June 22, 2010
Ten of Australia’s top health and medical scientists have been enlisted to establish the preliminary research strategy at the new South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) ahead of the appointment of the Executive Director.
The SAHMRI Research Committee – announced today by SAHMRI Chair, Mr Raymond Spencer – will be headed by Professor John Hopwood AM and comprise:
- Professor Ian Frazer – 2006 Australian of the Year, recipient of the 2008 Prime Minister’s Award for Science and a pioneer of the cervical cancer vaccine;
- Professor Vicki Anderson – Director of the Department of Psychology at Royal Children’s Hospital and Director of Critical Care & Neuroscience Research at Murdoch Children’s Research Institute;
- Professor Richard Head - Director of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Preventative Health Flagship;
- Professor Douglas Hilton - Director of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI), Research Professor of Medical Biology and Head of the Department of Medical Biology at the University of Melbourne;
- Professor John Lynch - Professor of Epidemiology and Population Health at the Sansom Institute in the School of Health Sciences at the University of South Australia, and Professor of Epidemiology at the University of Bristol (UK);
- Professor Caroline McMillen - Deputy Vice Chancellor of Research and Innovation at the University of South Australia (UniSA);
- Professor Alan Pearson AM - Professor of Evidence-based Health Care at the University of Adelaide, Executive Director of the Joanna Briggs Institute, and Coordinator of the Cochrane Nursing Care Field;
- Professor John Shine AO – Executive Director of the Garvan Institute in Sydney and a central figure in the cloning of the first human hormone gene; and,
- Professor Nadia Rosenthal – Head of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory Mouse Biology Unit in Rome, Professor of Cardiovascular Science at Imperial College London, co-director of the UK’s Harefield Heart Science Centre, and founding Director of the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute at Monash University.
Professor Hopwood, who also is South Australian Scientist of the Year and the 2009 recipient of the prestigious CSL Florey Medal for his significant achievements in biomedical science and human health advancement, said the SAHMRI Research Committee brought together some of the world’s
greatest research minds.
“The SAHMRI Research Committee is unique in Australia and perhaps the world in terms of the depth and diversity of scientific knowledge and endeavour that has been brought together in one body and clearly demonstrates our aspirations for SAHMRI as a world class research institute,” Prof.
Hopwood said.
“Individually, the Research Committee’s members are recognised internationally for their leadership in their various areas of specialisation in medical and health research. Collectively, this group’s extraordinary knowledge and expertise will allow SAHMRI to identify the world’s most promising researchers and research directions with the goal of translating their work into leading edge health and medical outcomes for commercialisation and universal benefit.”
SAHMRI – to be based in a unique, purpose-built $200 million facility adjacent Adelaide’s CBD – will be a world-class independent research institute bringing together up to 600 of the world’s leading researchers to deliver tangible health and medical breakthroughs and community benefits.
Mr Spencer said the new state of the art facility – jointly funded by the South Australian and Commonwealth Governments and set to open in 2013 - would create a new benchmark for innovative and flexible research buildings in Australia.
“Combined with the vision of a globally recognised leadership team, a collaborative framework internally and with partners, and strong financial underpinning, we are confident SAHMRI will deliver and translate innovative health and medical research into real outcomes for patients and the
community.”
SA Minister for Health, the Hon John Hill MP, said he was delighted that “some of the most distinguished and well-respected scientists of our time” are joining the Research Committee.
“These are people who can inspire and guide the important work that will take place in this exciting new institute,” Minister Hill said. “The new, unified health and medical research institute, which will be built alongside the new Royal Adelaide Hospital, will help attract the best and brightest researchers from around the world and bring together the leading researchers already working here.”
SAHMRI Research Committee member profiles are available at www.sahmri.com.
Images of the SAHMRI complex are available by contacting Tim Hughes on tim@hughespr.com.au
For further information and interviews, please contact:
SAHMRI Chair, Raymond Spencer on (+61) 408 283 622 or SAHMRI Research Committee Chair, Prof John Hopwood on (+61) 438 600 057
Issued by Hughes Public Relations. Please contact Tim Hughes on (+618) 8412 4100 or (+61) 417 788 891 or tim@hughespr.com.au
