Hear from our 2026 ALK+ Inspirational Research Grant recipient
ALK Positive Australia is pleased to invite members to a special webinar with our 2026 ALK+ Inspirational Research Grant recipient, Dr Dane Vassiliadis from the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.
Dr Vassiliadis will share an update on his funded project:
“Identifying dependencies of drug‑tolerant cells in ALK+ lung cancer.”
In simple terms, this research is looking at a question that sits right at the heart of the ALK+ community:
- How and why do some ALK+ cancer cells become tolerant or resistant to our targeted therapies?
- Can we find ways to prevent or delay this resistance so that treatments work for longer?
By identifying the “weak spots” (or dependencies) of drug‑tolerant cells, this work aims to point towards new combination strategies or future treatment approaches that could help people with ALK+ lung cancer stay on effective treatments for as long as possible.
Webinar details
Date: Wednesday 4 February 2026
Time:
- NSW / VIC / ACT / TAS (AEDT): 7.00 pm
- QLD (AEST): 6.00 pm
- SA (ACDT): 6.30 pm
- NT (ACST): 5.30 pm
- WA (AWST): 4.00 pm
Presenter: Dr Dane Vassiliadis, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Host: ALK Positive Australia
This session is designed for people living with ALK+ lung cancer, their families and carers. You don’t need a science degree – just curiosity. There will be time for questions at the end.
How to register
Please register using the link below:
https://forms.gle/HL6MHup8UB5SNgyr7
Once you’ve registered, you’ll receive a calendar invite with all the access details for the webinar.
Can’t make it live?
We know afternoons/evenings can be busy, and our schedules don’t always cooperate with webinar times. The session will be recorded and uploaded to the ALK Positive Australia YouTube channel, so you can watch it later or share it with your family and care team:
More about the research project
If you’d like to dig a little deeper into the science behind this work, you can read more about Dr Vassiliadis’ 2026 ALK+ Inspirational Research Grant project here:
Dr Dane Vassiliadis awarded the 2026 ALK Positive Australia and TOGA Inspirational Research Grant
Why this matters for the ALK+ community
For many in our community, the biggest worry is what happens when treatments stop working. Research like this is focused directly on that fear – understanding resistance so we can push it back, delay it, or one day prevent it altogether.
We encourage all members to come along, hear directly from Dr Vassiliadis, and learn more about this important work made possible through the generosity of our community and supporters.