School project aids cancer research

Two high school students have turned a Year 11 science project into a powerful new computer program cancer researchers will use to unravel the secrets of the human genome. 

Chris Whittle and Matthew Gebert, of the John Monash Science School developed software to analyse the human genome and provide Monash University researchers with a clearer picture of the complex links between human genetics and cancer. 

The students developed the software for molecular biologist Dr Michael Gantier of the Monash Institute of Medical Research, as part of a school project. 

Dr Gantier said the program allowed him to generate predictions that would help his cancer research, and aid the work of researchers around the world. 

Matthew and Chris volunteered to develop the program after impressing Dr Gantier with their ingenuity and professionalism during a class visit. 

"I have been interested in computer software since I was a child, playing games and experimenting," Matthew said. 

"So the programming wasn't extremely difficult. What was difficult was understanding exactly what Dr Gantier wanted to do with his data and ironing out all the little bugs before we could implement the code."  

Chris said they would continue to refine the software to accommodate new insight from Dr Gantier. 

Dr Gantier’s research focuses on microRNAs, a novel class of molecules that regulate how the cell uses genome information. As tumours have different microRNAs than normal cells, these tiny molecules present many opportunities for understanding the drivers of cancer, and could also become diagnostic tools. 

"My collaboration with Matthew and Chris has exceeded all my expectations," Dr Gantier said. 

"The standard of their work was outstanding, and we now have a good piece of software to carry out the analyses I always wanted to do. 

"This work could lead directly to a peer-reviewed publication." 

The John Monash Science School is a co-educational school devoted to science, mathematics and associated technologies. It is a partnership between the Victorian Government and Monash University, and is located on the University's Clayton Campus.