BSc ANU, MAppSc NSWIT, PhD UNSW

Professor Norris was one of the first three scientists to staff CCIA when its research laboratories opened in 1984. He is Head of the Molecular Diagnostics Program and was appointed Deputy Director of CCIA in 2000. His research interests focus on utilising new molecular genetic technologies to improve the diagnosis and risk classification and treatment of childhood cancer, and he has been responsible for developing and implementing unique technology enabling the early prediction of relapse in children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia.

Professor Norris has an international research reputation in childhood neuroblastoma, particularly with regards to the molecular analysis of genes and their relationship with clinical variables. He has spent over 15 years investigating childhood cancers at the molecular level and has undertaken extensive research into the characterisation of genes involved in mediating resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs in paediatric leukaemia and neuroblastoma. The development of new therapeutic approaches to treating cancers and the detection of minimal residual leukaemia are key areas of his research.

Professor Norris has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers and is a regular reviewer for several national and international grant-funding bodies as well as numerous international journals. In addition to an established record of state and national grant-funded research, the quality of his work has been recognised by a number of awards.