Dear all,
Welcome to the July edition of the NCIC newsletter. We’re excited to share that in early August we’ll be hosting our inaugural NCIC Showcase, highlighting the diverse and impactful work underway at the NCIC, a centre of research excellence at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. We invite colleagues and external partners to join us in person or online to learn more about our research projects, clinical trials, PhD pathways, and the wide range of services we lead. Please feel free to forward this newsletter to anyone who may be interested to join us for this session.
PMCC ID Unit meeting -Special Presentation: NCIC Showcase
Please join us on Thursday 7th of August for a very special showcase event of all the fantastic work done out of the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre of Research Excellence – the NCIC!
Please forward among your networks to anyone you think may be interested. This showcase will be hybrid, so if you intend to attend in person, please email megan.crane@petermac.org, as we will be providing some nibbles. The session will be recorded if you can’t make it and will be available on our website.
NCIC Showcase Meeting Details:
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join on your computer, mobile app or room device
Click here to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 477 786 103 141
Passcode: Rwrdcb
Download Teams | Join on the web
Join with a video conferencing device
Video Conference ID: 134 618 112 0
Or call in (audio only)
+61 2 8318 0074,,437848515# Australia, Sydney
Phone Conference ID: 437 848 515#
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Research Updates
Recently published in the Lancet Infectious Diseases, the Phase 2b open‑label study (Study 32, n = 202) evaluated oral olorofim, a first‑in‑class orotomide DHODH inhibitor, across difficult‑to‑treat invasive fungal diseases—covering resistant Aspergillus, Lomentospora prolificans, Scedosporium, Coccidioides and more.
Results showed:
◼️ Global success rates (complete + partial + stable disease) reached ~75% at Day 42 and ~63% at Day 84
◼️Durable responses seen in highly immunosuppressed patients and infections in challenging sites like brain and bone
◼️Generally well tolerated, including with extended therapy beyond Day 84
“Very pleased to be part of this important study of olorofim, a novel antifungal drug for difficult-to-treat fungal infections. It was active against infections resistant to or failing existing treatments and offers a much-needed option for our patients”
Professor Karin Thursky leads the inaugural Centre for Health Services Research in Cancer at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
The Centre aims to drive system-level improvements in the delivery of cancer care, with a strong focus on collaboration and impact. These improvements will be guided by real-world patient experiences, helping to shape smarter, more equitable, and patient-centred approaches to accessing care. The NCIC will work in strong collaboration with the Centre to ensure that insights and innovations are translated into meaningful, system-wide change.
NCIC Recent Publications
Stewart AG, Laupland KB, Edwards F, Gassiep I, Koo S, Hammond SP, Chen SC, Slavin MA.Mycoses. 2025 Jul;68(7):e70091. doi: 10.1111/myc.70091.PMID: 40626385
Stewart AG, Laupland KB, Edwards F, Slavin MA, Chen SC.Mycoses. 2025 Jul;68(7):e70093. doi: 10.1111/myc.70093.PMID: 40626381
Giannella M, Riccucci D, Pascale R, Cordero E, Mueller NJ, Slavin M, Ison M; ECCMID study groups on Invasive Fungal Infection and Infection in Immunocompromised Hosts.Transpl Infect Dis. 2025 Jul 8:e70076. doi: 10.1111/tid.70076. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40625111
Hall VG, Nguyen THO, Smibert OC, Allen LF, Sullivan SG, Fox A, Carolan L, Wheatley AK, Kent SJ, Gilbertson B, Lim C, Barr IG, Peck H, Fuge-Larsen P, Klimevski E, Tennakoon S, Saunders NR, Joyce T, Whitechurch A, Khot A, Anderson MA, Trubiano JA, Worth LJ, Yong MK, Slavin MA, Kedzierska K, Teh BW.J Infect Dis. 2025 Jul 2:jiaf297. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiaf297. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40600710
Bartoletti M, Azap O, Barac A, Ben Selma M, Ergonul O, Gkrania-Klotsas E, Grossi PA, Krause R, Nagavci B, Paño-Pardo JR, Pierrotti LC, Power N, Rodríguez-Baño J, Sibani M, Slavin MA, Szabo BG, Tazza B, Yung Tsang NN, Tsiodras S, Zollner-Schwetz I, Chemaly RF; ESCMID Study Group for Infections in Compromised Hosts and the ESCMID Study Group for Respiratory Viruses.Clin Microbiol Infect. 2025 Jun 23:S1198-743X(25)00281-2. doi: 10.1016/j.cmi.2025.05.032. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40562174
Maertens JA, Thompson GR 3rd, Spec A, Donovan FM, Hammond SP, Bruns AHW, Rahav G, Shoham S, Johnson R, Rijnders B, Schaenman J, Hoenigl M, Morrissey CO, Mehta SR, Heath CH, Koehler P, Paterson DL, Slavin MA, Fortún J, Nguyen MH, Patterson TF, Uspenskaya O, Van de Veerdonk FL, Verweij PE, Aoun M, Georgala A, Alexander BD, Chayakulkeeree M, Mehra V, Miceli MH, Sikka MK, Solé A, Walsh TJ, Aguado JM, Holland SM, Moussa M, Rautemaa-Richardson R, Bazaz R, Schwartz S, Walsh SR, Plate M, Yehudai-Ofir D, Brüggemann RJ, Cornely OA, Ostrosky-Zeichner L, Vazquez JA, White PL, Cornelissen K, Ross GG, Fitton L, Dane A, Zinzi D, Rex JH, Chen SC.Lancet Infect Dis. 2025 Jun 17:S1473-3099(25)00224-5. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(25)00224-5. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40541222
Hall VG, Nguyen THO, Smibert OC, Allen LF, Sullivan SG, Fox A, Carolan L, Wheatley AK, Kent SJ, Gilbertson B, Lim C, Barr IG, Peck H, Fuge-Larsen P, Klimevski E, Tennakoon S, Saunders NR, Joyce T, Whitechurch A, Khot A, Anderson MA, Trubiano JA, Worth LJ, Yong MK, Slavin MA, Kedzierska K, Teh BW.J Infect Dis. 2025 Jul 2:jiaf297. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiaf297. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40600710
Khawaja F, Zamora D, Yong MK, Hakki M, Goscicki BK, Danziger-Isakov L, Lin A, Carpenter PA, Boeckh M, Papanicolaou GA, Dadwal SS, Chemaly RF.Transplant Cell Ther. 2025 Jun 26:S2666-6367(25)01268-0. doi: 10.1016/j.jtct.2025.06.025. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40581305
To discuss or arrange a date please contact our ID fellow Nalian.Ibrahim@petermac.org or Michelle.Yong@petermac.org
Upcoming Events
Visiting Fellow Program and PhD Projects
Our visiting fellow program focuses on enhancing infection management skills for diverse cancers and immunocompromised hosts within a tertiary centre that is pioneering new cancer therapies.
Fellows will be guided by experienced supervisors, and we welcome applications from both national and international locations to join this collaborative learning opportunity. We’ve already received numerous applications for this year, so if you're interested in the program, please don't hesitate to reach out and learn more.
As Australia’s leading centre for infections in cancer, we aim to provide students with the chance to complete their PhD with us. This is a great opportunity to work on projects in a rapidly growing field, where new cancer therapies are being developed. As survival rates improve, the epidemiology of infections in immunocompromised patients continues to evolve, creating a need for better diagnostics and treatments.
Expressions of Interest for Full time Research Fellow Position
We also, taking expressions of interest for a full time Research Fellow position available for 2026. This research position is not accredited. AHPRA certification (or ability to gain) and at least 1-year advanced training in Infectious Diseases is highly desirable. You will be paid as a full time Research Assistant and will be embedded in our clinical research team. We are looking for local or international ID physicians who want to gain research and trials experience.
Please reach out to Monica.slavin@petermac.org if you would like to discuss either of these opportunities further.
Follow us!
We look forward to connecting with you on both LinkedIn and BlueSky.
Kind regards,
Prof Monica Slavin, MBBS, MD, FRACP, FAAHMS
Head, Department Infectious Disease, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Professor of Infection in Cancer and Transplantation, University of Melbourne Department of Infectious Diseases and the Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology
Director, National Centre for Infections in Cancer