Researcher

Ms Mandy Ballinger

Biography

Dr Ballinger oversees a program of work focused on genetic cancer risk.  Key to this is the International Sarcoma Kindred Study (ISKS).  Since 2009 she has overseen recruitment of over 3600 families worldwide. Dr Ballinger developed the Surveillance study in Multi-Organ Cancer prone syndromes (SMOC+) which includes adult TP53 mutation carriers and other individuals with genotype identified high cancer risk. She leads a similar surveillance...view more

Dr Ballinger oversees a program of work focused on genetic cancer risk.  Key to this is the International Sarcoma Kindred Study (ISKS).  Since 2009 she has overseen recruitment of over 3600 families worldwide. Dr Ballinger developed the Surveillance study in Multi-Organ Cancer prone syndromes (SMOC+) which includes adult TP53 mutation carriers and other individuals with genotype identified high cancer risk. She leads a similar surveillance study in the paediatric population - SMOC Junior. Dr Ballinger is Head of Clinical Cohorts for Omico including the Genetic Cancer Risk in the Young (RisC) Study investigating the heritable aspects of cancer in a young population suggestive of a genetic etiology (>1400 families). Her clinical training is in genetic counselling. Dr Ballinger has created powerful tools in these cohorts for both discovery and translation, and has well developed skills in clinical cancer genetics, genetic counseling, cohort research, and clinical interventions.  Her work has changed clinical practice by impacting on clinical risk management guidelines both nationally and internationally in Li Fraumeni syndrome. Dr Ballinger's goal is to utilize these cohorts to define the extent of heritable risk in sarcoma and other cancers, and to continue to utilize these cohorts as vehicles for intervention to change practice and improve outcomes for families.


My Grants

2022-2024       Petersen Family Foundation: Surveillance study in Multi-Organ Cancer predisposition syndromes in pediatrics (SMOC Junior) $75,000

2022-2026       MRFF: LUMOS: Low and Anaplastic Grade Glioma Umbrella Study of Molecular Guided Therapies $1,982,681 H Gan (CIA), ML Ballinger (AI)

2022-2026       MRFF: P-OMICS-flow Integrating precision oncology into clinical programs $5,868,917 N Taylor (CIA), ML Ballinger (CI)

2022-2024       Australian Government (Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources): Precision Oncology Screening Platform enabling Clinical Trials (PrOSPeCT) Project Number MMIMCS000002, $185,400,000

2020-2025       Australian Department of Health MRFF Emerging Priorities and Consumer Driven Research Initiative: ASPiRATION: assessing the impact of genomic profiling in lung cancer $12,135,000

2019-2023       Australian Government (Department of Health): Australian Genomic Cancer Medicine Program $50M

2019-2023      NSW Office of Health and Medical Research: Genomic Cancer Medicine Program $12,052,872M

 

 


My Qualifications

B App Sc, Monash University, Australia

B Sc (Hons), Monash University, Australia

PhD, Monash University, Australia

MSc, University of Sydney, Australia


My Awards

2018-2020  Cancer Institute NSW Career Development Fellowship

2002-2005  Australian Post Graduate Award

2002-2005  Baker Foundation Award

2003 National Heart Foundation Travel Grant

2003 Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Travel Grant to present at 18th International Diabetes Federation Congress

2003  Australian Diabetes Society Travel Grant to present at 18th International Diabetes Federation Congress

2002  Australian Vascular Biology Society Student Award


My Research Activities

Head of Cohorts - Australian Genomic Cancer Medicine Program (Omico)

Group Leader – Genetic Cancer Risk, Garvan Institute of Medical Research

Conjoint Senior Lecturer – St Vincent’s Clinical School, University of New South Wales

Global Study Co-ordinator - International Sarcoma Kindred Study


My Research Supervision


Currently supervising

Milita Zaheed                                    

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Location

Garvan Institute of Medical Research
370 Victoria Street
Darlinghurst NSW 2010