#11 - Professor Nikola Bowden - Why Cancer Is So Hard to Treat: Melanoma, Ovarian Cancer and the Future of Drug Repurposing

The future of cancer treatment may already exist. In this episode of The Applied Mind I sit down with Professor Nikola Bowden, a cancer researcher at the University of Newcastle whose work focuses on personalised cancer treatment, DNA repair, melanoma, ovarian cancer and drug re-purposing. Her research explores how existing drugs can be used in new ways to treat cancers that are resistant to standard therapies. We unpack what cancer actually is, why it is so difficult to treat, and how DNA damage, UV exposure, immune response, and treatment resistance all play a role. Nikola explains how melanoma develops, why ovarian cancer is often detected late and why repurposing older drugs may offer a faster and more patient-centred path forward than waiting decades for entirely new treatments. We also explore the realities of cancer research funding, the role of pharmaceutical companies, philanthropy and government, the unexpected history of drug repurposing and what it takes to move a discovery from the lab into a clinical trial. This conversation is a clear and accessible look at the science of cancer, but also the human side of research: patients, urgency, hope and the drive to find better options when current treatments are not enough. Topics covered include: cancer basics, melanoma, ovarian cancer, UV damage, DNA repair, immunotherapy, drug repurposing, clinical trials, patient-centred research, funding, personalised medicine and the future of cancer treatment. Link to Professor Bowden's University Profile: https://www.newcastle.edu.au/profile/nikola-bowden