Increasing National Impact: South Australia Joins TRACKER

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In a landmark step for lung cancer research, South Australia has officially joined the TRACKER biobank, with the Royal Adelaide Hospital and SAiGENCI at the University of Adelaide now actively collecting and processing patient samples. This milestone celebrates the dedication of clinicians, scientists, and patients working together to build Australia’s first national lung cancer biobank, accelerating discoveries that will improve treatment, survival, and quality of life for people affected by this devastating disease.

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We are delighted to announce that South Australia has officially joined TRACKER, with the Central Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN) – comprising the Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) – and the South Australian immunoGENomics Cancer Institute (SAiGENCI) at The University of Adelaide officially active recruitment and processing sites. On Friday, August 8th, the dedicated team successfully collected their first lung cancer patient sample - a significant milestone in expanding our national biobank and advancing critical lung cancer research across Australia.

Building a National Network for Change

TRACKER — Australia’s first national lung cancer biobank — is designed to tackle one of the world’s most challenging cancers. By collecting and analysing biospecimens from patients throughout their treatment journey, TRACKER empowers researchers to identify new biomarkers, develop targeted therapies, and improve both survival and quality of life for people living with lung cancer.

The inclusion of CALHN/RAH and SAiGENCI strengthens TRACKER’s national reach and underscores the power of collaboration between clinicians, scientists, and patients in driving progress.

"The team at TRACKER and SAiGENCI, along with Dr Solujic are simply incredible. It is humbling to know that we can contribute to this national effort with colleagues and friends. All of Australia should be proud. Special thanks to all our patients who have consented to be part of this national initiative - their contribution will have significant and meaningful improvements to future patient care.”

Prof Phan Nguyen

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Meet the Incridible South Australian Team

This milestone would not have been possible without the dedication, expertise, and collaboration of an outstanding team:

Clinical Recruitment and Sample Collection

• Prof Phan Nguyen, Respiratory Specialist, Head of Unit, Department of Thoracic Medicine & Site PI, RAH

• Dr Jelena Solujic, Thoracic Medicine Physician, RAH

  
  

Laboratory Processing

• Prof Brendan Jenkins, Head of the Tumour Inflammation and Immunotherapy Program (TIIP) & Site PI, SAiGENCI; TRACKER Scientific Committee Member

• Karen Hon & Sarah Tamang, Research Officers at TIIP, SAiGENCI

  
  

Their commitment is helping to build a powerful national resource aimed at unlocking urgently needed answers that will transform care for lung cancer patients.

Voices from the Team

“I’m thrilled that South Australia has officially joined the TRACKER biobank, with ongoing contributions ahead. Thanks to the tireless efforts of everyone involved, this national biobank is now a reality. I am confident TRACKER will play an instrumental role in advancing lung cancer research and improving patient care for the future,” said Dr Jelena Solujic.

Research Officer Sarah Tamang shared, “I’m excited to be part of the SA TRACKER team and to help process samples for important lung cancer research. It feels great to be contributing to something that could make a real difference in people’s lives.”

Prof Brendan Jenkins added, “The collaboration with TRACKER allows SAiGENCI to leverage world-class research infrastructure to make a tangible difference. We are very grateful to our wonderful clinical colleagues at the Central Adelaide Local Health Network, especially Professor Phan Nguyen and Dr Jelena Solujic, for their expertise and support of medical research. This first collection of lung cancer patient material is just the beginning — we’re looking forward to contributing many more samples and insights to ultimately improve patient outcomes.”

A Shared Mission, A Brighter Future

With every site that joins, and every sample collected, TRACKER moves closer to transforming the future of lung cancer care. We extend our sincere thanks to the teams at RAH and SAiGENCI, along with the Central Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN) and the University of Adelaide (UoA) for supporting this important work — and to the patients whose generosity makes it all possible.

Together, we are building a legacy of collaboration, innovation, and hope for those affected by lung cancer.

Stay tuned for more updates as South Australia’s contribution to TRACKER grows and we continue to expand our national impact!