Precision Medicine in Action: Driving NSW’s Theranostics Research & Clinical Future
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
Oncothera Advocacy was proud to host Precision Medicine in Action: Driving NSW’s Theranostics Research & Clinical Future this past weekend at the University of Sydney, welcoming more than 65 attendees from across clinical, research, policy and industry sectors. The strong turnout and sustained engagement throughout the day reflected a clear and growing momentum behind theranostics – and a shared recognition that New South Wales is at a pivotal moment in shaping the future of precision cancer care.
The symposium opened with a Welcome Address from Nicholas Trpezanovski, who set a clear and purposeful tone for the day. Emphasising the importance of alignment across stakeholders, he noted:
“Theranostics represents one of the most significant opportunities we have to transform cancer care today – but real impact will only come through collaboration across research, clinical practice, industry and government.”
The first session, delivered by Professor Peter Kench, focused on research collaboration and training for new evidence and future skills. He highlighted that while Australia has strong research capabilities, there remains a need for more integrated training pathways and cross-institutional collaboration. A key takeaway was the importance of building environments where clinicians, researchers and technologists are not operating in silos, but instead contributing to a unified research ecosystem capable of generating high-quality, practice-changing evidence.
Providing a national lens, Professor Wojtek Goscinski presented an overview of Australia’s advanced molecular imaging network. He outlined how the National Imaging Facility connects institutions across the country, enabling access to cutting-edge imaging technologies that underpin both research and clinical innovation. His key message was that infrastructure already exists – but awareness, access and coordination are critical to fully leveraging its potential for theranostics.
Following the morning break, Dr Nigel Lengkeek delivered a highly practical session on radiopharmaceutical capabilities for theranostics in NSW. He provided an honest assessment of current system readiness, highlighting strengths in clinical expertise alongside challenges in infrastructure, workforce and scalability. His key takeaway was that while theranostics is already being delivered successfully in pockets, broader access will require deliberate investment and system-wide planning.
Dr Samantha Johnson then addressed breaking down research barriers, focusing on the structural and operational challenges that can slow progress. She emphasised the need for streamlined ethics processes, better coordination of clinical trials and stronger collaboration between research institutions and healthcare providers. Her central message was clear: accelerating theranostics research is not just about scientific discovery, but about removing friction from the systems that support it.
Workforce sustainability was brought into sharp focus by Dr Melissa Shields, who presented on capability, capacity and collaboration. Drawing on her extensive clinical and academic background, she highlighted the growing demand for skilled professionals and the need to modernise education and training pathways. A key takeaway was that workforce development must be proactive, not reactive – anticipating future demand rather than responding to shortages after they emerge.
The afternoon sessions shifted towards enabling factors for long-term success. George Papadopoulos delivered a compelling presentation on reimbursement and the role of early economic evidence, reinforcing that clinical efficacy alone is not enough to secure funding. He stressed the importance of embedding health economics early in the development lifecycle to ensure that new theranostic approaches can demonstrate value to payers and achieve sustainable reimbursement.
Looking to the future, Vicky Sproule and Dr Boon Quan Lee explored the road ahead for theranostics research, highlighting the importance of collaboration across disciplines, institutions and sectors. Their session reinforced the idea that the next wave of innovation will depend on strong partnerships and a willingness to share knowledge and resources.
An industry perspective was provided by Daniel Bucki-Smith, who spoke about developing sovereign capabilities within Australia. He highlighted the strategic importance of local manufacturing, supply chains and expertise in ensuring that Australia can support its own theranostics ecosystem and remain competitive globally.
This theme of collaboration and capability was further reinforced by Stefanie Grayson (replacing Peter Peralta who was unable to attend), who returned to the importance of training and cross-sector alignment in building a sustainable and scalable theranostics landscape.
The day culminated in a dynamic panel discussion, expertly hosted by Matthew Britland, bringing together diverse perspectives from across the speaker group. A standout moment came when each panellist was asked a simple but powerful question: “If you could make one thing happen on Monday, what would it be?”
The responses were both practical and ambitious. Themes included the immediate need for clearer funding pathways, faster and more coordinated clinical trial processes, and greater investment in workforce training and infrastructure. Several panellists emphasised the importance of national alignment – ensuring that efforts are not fragmented across states or institutions. Others pointed to the need for stronger industry–clinical partnerships to accelerate innovation and improve access.
What united all responses was a shared sense of urgency. While the potential of theranostics is widely recognised, realising that potential will require decisive action, not incremental change.
The symposium closed with final reflections from Nicholas Trpezanovski, who reinforced the importance of maintaining momentum and continuing the conversations sparked throughout the day:
“Overall, Precision Medicine in Action demonstrated that NSW is well-positioned to lead in theranostics – but success will depend on coordinated action across research, workforce development, infrastructure, policy and funding. The event not only showcased the depth of expertise within the ecosystem, but also created a platform for meaningful collaboration and forward-thinking dialogue.”
Oncothera Advocacy extends its sincere thanks to all speakers, partners and attendees for contributing to a highly impactful event – and looks forward to continuing to drive progress in theranostics and precision medicine across NSW.
If you’d like to see the video slide summary, please contact Sam via email: samantha@oncothera.com.au
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