Enhancing Translation of WEHI Research
The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research has a strong history in translating laboratory-based discoveries into treatments for human disease. The Institute continues to enhance clinical translation, exemplified by recent initiatives such as:
- Founding membership of the not-for-profit company, Cancer Trials Australia.
- Leadership of one of only four international TrialNet Centres funded by the US National Institutes of Health for the design and implementation of trials to prevent type 1 diabetes.
- Leadership to establish the Victorian Breast Cancer Research Consortium, which includes a world-leading laboratory at the Institute.
- Leadership to establish the Bio21 Cluster, which links research institutes, hospitals and the University of Melbourne in the wider Parkville precinct and promotes new multidisciplinary areas such as medical bioinformatics and cellular therapeutics.
- Leadership to establish the Victorian Cancer BioBank, a Victoria-wide network of tissue banks for the collection of clinically annotated human tissue samples for cancer research – with safeguards for donors’ rights.
- Leadership of a consortium awarded $5 million from the Australian Cancer Research Foundation to drive translational cancer research activities in the Parkville precinct. Other consortium members included the Royal Melbourne Hospital, the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, the Royal Women’s Hospital and the University of Melbourne.
- Building field linkages with Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Vietnam and Africa.
- Partnerships in global health initiatives funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
- Development of a Clinical Translation Centre to foster more effective links between the lab bench and the clinic.