Colleen Nelson

Professor Colleen Nelson is a leading researcher in translational prostate cancer research at Queensland University of Technology (QUT), serving as Founder and Executive Director of the Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre - Queensland (APCRC-Q) and Chair of Prostate Cancer Research. She holds a PhD from the Australian National University and is affiliated with the Translational Research Institute (TRI) and Princess Alexandra Hospital.

Her research focuses on identifying therapeutic targets for prostate cancer progression, particularly mechanisms of androgen synthesis and resistance, metabolic syndrome interactions, and clinical validation through molecular pathology. Key contributions include discovering de novo androgen synthesis in castrate-resistant tumors and pioneering the Australian-Canadian Prostate Cancer Research Alliance to enhance international collaboration.

Prof Nelson has secured over $29 million in research grants, including the Queensland Government Smart Futures Fellowship. She chairs TRI’s Research Committee and Movember’s Global Scientific Committee, driving global prostate cancer initiatives. Her work integrates clinical translation, preclinical models, and genomic technologies to accelerate therapeutic development.

• Education: PhD (Australian National University)
• Leadership Roles: Director of APCRC-Q, Chair of Prostate Cancer Stream (Diamantina Health Partners), and TRI Research Committee Chair
• Professional Memberships: American Association for Cancer Research, Endocrine Society

Her research outputs emphasize metabolic reprogramming in cancer, with recent work targeting valine catabolism and leptin signaling pathways. Collaborations include the Vancouver Prostate Centre and OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals, advancing clinical trials for novel therapies.