Dr Normand Pouliot
HEAD, MATRIX MICROENVIRONMENT and METASTASIS LABORATORY
Dr Normand Pouliot
<p><em>Being a medical researcher challenges me intellectually and has allowed me to develop of broad range of professional skills. I love getting up in the morning knowing that, through my work, I make a meaningful contribution to society and help making people’s life better, particularly those afflicted with cancer.</em>
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I migrated to Australia in 1992 to undertake my PhD studies at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, investigating autocrine factors regulating the growth of colon cancer. I gained industry experience with Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals and Glaxo-Wellcome Australia, returning to academic research at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre where my research spanned the fields of skin biology, stem cells and breast cancer. I recently established my research group and joined the Olivia Newton John Cancer Research Institute to head the Matrix Microenvironment & Metastasis Laboratory within the newly established Breast Cancer Translational Program.
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<p>One in eight women are affected by breast cancer and, every year approximately 2700 Australian women will succumb to the disease. My research group investigates how cancer spreads to distant organs (metastasis), a process that is responsible for the majority of deaths from breast cancer. My research focuses on understanding how matrix proteins present in the tumour environment contribute to breast cancer progression, with a particular focus on how they facilitate the escape and spread of cancer cells to bone and brain. Ongoing research projects in my laboratory make use of relevant pre-clinical mouse models of metastatic triple negative and HER2+ve breast cancer to test new therapies targeting matrix proteins, with the long-term goal of translating these findings into the clinic.
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<h3>Education</h3>
<p>Bachelor of Science, Biotechnology, University of Quebec, Montreal</p>
<p>Master of Science, Immunology, University of Sherbrooke & CHUS, Canada
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<p>PhD, Cancer research, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research & The University of Melbourne, Australia</p>
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<h3>Current Appointments</h3>
<p>Head, Matrix Microenvironment and Metastasis Laboratory, Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute
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<p>Honorary Associate, School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University
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<p>Honorary Fellow, Sir Peter MacCallum Oncology Department, The University of Melbourne
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<p>Honorary Fellow, Pathology Department, The University of Melbourne
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<h3>Achievements</h3>
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Editorial Board member, <em>Growth Factors</em>
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<p>Associate Editor, Metastatic Cancer: An integrated organ system and biological approach, Landes Bioscience, Austin, Texas, USA, 2012</p>
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<p>Ph: +61 3 9496 9668</p>
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Email: normand.pouliot@onjcri.org.au</p>