Tag: cancer

Mt Gravatt Mourns Loss of Local Business Icon John Zupp

Photo Credit: Facebook / Deluca

The local community is grieving the loss of John Zupp, a prominent figure in Queensland’s automotive industry and a former Mt Gravatt businessman, who passed away last Thursday at the age of 93.

Photo Credit: Zupp Property Group

Zupp, known for his larger-than-life personality and innovative approach to car dealership, died peacefully at his Sanctuary Cove home after a prolonged battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his wife of 60 years, Wendy, and his daughters Toni and Terri.

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For decades, Zupp was a household name in Mt Gravatt and across Queensland, recognised for his catchy slogans “Big John Zupp” and “Any Old Iron” that resonated through radio and television advertisements. His Zupps of Mount Gravatt dealership became a landmark in our community, known for its distinctive yellow elephant logo.

Beyond his business acumen, Zupp played a significant role in Australian motorsport history. In the early 1970s, he provided crucial support to Dick Johnson, who would later become a multiple Australian Touring Car Champion and Bathurst 1000 winner. Johnson drove a yellow Torana for Zupps, competing in Series Production and Group C races, which helped launch his illustrious career.

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Zupp’s contributions extended beyond the automotive world. His philanthropic efforts and support for various social welfare organisations earned him the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2006.

After selling his car business to Eagers in 2007, Zupp ventured into property development, founding the Zupp Property Group. His legacy in Mt Gravatt and Queensland’s business landscape remains indelible.

Photo Credit: Facebook / Zupp Property Group

John Zupp’s passing marks the end of an era for Mt Gravatt’s business community. He is survived by his wife Wendy, daughters Toni Mills and Terri McGuire, and his extended family. The funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.

Published 26-August-2024

Griffith University Embarks on New Way to Detect Early Stage of Cancer

PhD candidate Zennia Jean Gonzaga and Professor Bernd Rehm, next to the bio-reactor which grows cell factories to make functional polymer particles. (Photo credit: Griffith University)

A team of researchers from Griffith University has developed a new way to detect cancer and eventually help diagnose the disease in its early stages.

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Professor Bernd Rehm, Director of the Centre for Cell Factories and Biopolymers at the Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery took the lead along with Queensland Micro and Nanotechnology Centre Associate Professor Muhammad Shiddiky.

The team used a new class of superparamagnetic nanomaterials to detect ovarian cancer and other diseases in an expensive and sensitive way. 

The process involves bioengineering cell factories to assemble nanobeads with magnetic properties that bind to specific target antibodies. Then the magnetised nanobeads were added to ovarian cancer cells to capture methylated DNA and exosomes (cells) to detect cancer.

“The two-step strategy uses nanobeads to magnetically isolate the cancer biomarkers, such as methylated DNA or exosomes, from blood or tissue samples collected from cancer patients,” Professor Shiddiky said. 

According to Professor Rehm, the demand for point-of-care diagnostics and monitoring was rapidly increasing with the increase in the prevalence of chronic diseases, healthcare costs and unmet healthcare needs.

“Huge research efforts have been devoted towards the development of technologies that can detect cancer at early stages,’’ he said.

Professor Rehm said these nanomaterials could provide a way to overcome some of the challenges in many health systems, such as looking for a method that is cheap, rapid and accurate.

“Early diagnosis of cancer is critical for more effective treatment strongly improving prognosis of patients so it is important to develop versatile diagnostic platform technologies that are specific and sensitive to detect cancer,” Professor Rehm said.