Bill Panagopoulos

Dr Bill Panagopoulos

NHMRC Ext-Funded Rsch Fellow B

School of Biomedicine

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

Dr Bill Panagopoulos is a Senior Research Fellow based at Centre for Cancer Biology at University of South Australia and a Senior Affiliate lecturer at The University of Adelaide. After completing his Bachelor of Medical and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology at the University of South Australia in 2002, he spent almost 10 years in the private sector of clinical pathology, tissue growth and repair, and preclinical oncology for biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. His industry experience provided the framework for his academic career and the completion of his PhD in November 2016 within the School of Medicine of The University of Adelaide. His PhD identified for the first time a causative role for inflammatory peroxidase enzymes in cancer development and metastasis. His findings were seminal in discovering a new role for peroxidase enzymes within the tumour, lung and bone microenvironments leading to new research projects. He has published 27 articles (3 first author, 5 senior author), is a co-inventor on 2 patents, and is currently a co-supervisor of 2 PhD students (1 Primary, 1 co-supervisor) and 1 Honours student. His past supervision activities include 2 PhD and 4 Honours (first class) completions. Bill has also won numerous awards, including the 2021 NCHF Derek Frewin Early Career Researcher Award, the 2017 Ross Wishart Memorial Award, a Dean’s Commendation for Doctoral Thesis Excellence, and a number of travel and professional development awards.

Dr Panagopoulos' research interests involve elucidating the role of the tumour microenvironment in promoting disease progression in cancer within bone, including prostate cancer, multiple myeloma, and metastatic breast cancer. His primary focus is on translational research to identify novel therapeutic targets and molecular markers of disease risk to improve patient outcomes. He has also collaborating with industry partners assessing novel therapeutic drugs in preclinical models of cancer.

Dr Panagopoulos has contributed to teaching for the The University of Adelaide as a Course Coordinator for the Honours and third year Research Placements programs within the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences. In addition, he is a lecturer and tutor for the Investigative Cell Biology (PATHOL3104) third year course. His contribution to the scientific community is further exemplified by his membership to international (IMF, MRS, ANZBMS) and national (ASMR, OzMRS) societies and his role as convenor of the ASMR Scientific Meeting in 2018. Dr Panagopoulos is also actively involved in promoting support for medical research, providing numerous presentations to community events.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is an aggressive haematological malignancy, characterised by the uncontrolled proliferation of monoclonal plasma cells (PC) within the bone marrow (BM). Despite recent advances in therapeutic strategies, patients continually relapse after multiple lines of treatment, with only 50% of patients surviving 5 years. Recent studies from our laboratory, and others, have highlighted the critical role of extrinsic factors within the tumour microenvironment as key regulators of immune evasion, disease progression and persistence. Therefore, the development of novel agents that target factors from the tumour microenvironment in combination with standard-of-care anti-myeloma therapies may offer a more durable response.

Clinical need: The eradication of this currently incurable disease will, in part, depend on our understanding of the BM microenvironmental factors that play a role in supporting malignant PC growth and survival, and the development of novel therapies that target these factors.

My research mission is to generate the crucial data needed to support the discovery of new therapeutic targets and facilitate the translation of new drug candidates into clinical trials. Furthermore, the findings from my research will contribute to the haemato-oncology field which seeks to revolutionise standard-of-care approaches taken to treat MM, as well providing equitable access and affordable therapies available to patients in our community.

Current Projects:

-Determining the role of senescent bone marrow stromal cells in the progression of MGUS to multiple myeloma

-Targeted inhibition of myeloperoxidase (MPO): A new therapeutic strategy to prevent multiple myeloma disease progression

https://www.cantoo.org.au/cancer-research-2023

https://www.cantoo.org.au/blog/march--is-myeloma-awareness-month

-Personalised fine-tuned stromal targeting of the fibrotic tumour matrix to improve chemotherapy efficacy in metastatic triple negative breast cancer

-Testing the glucoregulatory properties of novel human-monotreme GLP-1 analogues for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus

 

  • Appointments
    Date Position Institution name
    2019 - 2022 NHMRC Peter Doherty Early Career Research Fellow The University of Adelaide
    2017 - 2018 THRF Early Career Research Fellow The University of Adelaide
    2011 - 2016 Research Associate The University of Adelaide
    2010 - 2011 Research Assistant SA Pathology
    2009 - 2010 Study Coordinator VivoPharm
    2008 - 2009 Research Assistant VivoPharm
    2006 - 2008 Research Assistant TGR BioSciences
    2004 - 2006 Medical Scientist Gribbles Pathology/Healthscope
    2003 - 2004 Medical Scientist SA Health/Women's and Children's Hospital

  • Language Competencies
    Language Competency
    English Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review
    Greek, Modern (1453-) Can read, write, speak and understand spoken

  • Education
    Date Institution name Country Title
    2013 - 2016 The University of Adelaide Australia PhD
    1999 - 2002 The University of South Australia Australia Bachelor of Medical and Pharmaceutical Biotechonolgy

  • Certifications
    Date Title Institution name Country
    — Epigeum: Supervising Doctoral Studies The University of Adelaide -

  • Research Interests
    Bone and Bones Cancer Cell Biology Cancer Therapy Cancer Biology and Clinical Oncology

2023, Cancer Australia PdCCRS, 3 years (Role: CIA; $199,207)

2022, Cancer Australia PdCCRS, 3 years (Role: CID; $458,820)

2021, NCHF Derek Frewin Early Career Research Award ($5,000)

2020, Investigator Initiated Research Scheme, NBCF, 3 years (Role: Co-I; $374,989)

2019, NHMRC Peter Doherty Early Career Fellowship, 4 years (Role: CIA; $327,192.00)

2018, FHMS Emerging Leadership Mentored Development Program, 1 year (Role: CIA; $36,640)

2018, Scott Canner Young Researcher Grant, Chief Investigator-A, (top evaluated proposal), Tour de Cure, 2 years (Role: CIA; $125,000)

2017, Early Career Fellowship, The Hospital Research Foundation, 2 years (Role: CIA; $240,000)

2017,FHMS  Early Career Researcher Mentored Project Development Program, 1 year (Role: CIA; $8,905,95)

2017, Beat Cancer Project Travel Award, Cancer Council SA/SAHMRI ($2,900)

2017, FHMS International Travel Award, The University of Adelaide ($2,930)

2023 - ongoing             BHMS Honours Program Coordinator

2023 - ongoing             Third Year Research Placement Coordinator

2020 - ongoing             Investigative Cell Biology (PATHOL 3104), Affiliate Lecturer and tutor, Semester 2.

2019                             Investigative Cell Biology (PATHOL 3104), Workshop Tutor, Semester 2.

2016 - ongoing             University of Adelaide, Summer Research Scholarships, 4 students.

 

  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2021 Co-Supervisor Interventions and Novel Treatments for Obesity-associated Pathologies Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Alanah Loretta Bradey

  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2023 - 2024 Principal Supervisor Liposomal-Based Delivery of Phosphoantigens as Sensitizers for Gamma Delta T Cell Immunotherapy In Breast Cancer Master of Philosophy (Medical Science) Master Full Time Mr Nikolaos Filippatos
    2021 - 2025 Principal Supervisor Elucidating the pro-tumorigenic role of myeloperoxidase in multiple myeloma and its potential as a novel therapeutic target Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Connor Maxwell Douglas Williams
    2019 - 2023 Co-Supervisor The TAM receptor family in multiple myeloma Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Justine Rachel Clark
    2016 - 2019 Co-Supervisor A New Role for Peroxidases in Bone Repair Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Alexandra Jayne Shoubridge

  • Other Supervision Activities
    Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name
    2023 - ongoing Principal Supervisor Pharmacological ablation of senescent bone marrow stromal cells as a new therapeutic strategy in preventing multiple myeloma progression The University of Adelaide - Honours Full Time Charlotte Beddoes
    2020 - ongoing Principal Supervisor Investigating the role of inflammatory peroxidases driving multiple myeloma progression The University of Adelaide - Honours - Connor Maxwell Wiiliams
    2017 - 2017 Co-Supervisor The role of the secreted protein Gremlin-1 in breast cancer development, progression and metastasis The University of Adelaide - Honours - Alanah Bradey
    2015 - 2015 Other Peroxidase enzymes as drivers of mammographic density and breast cancer risk The University of Adelaide - Honours - Matthew Iasiello

  • Committee Memberships
    Date Role Committee Institution Country
    2017 - ongoing Representative BHI Strategic Research Directions Group Basil Hetzel Institute Australia
    2017 - ongoing Member Australian Society for Medical Research (ASMR) State Committee - -
    2017 - 2017 Chair Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Research Seminar Committee Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Research Australia
    2015 - 2016 Representative BHI Management Committee Basil Hetzel Insitute -

  • Memberships
    Date Role Membership Country
    2022 - ongoing Member Australian New Zealand Bone and Mineral Society (ANZBMS) Australia
    2022 - ongoing Member Matrix Biology Society Australia New Zealand (MBSANZ) Australia
    2021 - ongoing Member European Calcified Tissue Society (ECTS) Australia
    2019 - ongoing Member International Myeloma Society (IMS) Australia
    2017 - ongoing Member Metastasis Research Society (MRS) Australia
    2017 - ongoing Member Australian Metastasis Research Society (OzMRS) Australia

  • Offices Held
    Date Office Name Institution Country
    2017 - 2018 ASMR, State Scientific Conference Co-covenor The Australian Society for Medical research (ASMR) Australia
  • Position: NHMRC Ext-Funded Rsch Fellow B
  • Phone: 81284694
  • Email: bill.panagopoulos@adelaide.edu.au
  • Campus: North Terrace
  • Building: SAHMRI - South, floor 5
  • Org Unit: Medical Sciences
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