Medical Oncology Clinical Trials Unit (MOCTU)

The Epworth Medical Oncology Clinical Trials Unit (MOCTU) is committed to improving outcomes for patients with solid tumours by providing timely, patient centred, and coordinated access to cutting edge cancer therapies. Through high quality clinical trials, we help bring the next generation of oncology treatments to the patients who need them most.

Our Vision

To deliver outstanding care and improve health outcomes for patients with solid tumours by accelerating the development and evaluation of innovative cancer therapies through world class clinical trials.

Our Mission

To advance care for patients with solid tumours by delivering timely, safe, and efficient clinical trials, supported by:

• A collaborative, highly skilled multidisciplinary team
  Committed to continuous improvement and clinical excellence.
• Strong partnerships with industry, researchers, patients, and consumers
  Ensuring our trials generate meaningful evidence that shapes oncology practice.
  We welcome new collaborations with industry sponsors and CROs.
• Robust systems and governance
  Upholding regulatory compliance, scientific integrity, and operational excellence across all stages of trial delivery.

Meet the team

Under the leadership of Dr Ross Jennens, the unit brings together a team of experienced medical oncologists with active research portfolios and support staff who are dedicated to delivering commercially responsive, high quality oncology trials. Our team’s depth of experience ensures reliable recruitment, rigorous protocol adherence, and the consistent generation of high integrity data for industry partners.

• Dr Ross Jennens MBBS, FRACP
  Medical Oncologist, Director Cancer Research and Epworth MOCTU

  Dr Jennens has expertise in solid tumour oncology, with a particular interest in breast, lung, brain and gastrointestinal cancers including pancreas, colorectal, stomach and oesophageal cancers. He is the Director of Oncology clinical trials at Epworth Healthcare and consults at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. He has been the Principal Investigator on over 100 clinical trials at Epworth.

• A/Prof Sumitra Ananda MBBS, FRACP
  Medical Oncologist, MOCTU Lead Clinical Trialist, Co-Director of the Cancer Services Clinical Institute, Chair of the CTA Gynae-Oncology Group

  Professor Ananda is a Medical Oncologist based at Epworth Freemason's, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, and Western Health. She has a particular interest in gynaecological and gastrointestinal cancers (manages all solid tumours). Professor Ananda is focused on providing first class patient care whilst conducting high quality clinical trials and translational research. She has been the Principal Investigator on over 30 clinical trials at Epworth.

• Dr Yen Tran MBBS, FRACP
  Medical Oncologist

  Dr Tran is a medical oncologist with expertise in treating patients with breast cancer, bladder cancer, prostate cancer and kidney cancer. Dr Tran aims to deliver a comprehensive and evidence-based treatment approach to patient care in a team environment. Dr Tran is a Consultant Medical Oncologist at the Epworth Hospital and the Melbourne Breast Unit in East Melbourne.

• Dr Richard De Boer MBBS, FRACP
  Medical Oncologist

  Dr De Boer is a consultant medical oncologist working in both public and private practice. His primary breast cancer interests focus on endocrine therapy and mechanisms of resistance, treatment-induced bone loss and bone metastases, and biological predictors of response/survival. He is actively involved in clinical research and is the principal investigator in many local and international studies. He is a member of the Australian New Zealand Breast Cancer Trials Group, and until recently was the head of the Breast Trials Group of Cancer Trials Australia.

• Irina Danilovich (BHSc, MRep Med) – Research Program Manager
• Michelle Long (BSc, MClinEmbryol) – Clinical Research Coordinator
• Sam Mason (BBiomedSc)  – Clinical Research Coordinator
• Asha More (BAMS) - Clinical Research Assistant
• Recruiting – Clinical Research Assistant

Key activities

We work with industry and collaborative group sponsors.

We work across Epworth Richmond and Freemasons hospitals.

We are currently conducting 26 clinical trials and registries/other studies including:

• 2 phase 1 clinical trials
• 6 phase 2 clinical trials
• 14 phase 3 clinical trials
• 0 phase 4 clinical trials
• 4 Registry/other studies

Cancer specialities, current clinical trials and research

• Brain cancer
• Breast cancer
• Gastrointestinal cancers including pancreas, colorectal, stomach and oesophageal cancers
• Gynaecological cancers
• Lung cancer

Key Partnerships

• Australasian Gastro-Intestinal Trials Group (AGITG)
• Breast Cancer Trials (BCT)
• Cooperative Trials Group for Neuro-Oncology (COGNO)
• Thoracic Oncology Group Australasia (TOGA)
• The University of Sydney

We are a partner you can trust to deliver your oncology trials to a high standard - safely, efficiently, and professionally.

For further information:

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 0407 377 871