Dr Mark van Delft

Dr Mark van Delft is a research scientist in the Blood Cells and Blood Cancer division at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI). His research focuses on understanding the proteins that control cell death and how to target them with small molecule drugs to improve disease treatment. Mark completed a PhD at WEHI, performing early studies on then a new class of anti-cancer drugs called the BH3 mimetics. Following this, he undertook postdoctoral training as a CJ Martin Fellow at the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research in Toronto, Canada, developing expertise with large scale genetic screens. His current research combines genetic screens, drug discovery, and chemical biology to uncover and understand molecules that influence cell death control.

A particular focus for Mark and his colleagues is the selective BCL2 inhibitor, venetoclax. Venetoclax is an Australian success story arising from research at WEHI. It became the first drug targeting cell death to be approved for treating cancers in 2016 and is now used worldwide, having replaced chemotherapy in the treatment of certain blood cancers. Venetoclax can achieve excellent outcomes for blood cancer patients, often with long periods of disease remission. However, it is rarely curative because a small fraction of the cancer cells resist being killed and return in time. The goal of current research is to make venetoclax even more effective such that it eliminates the rare cells that give rise to disease recurrence, thereby increasing the chance to achieve cure. Boosting venetoclax efficacy may also unlock the potential to use this drug for a wider range of different cancer types.  

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