The Wilson Centre for Blood Cancer Genomics (the Wilson Centre) was established to address the vital gap in blood cancer treatment. As recently as the late 1990s, treatment options for blood cancer were limited to surgery, radiotherapy, and/or chemotherapy. These treatments were often invasive, debilitating, and costly. Since then, research has discovered that understanding a patient’s unique genetic profile could allow for more targeted and effective treatments. However, these new therapies were still prohibitively expensive and largely inaccessible to blood cancer patients.

Located within the molecular pathology department at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne, the Wilson Centre’s mission was to provide access to subsidised genomic testing, improve the accuracy of diagnoses, and provide clinicians with essential genomic data to inform treatment strategies.

Since the establishment of the state-of-the-art facility, the Wilson Centre has delivered over 6,200 genomic tests for thousands of patients, leading to more precise diagnoses and clinically significant interventions.

In a landmark achievement in 2023, the Wilson Centre’s pioneering work led to the Australian government’s announcement of new MedicareBenefits Schedule (MBS) subsidies for genomic testing for blood cancer patients. This decision had a profound impact, enabling clinicians to diagnose cases with greater precision and select treatments with higher success rates. Additionally, the removal of financial barriers to testing ensures that all blood cancer patients can access the best possible care without concerns about costs.

Moreover, the Wilson Centre established the first Australian National Pilot Program to help predict if a patient with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) will respond poorly to chemotherapy. This enables patients to avoid unnecessary chemotherapy treatment and provides insights into how fast or slow a patient’s cancer will progress. The Wilson Centre team developed the first accredited circulating tumour DNA panel for blood cancers that identifies resistance to novel treatment agents and helps uncover optimal treatment strategies. These diagnostic tests have saved patients from enduring months of chemotherapy when their cancer is resistant to treatment.

The Wilson Centre has accelerated the use and adoption of genomic testing for blood cancer diagnosis and prognosis, enabling this to become embedded as the standard of care in Australia. It has given every Australian blood cancer patient the best chance right from the start.

The Snowdome Foundation proudly supports the Wilson Centre.

The Snowdome Foundation is a leading not-for-profit organisation dedicated to raising funds exclusively for blood cancer research and clinical trials. Their goal is to ensure every Australian blood cancer patient has access to the latest treatment pathways.

Snowdome collaborates with world-leading researchers and clinicians to advance groundbreaking treatment options for the three main types of blood cancers: lymphoma, myeloma, and leukemia. Given the significant impact of blood cancers in Australia, being the second most diagnosed cancer and the third leading cause of cancer deaths, Snowdome recognises the urgent need for advancements in understanding and treatment.

To find out more about The Snowdome Foundation, visit snowdome.org.au