People who live in Queensland have the highest rates of melanoma in the world. Over 10,000 cases of melanoma are diagnosed each year in Australia, with 25 % of those Queensland cases.
Melanomas appear as a mole or freckle that changes colour, size or shape, but are the most dangerous type of skin cancer. They metastasise rapidly throughout the body and can cause tumours to grow in the liver and brain, resulting in a poor survival rate.
Our research focuses on:
- conducting the largest study of skin cancer in Queensland, QSkin
- researching the safety and effectiveness of sunscreens
- developing animal models for melanoma.
Our recent research has found:
- sunscreen is proven to reduce the risk of melanoma
- many new genes that increase the risk of melanoma.