Ross Hannan

Professor Ross Hannan is a prominent academic and researcher at the Australian National University (ANU), specifically within the John Curtin School of Medical Research (JCSMR). He holds the inaugural Centenary Chair in Cancer Research and leads the ACRF Department of Cancer Biology and Therapeutics. His roles include Deputy Dean, Research at the College of Health and Medicine (CHM), and Group Leader at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. Hannan's research focuses on ribosome biogenesis and nucleolar stress, with significant contributions to developing RNA polymerase I inhibitors for cancer treatment. These inhibitors are now in clinical trials for hematologic cancers.

Education:

• PhD from the University of Tasmania (1994)
• Postdoctoral research in the USA

Research Interests:

• Cancer Biology and Therapeutics
• Ribosome Biogenesis and its role in malignancy
• Epigenetic and transcriptional regulation
• High-throughput screening for drug discovery

His work bridges laboratory research and clinical collaboration, leading to innovative therapies like the first-in-class RNA Pol I inhibitor CX-5461 and its successor PMR-116.

Publications & Trends: Recent articles highlight advancements in ribosome-targeted therapies, DNA damage responses, and combination treatments. Themes include exploiting nucleolar stress pathways and identifying biomarkers for treatment efficacy.

Awards & Fellowships:

• NHMRC Principal Research Fellow
• Australian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology President
• Adjunct Professorships at multiple institutions

Advising & Grants:

• Supervises projects on resistance mechanisms, biomarker identification, and drug development
• Leads grants targeting RNA Pol I inhibitors, ribosomal DNA dynamics, and combination therapies

Labs & Teams:

• The Hannan Group - Cancer Therapeutics
• Collaborations with The Schulte Group (Systems Biology) and The Quinn Group (Brain Cancer)

His lab integrates genomics, biochemistry, and in vivo models to advance cancer therapeutics.