A new PhD scholarship in a groundbreaking field of cancer prevention research has just been awarded to Flinders University student Cameron Dougherty thanks to funds raised by Queensland group Smiling for Smiddy.

Organisers chose the Flinders Medical Centre Foundation as a recipient of a $25,000 grant in 2009/10 to purchase a highly sensitive Rotor-Gene to help two different research groups find revolutionary new means of treating and preventing prostate cancer.

One of these groups is led by Professor Pam Sykes, whose world-leading research is examining whether low doses of radiation, such as those you might get from an x-ray or from air travel, can help prevent cancer by activating defences within normal cells which can help to kill cancer cells and protect against further radiation exposure.

The group believe low doses of radiation could be used to kill pretumour cells and prevent cancer forming and could be particularly effective against prostate cancer.

“We are also using the new Rotor-Gene to explore whether low doses of radiation can make chromosomes more stable and therefore less likely to become cancerous,” Professor Sykes said.

A new pledge from Smiling for Smiddy for $90,000 has funded a new PhD scholarship over three years which is allowing student Cameron Dougherty to continue and expand groundbreaking investigations into this exciting field of research.

“We hope to better determine the biological effects of these low doses of radiation, and the mechanism in which they induce protection from mutation and cancer,” Professor Sykes said.

“We are truly grateful for all the support which Smiling for Smiddy have provided for our work to date.”

Established in 2006 to commemorate the life of physiotherapist and keen cyclist Adam Smiddy, who passed away aged 26 to an aggressive cancer, the annual 1600km cycling event from Brisbane to Townsville has raised more than $1.9million for cancer services and research to date.

Fifty riders set off on the 5th annual Smiling for Smiddy ride on 3rd September 2011.