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Simon Baxter

Research Assistant
Cancer Genetics Laboratory
Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute

Bachelor of Science (Honours)

Employment after degree:

1999 onwards – Research Assistant in the Cancer Genetics Laboratory at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute.

My project involves searching for polymorphic genes that may increase the likelihood of developing breast and ovarian cancer. Specifically, I am investigating a series of genes involved in oestrogen biosynthesis. Detecting new genes involved in cancer enables better screening techniques to be developed. Once the function of these genes is fully understood new treatment methods and therapies can be developed.

Duties:

I analyse DNA taken from breast and ovarian cancer patients as well as healthy controls using polymerase chain reaction. This enables specific regions of DNA to be amplified, which are subsequently analysed. Results are compared between cancer patients and controls.

Tasks involve:

  • General Laboratory maintenance
  • Literature searches
  • Designing experiments
  • Data entry and statistical analysis
  • Presentations
  • Helping senior researchers with specific aspects of their work