newy.com.au – The Mark Hughes Foundation will put a further $18.9 million into brain cancer research through the University of Newcastle, in a major expansion of a partnership aimed at moving discoveries more quickly into patient care.
The new philanthropic commitment brings the foundation’s total contribution to more than $36 million, placing it among the largest philanthropic investments in brain cancer research in Australia and marking the biggest in the university’s history.
The funding will support the next phase of work at the University of Newcastle’s Mark Hughes Foundation Centre for Brain Cancer Research, with a focus on translating research into clinical practice. Brain cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death in children and adults aged under 40, with survival outcomes largely unchanged for decades.
The centre was established in 2022 after the partnership between the foundation and the university began in 2021. Since then, the university says Newcastle has become a national hub for collaboration in brain cancer research, bringing together clinicians, scientists and partners across Australia and overseas.
Centre director and clinician scientist Professor Mike Fay said the partnership had helped turn previously fragmented research efforts into a connected national network.
“In just a few years, we’ve built a strong foundation and emerged as a unifying force – bringing together expertise from across the nation to drive innovation, impact for patients, and lasting change,” Professor Fay said.
“The first phase of the MHF Centre focused on building the infrastructure – investing in people, equipment and partnerships.
“Today, we have the expertise, technology, and strong relationships with the nation’s leading researchers in brain cancer research. By working as one team, we’re achieving far greater impact than any of us could alone.”
Mark Hughes, OAM, founded the Mark Hughes Foundation with his wife Kirralee after he was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2013. The former Newcastle Knights premiership player and NSW State of Origin representative has built the foundation around raising awareness, funding research and supporting patients and families affected by brain cancer.
“This commitment is a proud moment for everyone who has supported the Mark Hughes Foundation over the years. What started as a conversation around a hospital bed after my diagnosis has grown into a community movement that is helping change the future of brain cancer research in Australia,” Mark said.
“Every beanie sold, every donation made, every event attended and every person who has stood with us has contributed to this moment. Together, our community has helped create one of the largest philanthropic investments in brain cancer research in this country.
“This $18.9 million commitment isn’t just about funding research—it’s about giving hope to every family, including mine, that is facing a brain cancer diagnosis. It is ensuring we continue pushing towards our ultimate goal of finding better treatments and, one day, a cure.”
Professor Fay said the next five years would focus on turning research momentum into real-world clinical change, including new treatment approaches and faster drug development.
“We have more than 160 members of the MHF Centre nationwide and are now forging strong international research collaborations,” he said.
“We are working to leverage our strengths in imaging, drug repurposing and theranostics to guide national efforts and ensure no brain cancer patient is left behind.”
University of Newcastle Vice-Chancellor Professor Alex Zelinsky, AO, thanked the foundation for its continued support and said the centre had changed the way brain cancer research was being carried out.
“The establishment of the MHF Centre has been a game-changer,” Professor Zelinsky said.
“Thanks to the MHF Centre, we now have access to national registries, the MHF Brain biobank, advanced imaging and biomarker platforms, and a network of researchers working together across the country.
“These foundations have positioned us to move with speed and purpose, translating research from the lab into patient care and delivering outcomes that matter.”
The centre’s first four years have included access to major national resources, including the WEHI BRAIN Registry, which holds data from more than 10,500 patients, a brain cancer biobank housed at HMRI and a blood-based biomarker platform in Queensland co-funded by MHF and the National Health and Medical Research Council.
It has also hosted brain cancer symposiums in Newcastle and Melbourne, established five MHF brain cancer coordinators across 14 locations and built a network supported by 40 medical research institutes, hospitals and universities, five philanthropic partners and more than 70 researchers based in Newcastle.
Of those Newcastle-based researchers, 47 are early-career researchers, including honours and PhD students, research assistants and postdoctoral researchers. The centre also works with 20 clinician scientists and is deepening links with institutions including The Brain Cancer Centre at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute and The Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute.
HMRI is a partnership between the University of Newcastle, Hunter New England Health and the community.
