Australia’s first centre to focus on Lymphoedema and Lymphatic Regeneration Research
13 November 2025
Peter Mac’s Professor Ben Hogan has joined with the University of South Australia’s Professor Natasha Harvey to establish Australia’s first Centre of Research Excellence in Lymphoedema and Lymphatic Regeneration.
The new Centre, an ambitious basic research initiative dedicated to tackling lymphoedema, was officially launched at an event in Melbourne this week.
Lymphoedema affects up to 300,000 Australians at any one time, mostly due to cancer treatment.
The importance of this research program was brought into focus by Consumer Advocate Dr Jo Newton OAM, who shared how lymphoedema had profoundly affected her life after cancer treatment and how few clinicians understood the condition or how to help her manage it.
Ryan Brown, who lives his life with primary lymphoedema, echoed Jo’s experience and how frustrating it can be to live with the unknown. Ryan undertook his PhD at Peter Mac with Professor Hogan, giving him insight into the research being conducted.
Ryan said he feels optimistic about the future of lymphoedema and believes the centre represents hope that treatment will advance and provide people with more options.
Professor Hogan said the Centre will focus on understanding the molecular mechanisms behind lymphatic vessel development and regeneration, as well as their role in both inherited and acquired forms of lymphoedema.
“Our multidisciplinary research team has an overarching aim to generate clinical opportunities for the treatment of lymphatic disease,” he said.
“We hope to achieve this through progressing our fundamental understanding of the genetics, cell biology and molecular control of lymphatic vessel growth and development.
“This should lead to improved diagnosis and prognosis as well as new treatment targets.”
William Repicci, President and CEO of US-based Lymphoedema Education and Research Network (LE&RN) said that two global leaders in lymphatic disease are heading up this Centre, which could create a paradigm shift for the rest of the world to follow.
The launch event brought together researchers from around Australia to discuss the science and strategies behind their lymphatic disease research, to create an action plan to achieve the Centre’s goals.
The Centre has been funded through an NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence Grant and draws on expertise from Peter Mac, the University of Melbourne, Adelaide University, The University of Sydney, Centre of Cancer Biology, St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research, and South Australia Pathology.