Dr Melissa Cantley is a Cancer Council Beat Cancer Early Career Fellow in the Myeloma Research Laboratory, The University of Adelaide and a Faculty Research Fellow, Precision Cancer Medicine Theme at SAHMRI. Her research interests revolve around bone cell biology and role of the complex bone microenvironment in disease including the blood cancer multiple myeloma. This involves using patient samples to unravel the role of the bone marrow microenvironment in progression from pre-cancerous stages to cancerous myeloma. She is also leading a national prospective study to discover new biomarkers that can be used to indicate risk of progression in myeloma.  Dr Cantley is coordinator of consumer engagement in the Myeloma Research Laboratory and regularly hosts patient lab tours and visits with those living with myeloma and their families. This engagement provides invaluable opportunities to better understand how to focus our research to have a direct impact on improving outcomes for those with myeloma and the precancerous stages.