Running the research marathon: Get to know Professor Matt Dun

Date Published: May 14, 2024

Progress in DIPG Research and Clinical Trials: Since his daughter Josie’s diagnosis with DIPG, Professor Matt Dun has spearheaded research leading to two clinical trials, showing promising results in extending the lives of 137 children with this deadly cancer.
Advocacy and Funding Success: Professor Dun’s advocacy efforts have led to a significant increase in funding for DIPG research, culminating in a recent $20 million allocation from the Medical Research Future Fund, a major improvement from the previously minimal funding.
Personal and Professional Dedication: Driven by the loss of his daughter, Professor Dun maintains a rigorous work schedule and actively participates in both national and international research collaborations, while also finding personal solace and purpose through his charity, RUN DIPG.

It’s been six years since one of the worst days of Mid-Career Researcher of the Year 2023 Professor Matt Dun’s life; the day his daughter Josie was diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), the deadliest form of childhood cancer.

Six years is not a long time – certainly not in the world of medical research where it can take decades to find cures – but Professor Dun hasn’t wasted a moment. Alongside his team, Professor Dun’s work has led to two clinical trials for treatments to extend the life of children diagnosed with DIPG.

So far, the results are looking promising, with 137 patients from 31 hospitals in six countries extending their lives by seven to nine months. The trial is ongoing and the children are outliving their prognosis.

Professor Dun says, “I don’t want to spend the rest of my life watching people go through what we went through without hope.

The funding situation for DIPG has been dire. Professor Dun’s tireless lobbying of the Health and Aged Care Minister Mark Butler, even speaking at a senate inquiry, finally resulted in a recent $20 million Medical Research Future Fund announcement.

“It’s the worst childhood cancer. One quarter of children who die from cancer globally die from DIPG. Out of the $20 billion of Federal Government MRFF funding since 2015, DIPG had only received $900,000. Leukaemia, which has a 93.3% survival rate, has received $180 million. This means that until this recent announcement, fundraising for a cure to this horrific disease has been left to grieving families and 46-year-old men who try to run marathons,” he says.

The marathon running he refers to is in relation to his charity, RUN DIPG, but it’s also his main therapeutic outlet. “I run once or twice a week, usually along the Fernleigh Track,” he says.

Professor Dun’s life is beyond full. He and his wife have four children including Josie who passed away after a two-year fight with DIPG at the age of four. His other children are aged seven, five and three and the family has just bought a caravan to encourage much-needed family time.

His work schedule sees him at his desk from 7.30am–6pm every day, on top of multiple national and international trips to speak at conferences, workshops designing clinical trials, supporting his students and lobbying the government.

“I have a lot to do. It’s important stuff,” he says.

His number one fear is wasting time and he says his worst personality trait is impatience. But this is for good reason; median survival of kids with DIPG is around 9–11 months from diagnosis.

“I take my work very seriously. It’s a huge privilege and the goal is not to downsize. The goal is to improve outcomes. I want to continue to build a strong ecosystem of research working with the best of the best where we increase the response to standard of care, discover more targeted therapies and explore more combinations of treatments.”

I am really honoured to be recognised by our HMRI community. I have spent my whole career working at the University of Newcastle and HMRI and have been inspired by the achievements of our Hunter health and medical research experts. I am privileged that I can contribute to the mission of HMRI which is to transform the health of our community.

His Mid-Career Researcher Award ($20,000) was sponsored by a HMRI donor who made the donation in recognition of the contribution his grandchildren are making to society.
Professor Dun has spent the past 20 years at the University of Newcastle after studying, doing his PhD under the mentorship of Professor Brett Nixon.

“Becoming a scientist wasn’t the long-term plan but after meeting Brett, I soon discovered the thrill of discovery.” “Proving things is really fun. I love the balance of doing experiments, writing them up and contributing to a field of knowledge.

I also love that I get to work with really motivated, talented and intelligent people.”

Josie’s cells are helping to find a cure

Biopsied cells from Professor Dun’s daughter’s Josie’s brain tumour are being used in fifteen different labs around the world.

“DIPG is a rare disease meaning specimens are rare. We grow and share these cells so that we as an international community can study them and test therapies we think might be able to be developed into treatments for kids with DIPG,” says Professor Dun.