About
Peter Mac

Peter Mac is one of the world’s leading cancer research, education and treatment centres globally and is Australia’s only public hospital solely dedicated to caring for people affected by cancer.

We have over 2,500 staff, including more than 580 laboratory and clinical researchers, all focused on providing better treatments, better care and potential cures for cancer. We plan and operate from our core values of innovation, excellence and compassion.

Peter Mac’s research impacts people with all types of cancer, right around the globe. With your support, we can bring hope to even more people.

> Read more about Peter Mac

Peter Mac Staff UTFC 2018

The difference we make

“I’m still here, but it took six operations, six months of chemotherapy and then five weeks of radiotherapy. My cancer might not have been beaten 20 years ago. I was the lucky recipient of research outcomes.”

– Melissa Troy
Breast cancer survivor and former Peter Mac staff member

The difference we make

“I’m still here, but it took six operations, six months of chemotherapy and then five weeks of radiotherapy. My cancer might not have been beaten 20 years ago. I was the lucky recipient of research outcomes.”

– Melissa Troy
Breast cancer survivor and former Peter Mac staff member

Our research

Peter Mac’s commitment to research is based on the belief that treatment informed by research, and research informed by treatment, is the key to progressing better cancer care. Our programs cover a wide range of areas, including:

  • Prostate cancer – research into which tumours are aggressive, the features that can predict tumour progression, and the treatments that can improve patient survival
  • Gastrointestinal cancer – research into the treatment of gastrointestinal cancers, the biology of the tumours, and the active translation of laboratory findings into the clinic
  • Cancer genetics and genomics – the use of techniques such as DNA sequencing to analyse individual patients’ tumours and relate this information to their clinical outcome

> Read more about our research programs

Dr Pier Blombury

“Hi, I’m Vi, and I’m a researcher at Peter Mac. Losing my mum to breast cancer when I was just 18 made me decide to focus my career on this area of research. I was based at Cambridge University in England, but thanks to the funds raised by Peter Mac supporters, I’ve been able to return to Australia and join the world-class team at Peter Mac.”

– Vi

“Hi, I’m Vi, and I’m a researcher at Peter Mac. Losing my mum to breast cancer when I was just 18 made me decide to focus my career on this area of research. I was based at Cambridge University in England, but thanks to the funds raised by Peter Mac supporters, I’ve been able to return to Australia and join the world-class team at Peter Mac.”

– Vi

A Researcher at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation

The history of Peter Mac

Seventy years ago, Sir Peter MacCallum and Dr Rutherford Kaye-Scott convinced the Victorian Government to set up Victoria’s first dedicated cancer centre. Sir Peter MacCallum believed that nothing but the best was good enough in cancer care.

From modest beginnings – just a single room in the then Queen Victoria Hospital in Melbourne – the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre has grown to become one of the world’s leading cancer research, education and treatment centres globally.

> Find out more about Peter Mac’s history