Jette Ford - Cancer researcher

 

Danish-born Jette first started working in children’s cancer research in 1984 as a research assistant in Professor Ursula Kees’ lab at Princess Margaret Hospital.  When the team joined the newly-formed Institute in 1990, Jette also made the move.  So it was great sadness that the Institute farewelled Jette into retirement after more than 22 years in the position – only to welcome her back 12 months later!
“I started my retirement but found that I missed work so much that I thought whilst I am still healthy and still enjoy it, I may as well keep working!” says Jette.
Professor Kees was delighted that Jette had decided to put retirement on hold and immediately re-instated her in her old position in the Division of Leukaemia and Cancer Research and soon it was like she had never left! 
Jette graduated from Curtin University with a Bachelor of Applied Science and Graduate Diploma in Computing, before commencing her position with Professor Kees.  During her career, Jette’s main focus has been on childhood leukaemia and she has been responsible for developing a unique set of patient samples that has been vital to the Division’s research.
“I have developed over 50 cell lines from children with leukaemia who have been treated at PMH,” explains Jette.  “These cell lines are very precious and have been used in our research and in many places around the world.”
Leukaemia is the most common childhood cancer, affecting around one in 2,000 children in Australia each year.  The cell lines that Jette has created start with bone marrow taken from the children, and they are then immortalised so they can be used in lots of different experiments, or frozen in liquid nitrogen for future work.
“In our lab, we use the cells to look at differences in gene patterns between different patients, and also between the leukaemia patients and healthy children’s bone marrow,” says Jette.
“We also used the samples to see why some patients’ cells do not respond to certain chemotherapy drugs so we can improve the drugs that the children with leukaemia are treated with.”
Jette is currently working on a project looking at the role of a specific gene called Connective Tissue Growth Factor in one of the forms of leukaemia known as Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL). 
“Other studies have shown that 75 per cent of ALL patients have an unusually high level of this gene, so we are using the ALL cell lines to see whether this contributes to the growth and survival of the cancer cells.”
Jette’s wealth of experience has been a major asset to Professor Kees’ team, as she regularly provides advice and support to her fellow researchers and in particular the new students who commence projects within the Division.  She has seen many people come and go in the Institute as well as dramatic changes in how research is performed. 
“Technology has improved and now we often use machines to perform the experiments which means we can do a lot more experiments in a shorter space of time,” she says.
“That is a good thing but it can be quite challenging at times learning all of the new techniques.”
Jette admits that research can be frustrating at times, particularly when experiments don’t work.  But on the other hand it can be very exciting, especially when she achieves good results.
“One of the highlights of my job is seeing my work being published in highly regarded medical journals, as well as seeing other researchers around the world using the cell lines that I created – it drives me to keep working hard!” says Jette.
Although Jette is a scientific thinker, she also has a creative side.  When not in the lab, her favourite hobby is the craft of quilting.
“I love designing and making art quilts - some are exhibited around the world and have won several prizes, which I am very proud of,” she says.
Jette spends the rest of her spare time enjoying her three grandchildren and working out at the gym or going to the beach. 
As for her future in research, Jette is philosophical and likes to take each day and its challenges, as they come.
“My goal is to stay healthy so I can keep working.  I’m at that age now where you don’t look too far into the future, but I don’t think I am ready to retire again just yet!” says Jette.
“I would love to see a better treatment or even a cure for childhood ALL in my time, and that is what drives me to keep working hard.”