SAHMRI, Cancer Council to partner for research Chief Executive of the Cancer Council SA Brenda Wilson. THE South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute has partnered with Cancer Council SA and the State Government in the fight against cancer. SAHMRI will be responsible for administering $20 million in research funds and will collaborate with the state's three major universities - University of Adelaide, Flinders University and UniSA. The research was part of Cancer Council SA's Beat Cancer Project, which would see it invest $10 million on behalf of its donors into cancer research over the next five years. This amount had been matched by the SA Government. Cancer Council SA chief executive Brenda Wilson said the combined funds and resources would help bring it closer to a future without cancer. "This is a strategic partnership that will ensure that the donations given by our generous supporters are targeted to cancer research projects that are needed most," Professor Wilson said. Thanks to research, we have seen cancer survival rates for many common cancers increase by as much as 30 per cent over the last 20 years. By pooling our resources into the Beat Cancer Project, we aim to build on this progress in leaps and in bounds, finding more cancer breakthroughs that will ultimately save lives. SAHMRI executive director Steve Wesselingh said cancer was one of the six key themes at the forefront of its research. "We have all been touched by cancer in some shape or form, and know its devastating effects," Professor Wesselingh said. This partnership will enable us to seek better treatments, cures and even ways to prevent this disease in its many manifestations. SA was proving to be a key place for cancer research. SA company Bionomics was currently testing its cancer drug BNC105. Bionomics expected to next year report on data from a Phase II renal cancer study and a Phase I ovarian cancer trial using BNC105.