WA study of thalidomide as cancer drug April 5, 2013 - 4:51PM Scientists at the University of Western Australia have received funding to carry out research on the potential of the infamous morning sickness drug thalidomide to treat liver, blood and bone cancers. Researchers will aim to identify the target molecule in human cells which thalidomide interacts with. Thalidomide was withdrawn from sale in the early 60s after an estimated 10,000 children in 46 countries were born with deformities because their mothers had taken thalidomide. The grant is part of a $3 million round of research funding from the Cancer Council of Western Australia. The WA cancer charity is also funding work to find out how a patient with cancer in the lower bowel will respond to chemotherapy or radiotherapy so treatment can be tailored accordingly. Money was also provided to detect very small tumours and to study whether physical activity can help the wellbeing of survivors of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.