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DISCOVER-TT, the name of the Centre for Research Excellence (CRE) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cancer research, was launched at the National Indigenous Cancer Network Roundtable 2013 held in Brisbane on 12 March 2013.
Commonwealth funding for DISCOVER-TT was awarded in August 2012 following a concerted effort by a number of organisations, including the Lowitja Institute, to make research into Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cancer a priority given its status as the second leading cause of death among Australia’s First Peoples.
Professor Gail Garvey from the Menzies School of Health Research, who headed up the new CRE and was a Program Leader at the Institute, said the launch of DISCOVER-TT was ‘a huge step forward’.
Cancer had been 'a low priority on the Indigenous health agenda, despite the disease accounting for a greater number of deaths each year than diabetes and kidney disease,’ Professor Garvey said.
‘DISCOVER-TT will allow us to bring together key researchers, health professionals and consumer advocacy groups from across Australia, and actively promote the translation of research knowledge into Australian public health policy and practice.’
Dr Liz Izquierdo, Program Leader for the Institute’s Healthy Start, Healthy Life research program, also attended the Roundtable and delivered a presentation after the launch about the operations of the Lowitja Institute.
You can watch a video about the Roundtable and CRE launch on the NICaN Australia YouTube channel.
*DISCOVER-TT stands for Discovering Indigenous Strategies to improve Cancer Outcomes Via Engagement, Research Translation and Training