Caroline Ford

Professor Caroline Ford is a leading researcher at the University of New South Wales, serving within the School of Women's and Children's Health and the Adult Cancer Program at the Lowy Cancer Research Centre. She leads the Gynaecological Cancer Research Group (GCRG), which focuses on understanding the development, spread, and treatment of gynaecological cancers, with particular emphasis on ovarian and endometrial cancer. Established in 2010 after international postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Toronto and Lund University, her laboratory has maintained consistent competitive research funding for over 13 years.

Her research spans Cancer Cell Biology with specific expertise in ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, endometriosis, metastasis mechanisms, ascites biology, and cell-free DNA analysis. Major projects include developing an early detection test for ovarian cancer and identifying key targets for anti-metastatic therapies. The GCRG works closely with clinicians at the Royal Hospital for Women and conducts studies involving biospecimen collection from women with gynaecological cancers. Professor Ford has pioneered innovative in vitro organotypic models of ovarian and endometrial cancer for pre-clinical drug testing.

Her publication record shows consistent focus on ROR1/ROR2 receptors, Wnt signaling pathways, and cell-free DNA applications in cancer diagnostics. Recent work has emphasized liquid biopsy techniques using ascites fluid, 3D cancer models, and computational approaches to predict treatment outcomes. She has published extensively on the molecular mechanisms of gynaecological cancers and their clinical applications.

• Superstar of STEM (2017)
• Women's Agenda Award for Female Leader in Science, Medicine & Health (2018)

Professor Ford actively supervises PhD students including Kate Gunther and Bonnie Werner, and co-supervises Zoe Phan. She convenes UNSW's General Education course on Personalised Medicine and developed Australia's first MOOC on this subject. She serves as Chair of the ANZGOG Uterine Tumour Type Working Group and Research Chair of Cure Cancer Australia. Her community engagement includes founding the STEMMinist Book Club and leading the 'Ovaries. Talk About Them' campaign to raise awareness about ovarian cancer.