Mandy Ballinger

Current role

Deputy Director at the Centre for Molecular Oncology, University of New South Wales; Leader of the Genetic Cancer Risk Group at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research; Head of Cohorts for Omico (Australian Genomic Cancer Medicine Centre).  

Expertise

A/Prof Ballinger’s work focuses on heritable cancer risk. Key to this are several large cancer cohort studies. Since 2009 A/Prof Ballinger has overseen recruitment nationally and internationally to several world-first cancer research cohorts (International Sarcoma Kindred Study >3700 families; the Molecular Screening and Therapeutics Study ~8000 patients; the Genetic Cancer Risk in the Young Study >2000 families) and most recently the Cancer Screening Program (anticipated 23,000 patients).  She developed the Surveillance study in Multi-Organ Cancer prone syndromes (SMOC).  Her clinical training is in genetic counselling. She has more than 75 primary research publications and is first author on manuscripts in Science, Lancet Oncology and JAMA Oncology. A/Prof Ballinger has created powerful tools in these cohorts for both discovery and translation, and has well developed skills in clinical cancer genetics, genetic counseling, cohort research, and clinical interventions.  A/Prof Ballinger’s work has changed clinical practice by impacting on clinical risk management guidelines both nationally and internationally in Li Fraumeni syndrome. Her recent work has identified additional pathways associated with heritable sarcoma predisposition. A/Prof Ballinger’s goal is to define the extent of heritable cancer risk and utilize these cohorts as vehicles for intervention to change practice and improve outcomes for families. The recognition of her contributions is exemplified by the prestigious 2023 Liddy Shriver Early/Mid Career Research Award on the international stage.

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