Growing Our NSW Network: St Vincent’s Hospital and Garvan Institute Join TRACKER

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It began with a shared belief that every sample collected brings us closer to changing the future of lung cancer care. Now, that collaboration has taken a major step forward.

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St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney and the Garvan Institute of Medical Research have officially joined TRACKER, enrolling their first participant and collecting their first lung cancer patient sample.

This milestone marks TRACKER’s third active site in New South Wales, alongside Macquarie University, and highlights the strength of partnerships that unite clinicians, scientists, and patients in a common mission: to improve outcomes for people living with lung cancer.

Collaboration in Action

Behind this achievement is a remarkable team whose enthusiasm and commitment brought TRACKER to life at St Vincent’s and Garvan:

• A/Prof Venessa Chin, Site Principal Investigator

• Prof. Emily Stone, Respiratory Physician

• Andria Yaourtis, Site Coordinator

• Ryan Yu, Site Coordinator

• Rachael Zekanovic, Laboratory Manager

• Caitlin Bartie – Research Assistant

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"We are delighted to announce the enrolment of the first St Vincent's participant in the TRACKER study — a wonderful example of teamwork and collaboration. Thanks to all for the support.”

Prof Emily Stone, Respiratory Physician

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Accelerating Discovery

TRACKER is an integrated research platform designed to tackle some of the field’s most pressing questions, like why some patients respond to treatment while others don’t.

By collecting blood, tissue, and bronchoalveolar lavage samples throughout each patient’s treatment journey, TRACKER enables researchers to uncover the biological clues behind treatment resistance and drive the development of more effective, personalised therapies.

The addition of St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney and the Garvan Institute of Medical Research brings a new layer of clinical and scientific excellence to the network, reinforcing TRACKER’s commitment to a collaborative, nation-wide approach that accelerates discovery and drives real change for patients.

Building a Future of Shared Progress

Every new site, every patient, and every carefully processed sample adds to a growing national resource - one that will guide breakthroughs, shape new therapies, and bring renewed hope to people affected by lung cancer.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the dedicated teams at St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney and the Garvan Institute of Medical Research for their leadership, collaboration, and commitment to this mission. And, as always, we acknowledge the patients whose generosity and trust make this work possible.

Together, we’re transforming the way lung cancer is understood and treated, one connection, one discovery, and one sample at a time.