Who we are

The Brain Cancer Centre is the culmination of your generosity and support.

Image of Greg Lange

In 2015 Carrie Bickmore OAM won the Gold Logie award which she dedicated to her late husband Greg Lange, who passed away following a 10-year battle with brain cancer.

Carrie went on to form Carrie’s Beanies 4 Brain Cancer Foundation. CB4BC has since raised more than $22 million for this vital research. The CB4BC Foundation’s aim is to ensure as much money as possible gets into the hands of incredible researchers working to find a cure for this horrible disease.

Thanks to the generosity of every person who has bought a beanie, held a fundraiser or donated. You have made this possible.

Thank you.

"I want to see a world where no family has to lose someone they love to brain cancer."

Carrie Bickmore
Image of Carrie Bickmore wearing a beanie

A shared vision

CB4BC and WEHI have been working closely together for many years, with a focus on investing in vital brain cancer research and with a shared vision: that one day no lives will be lost to brain cancer. The Brain Cancer Centre is the culmination of this partnership.

We recognise that it will take a huge investment over the long term to attract the best and brightest minds to brain cancer research. We want to create a brighter future for brain cancer patients and their families and ultimately find a cure for this devastating disease.

The Brain Cancer Centre brings to life this shared vision, and was founded by Carrie’s Beanies 4 Brain Cancer and established in partnership with WEHI with support from the Victoria Government.

The Brain Cancer Centre

We want to see a world where brain cancer is a treatable and survivable disease, and where no lives are lost to brain cancer.

To deliver our vision, we need both a sense of urgency to improve the outcomes for brain cancer patients now and a commitment to long-term research that will provide life-changing treatments for future generations.

To be successful, a radically different approach to brain cancer research in Australia is required.

We will develop a system that:

  • has CRITICAL MASS, significant funding, researchers and momentum driving us towards our mission;
  • is COMPREHENSIVE, spanning discovery, translational research, clinical trials, data and tissue banking, and quality-of-life research;
  • is COLLABORATIVE, harnessing the expertise of
    multidisciplinary teams of scientists (biologists, chemists,
    mathematicians, computer scientists and technologists)
    and clinicians (oncologists, surgeons, radiation
    oncologists and immunotherapists);
  • is COLLEGIAL, where up-and-coming researchers are
    attracted into the field to be inspired and mentored by
    experienced scientists; and
  • is COMMITTED to long-term research underpinned by
    CONTINUOUS funding.

Bringing together world-class talent

We will work tirelessly to build collaborations and drive the research that will improve treatment options and survival rates for brain cancer patients, now and in the future. Together we will end brain cancer as a terminal illness and create a brighter future for patients and their families.
Chief Executive Officer

Sam McGuane

Sam is a passionate strategic leader whose personal motto is ‘to always be in the service of others’.  For the last 10 years Sam has held several senior strategic positions with Cotton On Group, including managing global community initiatives and leading the development of innovative sports partnerships with the AFL and NRL, delivering powerful outcomes for customers and communities.

Sam is Director and General Manager of Carrie’s Beanies 4 Brain Cancer Foundation.  Sam leads the strategy, governance, finance and general operations of the charity. His role in the Foundation has enabled Sam to develop a strong network across the brain cancer fundraising community and, in partnering with WEHI, has fostered his desire to accelerate brain cancer research efforts.

As the Chief Executive Officer for The Brain Cancer Centre, Sam is energised about making a real difference to patients and their families and to help end brain cancer as a terminal illness.

Joint Head, Research Strategy

Professor, Misty Jenkins AO
Laboratory Head, WEHI

Misty Jenkins is a NHMRC fellow and laboratory head in the Immunology Division at WEHI. Misty leads the immunotherapy program within The Brain Cancer Centre and is dedicated to discovering novel immunotherapy targets for high grade gliomas in adults and children. Her research focusses on the development of novel chimeric antigen receptor T cells for brain cancer. Her group also uses cutting edge two-photon microscopy combined with mouse models of brain cancer to investigate the tumour microenvironment and uncover unique biology of brain tumours.

Misty has a PhD in Immunology from The University of Melbourne, followed by postdoctoral positions at The Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. 

A/Prof Jenkins was awarded the L’Oreal for Women in Science Fellowship (2013), was Tall Poppy of the year (2015), was awarded the Top100 Women of Influence award (2016) and was inducted onto the Victorian Honour Roll of Women in 2020.

In addition to her research career, A/Prof Jenkins is experienced in governance and strategy as a company Director, co-chairs a Federal Health Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) and is a passionate advocate for gender equity and Indigenous Health and education. She was awarded an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2023 for distinguished service to medical science in Immunology, the support of women in STEM, and to the Indigenous community.

Dr Jim Whittle
Medical Oncologist, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

Laboratory Head, WEHI

Jim is a medical oncologist specialising in neuro-oncology at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.  He completed his PhD and was awarded the Professor Lynn Corcoran PhD Prize for his research understanding the molecular mechanisms responsible for resistance to cell death in breast cancer. This work has provided the foundation for testing novel compounds in early phase clinical trials, together with industry collaboration. 

In 2020, Jim commenced working remotely with the Ligon laboratory, Dana Faber Cancer Institute, with a focus on uncovering resistance mechanisms to glioma. Jim is passionate about improving supportive care for patients and carers with brain cancer. Together with Prof Kate Drummond, he co-leads an MRFF funded program to develop an online supportive care platform.   

Dr Whittle & Prof Drummond have recently launched a world-first clinical trial Brain Pop, funded through The BCC, which will enable doctors to precisely see the effect of a new drug therapy on a patient’s brain cancer for the first time.

Research Advisory Committee

Assistant Professor Pratiti (Mimi) Bandopadhayay, MBBS PhD

Professor Tracey O’Brien

Professor Tracey O’Brien FRACP, MBA, LLM (Health), GAICD, MBChB, BSc

Image of Brendan Crabb

Professor Brendan Crabb AC PhD FAA FAHMS FASM

Professor Martine Roussel

Professor Martine Roussel PhD

Image of Professor Brandon Wainwright

Professor Brandon Wainwright AM

Dr. Gelareh Zadeh, MD, PhD, FRCS(C), FAANS

Samantha Chandler, Consumer Representative

Our Collaborators

Through the advocacy of many groups, the Australian Brain Cancer Mission was announced by Minister Greg Hunt in 2017, with an initial investment of $100 million and a goal to double survival rates in brain cancer. CB4BC and WEHI have both been passionate supporters of The Mission and have partnered with Cancer Australia since its inception to pursue that goal. The establishment of The Brain Cancer Centre is aligned with the strategic priorities of The Mission and acknowledges a vital step in achieving this goal to build research capacity around the country.

The Brain Cancer Centre will continue to drive outcomes in partnership with the Australian Brain Cancer Mission and Cancer Australia, and the other members of The Mission, who share our desire to achieve better outcomes for those diagnosed with brain cancer in the future.

Help us in our mission to end brain cancer as a terminal illness