Jessica’s grant is funded by the Denton Family Trust through Cancer Australia Priority-driven Collaborative Cancer Research Scheme.

Jessica is based at the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute.

Supported by her first Cure Cancer grant last year, Dr Jessica Da Gama Duarte, a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute in Victoria, has developed an exciting non-invasive technology to measure the extent of cancer patients’ “immune engagement”. By analysing a drop of blood taken from patients undergoing immunotherapy, she aims to predict how they respond to treatments aimed at boosting their immune systems.

The research

Effective immune engagement occurs when the immune system recognises and destroys a tumour cell, says Jessica. But tumours have developed ways to escape this immune attack, which is when they grow uncontrollably. Patients who have strong immune engagement live longer.

“Our work may allow us to determine if a patient’s immune system is actively engaging with the tumour, and thereby predict their likelihood of responding well to immunotherapy,” she says.

With her 2019 Cure Cancer funding, Jessica focused specifically on work with melanoma patients receiving immunotherapy. It has led to exciting early findings, she says. Given the widespread use of immunotherapy in other cancers, it’s likely that these benefits may be transferable to the treatment of other types of tumours. “This year’s grant is aimed at extending my research to patients receiving immunotherapy who have rare cancers,” she says.

Evaluating patients based on each individual’s immune engagement will help ensure they don’t unnecessarily undergo treatment that has side effects. Then they can have other therapies that may be beneficial, and which prevent the development of more tumours. “In the long term this could lead to a personalised medicine approach where all cancer patients, irrespective of cancer type, will have a unique tailored therapeutic plan with a high likelihood of treatment success,” she says. “I hope this’ll lead to better survival rates, reducing health-care costs and the burden of disease.”

Jessica's inspiration

The patients Jessica and her colleagues see at the institute provide daily motivation, she says. “Cancer doesn’t discriminate and affects people of all ages. Our patients and their families inspire me to make a difference to those affected. I’ll do all that I can to use personalised medicine to achieve improved immunotherapy outcomes. I know the monumental difference this can make and won’t rest until I succeed. Cancer patients should know they are not alone in their battle.”

Jessica has also had a personal cancer scare, and lost a close family member to the disease a few years ago. “Going through these experiences fueled my dedication to improve cancer awareness, screening, diagnostics and therapeutic outcomes,” she says.

The importance of funding

Born in South Africa and raised in Portugal, Jessica completed her PhD at the University of Cape Town in 2015, having first obtained a degree in Biochemistry. During her doctoral studies she developed the technology she uses in her current work. The Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute recognised her expertise in the field, recruited her, and she moved to Australia in early 2015.

Jessica observes that after completing their PhDs, researchers face a “monumental task” to establish their career paths. In fact it can only happen if they secure early-career funding, and the list of achievements they need to accomplish this can be overwhelming.

“Many young researchers fail to do so and as a result leave science,” she says. “I’m so thankful to Cure Cancer and the tireless efforts and amazing support of fundraisers . . . their support has truly launched my scientific career and helped me investigate if my technology can predict therapeutic outcomes.”

"Many young researchers fail to get grants and as a result leave science"

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