At the heart of our mission is the drive to foster innovation that changes the landscape of thoracic oncology. Last year, we were proud to award the Inspirational Research Grants to two ambitious projects focusing on the complexities of the lung microbiome.
As we move through 2026, we are excited to share an update on the challenges overcome and the milestones achieved by our grant recipients, Dr Mark Adams and Dr Sagun Parakh.
Researcher: Dr Mark Adams
Project: Pioneering lung cancer microbiome research in Australia: standardising sequencing, bioinformatic analysis and clinical associations between interstate institutions.
Research rarely follows a perfectly straight line, and Dr Mark Adams’ project is a testament to the persistence required in clinical science. While the team initially faced significant delays in the collection and analysis of lung wash and oral sweep samples, they have successfully regained momentum and made strong recent progress. A major milestone has been reached with the collection of lung wash samples from 61 patients at The Prince Charles Hospital in Brisbane. To ensure future stability and circumvent previous collection issues, Mark has also initiated a strategic collaboration with Mater Hospital Brisbane, with all necessary ethical approvals now firmly in place.
The project is now transitioning into its next critical phase as genomic DNA has been isolated from these samples. The team is preparing for metagenomic sequencing at the Ramaciotti Centre for Genomics at UNSW, supported by bioinformatics pipelines that are now fully operational and ready for analysis. This work is expected to conclude in Q3 2026. Beyond the data, this grant is investing in future talent; Mark is currently supervising MPhil student Chelsea Lim, who is gaining vital experience in bioinformatics analysis and pipeline management through her work on these sample subsets.
Researcher: Sagun Parakh
Project: A study to evaluate the impact of the lung microbiome on the efficacy and toxicity of immunotherapy in lung cancer patients.
Sagun Parakh’s research is diving deep into how the bacteria within our lungs might influence how patients respond and react to immunotherapy. The project has made exceptional technical strides, successfully collecting 76 bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples with matched controls across three participating TRACKER study sites. A significant portion of the recent reporting period was dedicated to the validation and optimisation of processing and storage protocols. This meticulous preparation ensures that the resulting data is robust, reproducible, and capable of supporting high-level clinical insights.
Technical milestones have continued with a successful pilot analysis using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. This phase was crucial for identifying low biomass in control samples, leading the team to establish a rigorous minimum sequencing threshold of over 10,000 reads to maintain the integrity of downstream analysis. The impact of this grant also extends to academic excellence through the supported PhD work of Dr. Senthuran Shivakumar. This research has already achieved significant recognition, being presented at four major scientific meetings including the World Conference on Lung Cancer in Barcelona and the TSANZ Victorian Branch ASM in Melbourne, where it received the Best Oral Clinical Presentation Award.
Moving Forward
The progress of these two projects highlights the vital importance of the Inspirational Research Grants. By supporting both high-level genomic research and the professional development of students and researchers, we are ensuring that Australia remains at the forefront of lung cancer innovation.
Stay tuned for further updates from Dr Venessa Chin and the opening for the next Inspirational Research Grants.
