The androgen receptor (AR) is the key driver of prostate cancer and the major target for therapy. Therefore, most of our research aims to understand the function of the androgen receptor pathway and use this knowledge to develop more effective therapies for patients. Current research projects include:

• Aberrant AR signaling in prostate cancer: We continue to research how the activity of AR evolves during prostate cancer progression, with a particular emphasis on the genomic actions of aberrant forms of the AR (mutants, truncated variants) in lethal disease states.
• Transcriptional and epigenetic regulation of prostate cancer cell plasticity: We are investigating how AR-targeted therapies increase cancer cell plasticity, leading to the emergence of new cell states that are resistant to treatment. This has identified new drug targets as well as providing new insights into tumour evolution. 
• Targeting CDKs in lethal prostate cancer: CDKs are kinases that drive prostate cancer growth. In collaboration with Prof Shudong Wang (University of South Australia) and others, we are investigating CDK inhibitors as novel therapeutics for prostate cancer and using them as tools to understand CDK activity.
• Androgens as regulators of prostate cancer immunology: Immunotherapy only works in a very small subset of patients with lethal prostate cancer. We are investigating whether androgen-based therapies can be harnessed to sensitise tumours to immunotherapy.
• AR signalling in other cancer types: The AR is a regulator of other cancers beyond prostate, including breast, bladder, salivary and certain brain cancers.
• Androgens as regulators of prostate cancer metabolism: We are investigating how the AR signalling axis influences prostate cancer metabolism, with a particular interest in glucose and lipid metabolism.