Published in News
We are delighted to announce that Arunah Chandran, Lana Ray and Andrew Vallely have been elected as co-chairs of the Cancer Research Programme.
Over the next two years, they will act as representatives for investigators involved in the programme, which spans 19 projects in 33 countries – totalling a $30 million investment in global cancer research.
Arunah Chandran
Arunah is a Public Health Officer at the International Agency for Research in Cancer, focusing on strengthening cancer prevention and early detection in different economies.
She is part of the ‘Access Cancer Care India’ project, with focuses on affordable, integrated multi-cancer early detection to improve equitable cancer outcomes among rural populations in India.
Arunah said, “As cancer researchers, we represent a broad constituency working on diverse research problems using wide ranging models. We may be senior researchers, early career scientists, clinicians, or a combination of these. The Programme can harness the strength of this diverse community by bringing us together to leverage upon our collective knowledge and experiences.”
Lana Ray
Lana is an Associate Professor in Indigenous Learning and Indigenous Research Chair in Decolonial Futures at Lakehead University in Canada.
She is the principal investigator of the ‘Waasegiizhig Nanaandawe’iyewigamig Mino-Bimaadiziwin’ project, exploring colonialism as a risk factor for cancer among Indigenous peoples and how traditional healing can protect against the impacts of colonialism and prevent cancer-related risk factors.
The research is conducted in partnership with the Waasegiizhig Nanaandawe’iyewigamig Health Access Centre (WNHAC), which delivers wholistic and culturally safe care to Indigenous peoples in Kenora, Ontario, Canada, and the surrounding area.
On her appointment as co-chair, Lana said: “I envision a relational, innovative, and agile research program that is built upon the collective wisdom of the group.”
Andrew Vallely
Andrew is a clinical epidemiologist with the Public Health Interventions Research Group at University of New South Wales. He is involved in the ‘HPVTATE’ study, exploring HPV-based testing and treatment for the elimination of cervical cancer in Papua New Guinea.
Commenting on his appointment, Andrew said, “My vision for the Cancer Research Program is that we take a lead role at global level in pioneering, advocating and advancing the implementation of effective, evidence-based, scalable solutions for the prevention, treatment and control of cancer among the world’s most vulnerable populations and communities.”