Sydney, Australia 22 November 2024 –Professor David Thomas, Founder of not-for-profit genomics organisation, Omico, and Director, Centre of Molecular Oncology, UNSW has been awarded NSW’s highest accolade for cancer research at the NSW Premier’s Awards for Outstanding Cancer Research.

This prestigious award recognises his profound contributions to advancing cancer research and patient outcomes through a career focussed on sarcoma research, genomics and the pioneering integration of precision oncology as routine care across New South Wales and Australia.

Nominated by peers, Professor David Thomas has become a distinguished figure in oncology, globally renowned for his groundbreaking work and leadership in genomic cancer medicine.

Transforming Cancer Care with Precision Oncology

As Chief Science and Strategy Officer at Omico, which he founded in 2018, he has spearheaded nationwide initiatives to translate cutting-edge genomic technologies into tangible therapeutic advancements for Australians with challenging cancers, improving outcomes for many patients.

“Receiving this award is a great honour and also recognises the importance of precision oncology as an indispensable tool in our fight against cancer,” states Professor Thomas. “Genomics and precision oncology is no longer a distant vision; it’s a mature, evidence-based approach here and now, that is evolving the way we can assess and treat cancers. Our challenge is to ensure every Australian patient, wherever they are, can benefit from this tailored approach.”

“New South Wales provides an outstanding environment for this endeavour, with its world-class research infrastructure, commitment to innovation, and vibrant clinical community. I congratulate the State Government for recognising commitment to the life science sector not only saves lives; it also creates jobs, forms healthcare networks and supports economic growth,” he adds.

A Distinguished Career and Vision to Improve Cancer Outcomes

As a clinician-scientist, Professor Thomas’s career has spanned top-tier research centres. His early and ongoing focus on sarcoma – a rare and aggressive cancer – saw him establish Australia’s leading adolescent and young adult cancer unit at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in 2005 and the Australasian Sarcoma Study Group in 2008. His quest for better solutions for patients battling sarcoma led him to focus on the application of genomic technologies to the understanding and management of cancer. He founded the Australian Genomic Cancer Medicine Centre, now known as Omico, to lead a national precision medicine program for patients with rare and early onset cancers in 2018.  With over 260 research publications, Professor Thomas’ work has earned him international recognition and driven significant advancements in oncology.

A Transformative Moment in Cancer Care

This award comes at a pivotal time, highlighting the urgent need to make precision oncology standard practice. Precision oncology offers unprecedented insights – not only advancing our understanding of cancer origins but also enabling personalised risk assessments, precise diagnoses, and targeted prevention and treatment strategies that could redefine patient outcomes.

Professor Thomas continues, “We are on the cusp of a new era in cancer care. It’s imperative to integrate this approach as mainstream care for all Australians.”

Omico’s PrOSPeCT (Precision Oncology Screening Platform Enabling Clinical Trials) initiative, the largest of its kind in Australia, exemplifies this potential by providing 23,000 Australians with advanced cancers access to free genomic profiling and possible matching to precision medicines. Data from Omico’s MoST (Molecular Screening and Therapeutics) program demonstrate the profound impact: among the first 3,383 patients, those receiving matched therapies based on identified biomarkers experienced double the median survival time compared to those on unmatched treatments.¹

Omico’s growing dataset underscores genomics as a critical tool in cancer care. Analysis of referrals from over 20,000 patients with challenging cancers has revealed that more than two-thirds possess actionable genetic biomarkers—opening doors to advanced, potentially life-extending treatments that might otherwise remain unexplored.²  Professor Thomas remains resolute in his mission to bring these options within reach for all Australians.

 

Issued on behalf of Omico by Cube. Contact: Anne-Marie Sparrow, 0417 421 560 / anne-marie@cube.com.au or Emma Norgrove, 0499 688 011 / emma@cube.com.au

 

Notes for editors:

Precision oncology involves using genomic technology to detect the unique genetic and molecular variations in a person’s cancer that drive its growth, in order to identify clinical trials of new targeted treatments that can specifically address those variations to improve patient outcomes.

Omico (www.omico.com.au) is a national, independent, not-for-profit organisation leading the use of ‘precision oncology’ to turn the tide on cancer in Australia. The unique Omico network of researchers, clinicians, hospitals and industry partners is accelerating community access to the latest developments – comprehensive genomic profiling and next-generation treatments. Omico is a nation-wide organisation and is proud that every state and territory is represented by its Members and Participants, as follows: –

• Linear Clinical Research Limited (WA)

• Central Adelaide Local Health District (SA)

• Northern Territory of Australia (NT)

• Department of Health, The State of Tasmania (Tas)

• Garvan Institute of Medical Research (NSW)

• The University of Sydney represented by NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre (NSW)

• The Australian Capital Territory represented by ACT Health (ACT)

• Metro South Hospital and Health Services, represented by Princess Alexandra Hospital (QLD)

• Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute (VIC)

 

References

1. Genomic therapy matching in rare and refractory cancers: Updated results from a retrospective cohort study in the Molecular Screening and Therapeutic (MoST) program. (2023) FPY Lin, S Thavaneswaran, CE Napier, JP Grady, M Kansara et al. Journal of Clinical Oncology 41 (16_suppl), 1540-1540 presented at ASCO 2023.

2. Omico data on file.