Research
Professor Ian Vela is one of a small group of academic Urologic Oncologists within Australia. He has very active research programs which span from clinical research and trials through to basic and translational laboratory-based research. Prof Vela may discuss potential research or clinical trial opportunities with you and invite your involvement in these, depending on your individual case. Prof Vela leads research programs in both bladder and prostate cancer and is a nationally recognised expert in these areas.
Translational Research
Prof Vela heads award winning research groups at QUT in both prostate and bladder cancer translational research. His labs are based at the Translational Research Institute on the PAH campus.
The focus of all of the research led by Prof Vela is getting cutting edge research from the bench to the bedside, in order to improve the outcomes of his patients. His main focus is in a precision medicine approach to both bladder and prostate cancer.
The concept of precision medicine is “treating the right patient, at the right time, with the right treatment”. This is achieved via cutting edge technology (such as next generation sequencing technologies) to analyse individual patients tumours for targetable genetic aberrations with specific treatments, and growing their tumour in the laboratory to test these treatments and demonstrate efficacy prior to use in the patient. Analysis of the individual patient tumours may also identify eligibility for potential clinical trial enrolment. Prof Ian Vela may discuss with you opportunities for your involvement in these studies.
Grants
Prof Vela has had substantial, ongoing competitive grant funding success in order to support his research groups in bladder and prostate cancer. Without the support of these funding bodies, none of the important research being done by his groups would be possible.
2019-2020
AU $100,000
PA Research Foundation Translational Research Innovation Award “A multifaceted precision approach to high risk prostate cancer” – PI
2019
AU $80,000
TRI SPORE Grant – Improving the PSA test to detect all lethal prostate cancers – CI
2019-2021
AU $5,200,000
Prostate Cancer Research Alliance (Australian Government and Movember) - “Up-Front PSMA” Alliance: Using Theranostics Early to Eradicate Prostate Cancer and Developing Novel Strategies for PSMA-negative disease – CI
2019-2020
AU $100,000
PA Research Foundation Translational Research Innovation Award “A multifaceted precision approach to high risk prostate cancer” – PI
2018-2019
AU $100,000
PA Research Foundation Translational Research Innovation Award “A multifaceted precision approach to high risk prostate cancer” – PI
2018-2019
AU $100,000
Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, New Concept Grant “Targeting N-myc-driven Neuroendocrine Prostate Cancer” – CI2
2016-
AU $4,000,000
Gap 6 – Initiative in Oligometastatic Prostate Cancer, QLD – PI, member, international steering committee
2016-2018
AU $450,000
Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, Movember Clinician Scientist Award – PI
2015-2016
AU $222,469
Queensland Health: New Technology Funding and Evaluation Program Grant: “Biojet” MRI Fusion Transperineal Prostate Biopsy – PI
2014-2017
AU $4,250,000
Movember Revolutionary Team Award
2009
AU $2,500
Neville Davis Research Prize RACS QLD
2019-2020
AU $100,000
PA Research Foundation Translational Research Innovation Award “Queensland Bladder Cancer Initiative” – PI
2019
AU $10,000
QUT IHBI, TRI grant round. “Personalised functional bioassay sensitivity to immunotherapy for bladder cancer” – PI
2019-2020
AU $100,000
Movember – “Identifying clinician-related barriers to active surveillance for low-risk prostate cancer in Australia and New Zealand” – Team Member
2019-2020
AU $100,000
PA Research Foundation Translational Research Innovation Award “Queensland Bladder Cancer Initiative” – PI
2018-2019
AU $100,000
PA Research Foundation Translational Research Innovation Award “Queensland Bladder Cancer Initiative” – PI
2017
AU $3,000
Winner 2017 ASMR Queensland Health & Medical Research Awards – Clinician Researcher Category
2016-2018
AU $561,012
NHMRC Project Grant: The Microniche: A novel in-vitro and in-vivo prostate cancer model system – CIB
2016-2018
AU $2,884,559
Gap 4 - INTense Exercise foR surVivAL among men with Metastatic Castrate-Resistant Prostate Cancer (INTERVAL – MCRPC) – CI
2015-2016
AU $60,000
Tolmar ANZUP Clinical Research Fellowship – PI
2014-2017
AU $6,163,000
Australian Government Department of Health
2006-2010
AU $100,000
Australasian Urologic Foundation Scholar
2007
AU $4.500
Smart State PhD Scholarship, Queensland Government
2019
AU $1,150,000
BDHP MRFF Rapid Applied Research Translation Program – Centre for Personalised Analysis of Cancers (CPAC): Clinician research training at the translational interface – CI
2019
AU $17,500
Brisbane Diamantina Health Partners (BDHP) Cancer Theme Grant Scheme (2019). “Immune cell analysis in tumouroids towards modelling immunotherapy” – PI
2019-2021
USD $784,000
US DOD – “The Long and Short of a GWAS-Identified Long Non-Coding RNA” – CI
2018
AU $10,000
QUT IHBI, TRI grant round. “Personalised functional bioassay sensitivity to immunotherapy for bladder cancer” – PI
2018-2020
AU $75,000
PA Research Support Scheme Project Grant “Investigation of the role of lymph node metastasis in initiation and progression of bone metastasis” – PI
2017-2020
AU $150,000
PA Research Foundation Large Project Grant: “Comparison of diagnostic accuracy of PSMA PET/MRI, mpMRI, MRI USS Fusion Biopsy and “Prolaris” genomic risk stratifier in reclassification of men on Active Surveillance with low risk prostate cancer” – PI
2016-2020
AU $1,393,083
NHMRC Project Grant: NABNEC: A Randomised Phase II Study Of Nab-paclitaxel In Combination With Carboplatin As First Line Treatment Of Gastrointestinal Neuroendocrine Carcinomas – AI
2016-2018
AU $75,000
PA Research Foundation Support Scheme “Analysis of treatment response in metastatic PCa” – CI
2015-2016
AU $150,000
PA Research Foundation New Appointment Grant – PI
2009
AU $28,900
University of Queensland Pathfinder Grant
2008
AU $3,000
Queensland Cancer Fund Travel Grant
current clinical trial activity
Bladder Cancer Trials
RECRUITING
Principle Investigator – Princess Alexandra Hospital
Astra Zeneca - A Phase III, Randomised, Open‐Label, Multi‐Centre, Global Study to Determine the Efficacy and Safety of Durvalumab in Combination with Gemcitabine + Cisplatin for Neoadjuvant Treatment Followed by Durvalumab Alone for Adjuvant Treatment in Patients with Muscle‐Invasive Bladder Cancer (NIAGARA)
RECRUITING
Principle Investigator – Princess Alexandra Hospital
Astra Zeneca - Study of Durvalumab in combination with Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) versus BCG alone (standard of care) in patients with high-risk non muscle invasive bladder cancer (POTOMAC)
RECRUITING
Principle Investigator – Princess Alexandra Hospital & Redland Hospital
An observational study of efficacy and utility of Cxbladder tests in the identification of low vs high risk patients and the detection of urothelial carcinoma in patients presenting with haematuria
Prostate Cancer Trials
RECRUITING
Principle Investigator – Princess Alexandra Hospital
Janssen - A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Phase 3 Study of Apalutamide in Subjects with High Risk, Localized or Locally Advanced Prostate Cancer Who are Candidates for Radical Prostatectomy – (PROTEUS)
RECRUITING
Principle Investigator – Princess Alexandra Hospital
Movember GAP4QLD INTense Exercise foR surVivAL among men with Metastatic CastrateResistant Prostate Cancer (INTERVAL MCRPC): A Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled, Phase III Study
RECRUITING
Principle Investigator – Princess Alexandra Hospital
Comparison of diagnostic accuracy of PSMA PET/MRI, USS MRI Fusion Biopsy and "Prolaris" genomic risk stratifier in reclassification of men on Active Surveillance with low risk prostate cancer (The PUMP Trial)
RECRUITING
Member Project International Steering Committee, Principle Investigator - Princess Alexandra Hospital
Movember GAP6-QLD- Initiative in Oligometastatic Prostate Cancer
RECRUITING
Principle Investigator – QLD & Princess Alexandra Hospital
Movember International Prostate Cancer Outcomes Registry in Advanced Prostate Cancer (IRONMAN)
RECRUITING
Principle Investigator – Princess Alexandra Hospital
Movember Prostate Cancer Outcomes Registry Australia and New Zealand – QLD (PCOR-QLD)