Episode Details

To align with NAIDOC week this year we have a special bonus episode.

In this episode, we speak with Dr Jessica Buck about childhood cancer in First Nations people, genomics, and the importance of cultural safety in healthcare and research. A proud Kamilaroi woman, she is the Team Leader of the First Nations Childhood Cancer Program at The Kids Research Institute Australia — a first-of-its-kind initiative dedicated to developing culturally safe, community-led research strategies to improve outcomes for First Nations children with cancer.

Together, we explore how a First Nations perspective can strengthen biomedical science and improve care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families affected by cancer.

We cover:

• What culturally safe healthcare and research look like in practice

• Applying a First Nations lens to genomics and biomedical science

• How historical harms in healthcare and research continue to influence trust today

• Childhood cancer outcomes for First Nations children

• The impact of geography, access to care, racism and broader inequities

• Why representation in genomic databases and clinical trials matters

• The clinical implications of underrepresentation for diagnosis and treatment

• The potential role of pharmacogenomics in cancer care

• Treatment-related adverse effects

• Opportunities to improve equity in childhood cancer care

Further reading and resources:

• Clark (Adnyamathanha), J.R., Buck (Kamilaroi), J., Richards-Satour (Adnyamathanha and Barngarla), A., Lyons (Jaadwa), L. and Brown (Yuin), A. (2024), Towards precision cancer medicine for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cancer health equity. Med J Aust, 221: 68-73. https://doi.org/10.5694/mja2.52346 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.5694/mja2.52346

• Alexandra Truong, Kayla Williams‐Tucker (Ngarluma, Wongutha, Wudjari Noongar), Ahmi Narkle (Whadjuk Goreng Noongar), Eden Slicer (Gundungurra), Jessica‐Elise Chapman (Kamilaroi, Bundjalung), Jessica Lawler, Rishi S Kotecha, Hetal Dholaria, Justine R Clark (Adnyamathanha), Alex Brown (Yuin), Raelene Endersby, Nicholas G Gottardo and Jessica Buck (Kamilaroi) - Current gaps in knowledge and future research directions for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children with cancer - https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2025/222/10/current-gaps-knowledge-and-future-research-directions-aboriginal-and-torres

• The Kids Research Institute Australia https://www.thekids.org.au/our-research/chronic-diseases/first-nations-childhood-cancer/

• Zero Childhood Cancer https://www.zerochildhoodcancer.org.au/

• Henrietta Lacks: science must right a historical wrong -

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