarian cancer
- Biochemistry
- Cell culture techniques
- Microarrays
- Laser-capture microscopy
Ovarian granulosa cell tumours explained
A/Prof Simon Chu presents ‘Ovarian granulosa cell tumours: how are they different and why do they matter?’. This presentation was hosted by the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre at their ‘Monday Lunch Live Stream’ in September 2020.
The presentation outlines A/Prof Chu’s research identifying potential therapeutic targets to fight this insidious endocrine-related cancer.
READ MORE | ‘Research shedding light on rare ovarian cancers’ – an article on Hormones Australia website featuring Dr Simon Chu’s research on new treatment options for women diagnosed with a rare form of ovarian cancer called granulosa cell tumours (GCT).
Student opportunities
Publication highlights
