23 October 2025 – Omico appoints Richard Vines as Chair and reaffirms its commitment to deliver equitable access to precision oncology for Australians with unmet needs.

At its Annual General Meeting today, the Australian Genomic Cancer Medicine Centre (Omico) announced the retirement of its Chair, Mr Paul Jeans, and the appointment of his successor, Mr Richard Vines.

Mr Jeans, a Founding Member of Omico’s Board since 2018 and Chair since May 2020, has overseen a period of remarkable growth and achievement for the organisation. Omico has formally established itself as a leader in genomics and advanced cancer care both locally and on the global stage. More than 27,500 Australians diagnosed with advanced or incurable cancers have accessed its groundbreaking national initiatives, including Precision Oncology Screening Platform Enabling Clinical Trials (PrOSPeCT) and the Cancer Screening Program (CaSP).

Reflecting on his time as Chair, Mr Jeans said: “It has been a great privilege and personally very satisfying to have been part of Omico’s growth and success in demonstrating that precision oncology can be delivered effectively across Australia — providing greater hope and more equitable prospects for all cancer patients.

“I thank everyone who has contributed to Omico’s success, in particular its Founder, Professor David Thomas, and wish Richard and the Omico team great success in promoting the mainstreaming of precision oncology,” he added.

Mr Vines, also a Founding Board Member, previously served as Omico’s Deputy Chair from 2018 – 2023. As the Co-Founder and past Chair of Rare Cancers Australia, he brings deep insight into the needs of patients, carers, and clinicians navigating complex cancer diagnoses.

On his vision for Omico’s future, Mr Vines said: “Omico’s work has transformed what is possible for Australians with advanced and hard-to-treat cancers. As Chair, my focus will be to ensure that every patient who can benefit from precision oncology is given that opportunity — regardless of postcode, cancer type or means. We will continue to build on Omico’s partnerships across government, research, industry, and advocacy to make precision oncology a standard part of cancer care — mainstreaming its benefits so that genomics becomes business-as-usual within Australia’s health system.”

Free access to precision oncology and making it part of routine cancer care

Omico has demonstrated providing access to precision oncology not only improves patient outcomes but also stimulates economic growth and strengthens Australia’s research capability. These outcomes have been made possible through investment from Government, industry, and philanthropy, whose support has enabled Omico to build the national infrastructure and partnerships driving this success.

Omico’s programs have supported 118 oncology clinical trials, attracted approximately $200 million in international investment, created over 1,500 jobs, and generated valuable real-world data to guide research, clinical practice, and policy.

PrOSPeCT 2.0 will commence in 2026, immediately following PrOSPeCT, supported by a $30.8 million funding extension from the Australian Government. This continuation ensures Omico’s critical infrastructure remains available to patients and clinicians — particularly those in regional, rural and remote communities, those with rare cancers, and First Nations peoples.

Omico CEO Ian Black commented: “There is a clear and growing demand for molecular profiling in Australia, yet access remains limited to a fraction of those who could benefit. We continue to work closely with Government to ensure PrOSPeCT 2.0 can meet current demand through to the end of 2027, and to identify sustainable pathways for mainstreaming precision oncology — so that precision-led care, and the hope it offers, is available to everyone who needs it.”

Clinicians should continue to refer eligible patients through Omico’s Cancer Screening Program (CaSP) for free comprehensive genomic profiling and matching to clinical trials and advanced therapies.

Omico’s focus remains clear: to continue delivering equitable access to precision oncology, generate the real-world data that informs future care, and embed genomics into a sustainable, nationally integrated model — ensuring that precision oncology becomes accessible, sustainable, and part of standard cancer care across Australia.

Pictured Left to Right: Mr Richard Vines, Mr Ian Black, Mr Paul Jeans.