| | | | Omico eNewsletter - May 2026 Edition | | | |
Dear
May has been a significant month for Omico and the broader precision oncology community.
In this edition, we share news of continued Federal Government support for PrOSPeCT through to 2028/29, national media coverage highlighting the impact genomic profiling and matched treatment can have for Australians with advanced cancer, and international collaborations focused on improving cancer diagnosis, hereditary cancer risk assessment and biomarker-driven treatment approaches.
As Australia marks National Research Month, this edition also reflects the people helping drive progress in precision oncology, including Beth Ivimey as Omico’s first STAR Ambassador, and welcoming Keith McNeill to the Omico Board. Meet Keith and our other Board members here.
Thank you for your continued advocacy and collaboration in supporting Omico’s mission to improve outcomes for Australians with cancer through precision oncology.
We hope you enjoy this update. Feel free to share it with colleagues and friends and invite them to [subscribe here].
Omico
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PrOSPeCT funding extended in Federal Budget
By now, you may already know that the Australian Government committed $71 million in the 2026 Federal Budget to continue the Precision Oncology Screening Platform Enabling Clinical Trials (PrOSPeCT) through to 2028/29.
The funding will enable a further 25,000 Australians facing advanced, incurable or poor prognosis cancers to access comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) and matching to biomarker-led treatments and clinical trials, at no cost. It also enables continued evidence generation to help support future integration into routine cancer care.
PrOSPeCT 1.0 (July 2023 – December 2025) provided 23,000 patients with free access to CGP and treatment matching. Patient access continues through PrOSPeCT 2.0 using the same nationally coordinated approach.
On behalf of the thousands of Australians and families this initiative will continue to support, we acknowledge and congratulate the Australian Government and Minister Butler for enabling continuation of the program.
The announcement forms part of broader Federal Budget investment in health and medical research, including support for clinical trial reform and efforts to strengthen Australia’s position as a destination for research and innovation.
Our next story features Nathan, a young Australian referred to PrOSPeCT, highlighting the important role precision oncology can play in helping open additional treatment options, and, for some patients, additional time.
To everyone who has contributed to this effort—patients, clinicians, researchers, partners, advocates and supporters—thank you.
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From national headlines to regional communities: precision oncology in focus
Since our last newsletter, Omico’s work has featured across national and regional media, highlighting the impact genomic profiling can have for Australians facing cancer and increasing broader awareness of precision oncology.
A recent major feature in The Sydney Morning Herald’s Sunday publication, The Sun-Herald, examined the rise of bowel cancer in younger Australians and how genomic testing can help uncover additional treatment options for some patients.
The article shared the story of Nathan Borg, who was diagnosed with bowel cancer at 29, just months before his wedding. Following gruelling chemotherapy, radiation and surgery, Nathan underwent comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) and treatment matching through Omico. CGP identified a biomarker in his cancer that opened the door to immunotherapy treatment. Now 34, Nathan has since become cancer-free and is expecting his first child with his wife Samantha.
The feature also highlighted trends emerging through Omico’s national programs, including that more than one-third of bowel cancer participants in Omico’s cohort are under 50 years of age, and that almost 80 per cent received a matched treatment recommendation following genomic profiling.
Additional recent coverage included another The Sydney Morning Herald feature exploring hereditary prostate cancer risk and the importance of genomic and genetic testing for families, as well as regional media coverage in the Golden Plains Times focused on the collaboration between Omico and Grampians Health to expand access to precision oncology for regional Australians.
Together, these stories continue to build awareness of how precision oncology is reshaping cancer care — helping more Australians access genomic profiling and matching to treatment and clinical trial opportunities that may not otherwise be considered or available through routine care.
Access these stories:
đź”— Bowel Cancer Feature (The Sydney Morning Herald / Sun Herald, subscriber access)
đź”— Prostate Cancer Feature (The Sydney Morning Herald, subscriber access) đź”— Grampians Health & Omico Partnership (Golden Plains Times)
Main photo credit: Wolter Peeters, Sydney Morning Herald.
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A STAR Ambassador for Omico
Beth Ivimey may already be familiar to many in the Omico community, through the way she has shared her story and perspectives across Omico initiatives, including her experience of living with advanced cholangiocarcinoma. Beth has spent her life caring for people with cancer as a lung cancer nurse. Today, she brings that same commitment to helping others understand what may be possible through precision oncology and the work of Omico. Through participation in Omico’s programs, comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) helped identify biomarker-led therapies matched to Beth’s cancer. She has shared that this has extended her life—six-fold beyond her initial prognosis—creating time for what she values most, including family, travel, gardening, and her work. Alongside this, Beth has become a strong and generous advocate, not only for precision oncology, but for Omico and the work of our team. Her voice has helped many people, supporting patients and families to understand their options, and giving nurses and other clinicians greater insight into the role precision oncology can play in care.
At a recent Omico event, Beth and her husband John shared their desire to do more. John suggested that Beth have an official title to support her advocacy.
We readily took up the opportunity, and after many thoughtful suggestions from the team, Beth chose STAR Ambassador: Screening and Therapy Advocate with Real-Life experience. | | Her choice carries personal meaning:
“STAR has a sentimental note to me. A patient that I looked after for a long time at Randwick, who was one of the first stage IV lung cancer patients identified with a mutation and treated for over 10 years with targeted therapy, gifted me a star in my name when I left.
We visited my star at the Observatory—you can identify it around my birthday.”
While nursing has been central to Beth’s life, she sees advocacy as equally important—helping others facing advanced cancer to have information, know their options, and discuss these with their oncologist.
Beth is already a super STAR in our eyes. We’re so grateful for all that Beth continues to contribute to improve care and outcomes for others.
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London Calling - Improving diagnosis in Li-Fraumeni syndrome through long-read sequencing
On 20 May in London, David Thomas presented at London Calling 2026 (Oxford Nanopore Technologies), highlighting collaborative research exploring between Oxford Nanopore Technologies and Omico aimed at improving diagnosis in Li-Fraumeni syndrome.
Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS) is a rare inherited cancer predisposition syndrome, most commonly associated with pathogenic variants in the TP53 gene. People with LFS face a significantly increased lifetime risk of developing cancer, often at a young age, including sarcomas, breast cancer, brain tumours and other malignancies.
Despite its strong genetic basis, a proportion of suspected Li-Fraumeni syndrome cases remain unresolved after conventional short-read sequencing. The collaboration is exploring how Oxford Nanopore’s long-read sequencing technology, combined with integrated multiomic approaches, can help close that gap.
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Omico Joins International Chief Scientific Officer Discussion at Asia Summit on Global Health
On 12 May, Omico Founder and Chief Science & Strategy Officer David Thomas joined an international panel of Chief Scientific Officers and R&D leaders at the Asia Summit on Global Health in Hong Kong.
The session—Investment NSW CSO Insights: Catalysing Scientific Breakthroughs and Investments for Future Health—explored the role Chief Scientific Officers play in bridging scientific breakthroughs with commercial viability, helping ensure advances in research can translate into therapies that reach patients.
Discussion topics included: - Designing and operating R&D organisations that deliver speed, quality and impact
- Balancing innovation and risk in R&D portfolios
- Forging partnerships and attracting investment to scale breakthrough science
| | The session also explored areas including AI-driven drug discovery and precision oncology.
Reflecting on the discussions, Prof. Thomas noted the strong interest in collaboration between Hong Kong and Australia across medical research and MedTech innovation, particularly in areas such as drug development and biomarker-driven clinical trials.
At Omico, the connection between discovery, evidence and patient access is central to our work. Contributing to, and listening to, these global conversations matters because progress depends on how well science can be connected to real-world care.
Learn more about the summit
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Support for Oncologists Managing Complex Molecular Cancer Results
The Precision Care Initiative supports oncologists caring for patients with complex cancers by integrating genomic research and molecular interpretation into routine cancer care.
Oncologists from across Australia can refer patients who have received tumour molecular results and may benefit from further review or interpretation within their current clinical context. This Initiative offers access to expertise across molecular oncology, cancer genetics, and bioinformatics. It is designed to support, not replace, the treating clinician’s management plan, with ongoing clinical management remaining with the referring oncologist.
The PCI team can: âś“ Review complex molecular findings âś“ Assess the clinical significance of somatic and germline variants âś“ Explore targeted therapy options âś“ Identify relevant clinical trials
| | There is currently no cost to patients.
Referring clinicians are invited to join our fortnightly virtual molecular multidisciplinary team meetings if their patient is referred for case discussion.
When additional molecular expertise may assist clinical decision-making, the Precision Care Initiative is available to support treating clinicians. Clinicians can submit an online referral form, with clinic staff responding within five business days of submission.
To refer a patient or learn more, visit Precision Care Initiative.
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What’s On: Upcoming Events & Learning Opportunities | |
Rare Cancer Awareness Day (RCAD) 26 June
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Rare Cancers Awareness Day, 26 June, is a national day of recognition and support for those affected by rare and less common cancers. Rare cancers are more common than you think. Each day in Australia, around 120 people are diagnosed with a rare or less common cancer. For those diagnosed, it can feel particularly overwhelming, scary and lonely when they’re told they have a cancer no one has heard of or knows how to treat. Chances are, you know someone affected. Rare Cancers Australia (RCA) plays a vital role in raising national awareness of these realities, advocating for patients and families, and championing change for the rare cancer community. At Omico, we are proud to partner with RCA and support the rare cancer community through our national precision oncology programs. In fact, 66% of Australians referred to PrOSPeCT—Omico’s initiative providing free comprehensive genomic profiling and treatment matching for people with advanced, incurable or poor prognosis cancers—are living with a rare or less common cancer. Awareness changes lives. You can help change the next 12 minutes for a person diagnosed with a rare or less common cancer. Visit Rare Cancers Australia to learn more about Rare Cancer Awareness Day, explore ways to get involved, and download the digital resource pack. | |
NSW Big Ideas Oncology Seminar Series: Professor Christopher Sweeney |
The next seminar, Making Use of Biomarkers to Make Sense of All the Treatment Options for Metastatic Hormone Sensitive Prostate Cancer, will feature Professor Christopher Sweeney, whose research focuses on drug development for all cancers but has a special emphasis on prostate and testicular cancer.
Professor Sweeney, inaugural Director of the South Australian immunoGENomics Cancer Institute, will present research that has contributed to treatment options for Metastatic Hormone Sensitive Prostate Cancer to improve the outcomes for patients.
🗓️ Monday 22nd June | 12:00 – 1:00pm AEST 📍 In-Person: Kirby Institute Seminar Room, Room 638, Level 6, Wallace Wurth Building (C27), UNSW, Kensington. (Light refreshments will be provided). 💻 Online attendance also available
The Series is hosted by Prof. David Thomas (UNSW) and Prof. Vanessa Hayes (USYD).
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In case you missed it—Presentations worth revisiting | | | |
Big Ideas Oncology Seminar Series 2026
Recent sessions from the NSW Big Ideas Oncology Seminar Series explored two important topics shaping cancer care—cancer survivorship and artificial intelligence in healthcare.
Cancer Survivorship Coming of Age: Person-centred, Personalised and Precise Prof Bogda Koczwara, Inaugural Director of the Australian Research Centre for Cancer Survivorship, explores some of the biggest challenges facing cancer survivorship today and why survivorship care must remain focused on the whole person, not just the cancer diagnosis. |
Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Medicine
Prof Toby Walsh, Scientia Professor of AI at UNSW and Chief Scientist of UNSW AI Institute, presents one of the most consequential shifts in health care. He explores how artificial intelligence is already shaping healthcare and what these technologies may mean for the future of oncology.
Known for making complex topics accessible and engaging, Prof Walsh discusses both the opportunities and broader implications of AI in medicine.
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Cancer Reimagined: The Future of Precision Care
Cancer affects almost every family in some way. This recent public event was designed for anyone wanting to better understand how advances in artificial intelligence (AI), genomics and precision medicine are reshaping cancer care.
Presented by UNSW Medicine & Health and UNSW Science on 28 May 2026, the discussion explored how scientific breakthroughs are changing cancer detection and treatment, and what these developments could mean for more personalised and equitable cancer care in the future.
The panel featured Tracey O'Brien, Samantha Oakes, Paul Steven Conyngham and Fatemeh Vafaee, and was moderated by Julie McCrossin.
Whether you are a patient, family member, clinician, researcher, student or simply interested in the future of healthcare, the discussion offers an accessible introduction to some of the biggest shifts underway in cancer care.
The audio recording will be available soon. Follow Omico on LinkedIn for updates.
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ESMO Presidential Elections Underway, voting closes 1 June 2026
🌏 The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Presidential elections are now underway to appoint the organisation’s President for 2029–2030.
As one of the world’s leading oncology organisations, ESMO helps shape international oncology research, education, clinical practice and policy.
⏳ Eligible ESMO members are encouraged to review the candidates and participate in the electronic ballot before voting closes on 1 June 2026.
Candidates: - Rebecca Dent, Singapore
- Florian Lordick, Germany
For more information about the candidates and the election process Eligible members can cast their vote via their myESMO account.
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We hope you enjoy this update. Feel free to share it with colleagues and friends and invite them to [subscribe here]. | | | | | | | | | |
Omico (Australian Genomic Cancer Medicine Centre)
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