Professor George Kannourakis has been a practising medical oncologist and clinical haematologist in the Ballarat community since 1992. His research interests are in the biology of histiocytic disorders and translational research involving immunotherapya treatment that uses a person's immune system to fight cancer and clinical trialsresearch studies performed to test new treatments, tests or procedures and evaluate their effectiveness on various diseases.
Training in paediatric haematology and oncology commenced in 1981 at the Queen Victoria Medical Centre, and subsequently at the Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne. Training involved management of thalassaemia and related disorders, and acute management of haematological and oncological conditions. As Physician to the Oncology Clinic and subsequently Acting Haematologist/Oncologist, experience was obtained with the management of acute and chronic oncological problems as well as palliative carea variety of practices and exercises used to provide pain relief and improve quality of life without curing the disease. Further training was obtained at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston between 1988-1990.
On return from overseas in 1990, he was appointed as Haematologist/Oncologist with responsibility for the management of children with a wide range of haematological and oncological conditions including management of patients undergoing autologous and allogeneic bone marrowsoft, spongy tissue found in bones that makes blood cells transplantation. Clinical contributions have been the initiation of G-CSF therapy in patients with glycogen storage 1b disease in Australia, participation in ANZCCSG clinical trials and providing an interface between clinical medicine and basic research. He was appointed to the International Advisory Board for the Severe Chronic Neutropeniaa condition where there are low levels of neutrophils (a type of white blood cell) in the body International Registry in 1993. Initiation of innovative trial of differentiation therapy in a patient with erythroleukaemia using DMSO and erythropoietin.
Experience in Medical Oncology was obtained at Dana Farber Cancer Institute and as Visiting Medical Oncologist at both the Base Hospital and St John of God Hospitals in Ballarat (1991 – 1996). From 1996 until 2003, appointment at Ballarat Health Services as Consultant Medical Oncologist, responsible for the management of patients with cancer at St. John of God Hospital. He currently practices at Ballarat Day Procedure Centre and has outreach clinics in Stawell and Horsham. For the services Professor Kannourakis has provided to the rural community he was awarded a Distinguished Rural Doctors Award.
Location
1117 Howitt Street, Wendouree VIC, Australia
