Consumers and research

Consumers contribute their lived experiences with a disease.

Over time, the involvement of consumers can influence basic research design and enhance translational research design within WEHI.

Consumers may also provide a powerful voice for communication with our community about scientific issues which have an impact on society.

As a participant in the WEHI Consumer Program you can:

• Actively contribute to advancing medical research projects
• Work with a researcher by contributing your life experience
• Assist researchers with communicating their science in plain language
• Provide insight into how their research can make a difference in the community
• Become part of the WEHI community with invitations to events and seminars

A background in science or medicine is not required.

Consumers meet with their researcher four times throughout the year for project updates and discussions.

Consumers are volunteers and will be provided with Institute support and appropriate training.

WEHI researchers are currently seeking consumers with experience of:

• Cancers – breast, lung, liver, pancreatic, colorectal
• Blood Cancers – leukemia, myeloma, acute lymphatic leukemia (ALL)
• Chronic lung infection
• Experience having an infections whilst having cancer
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• People who have been diagnosed with long covid
• Asthma
• Lupus

There are also opportunities for people with a strong interest in medical research with a background in:

• the pharmaceutical sector
• biochemistry
• clinical trial involvement
• IT/ data analysis
• engineering

The Consumer Program is governed by our Consumer Advisory Panel, chaired by Dr John Hamill.

The panel’s mission is to connect WEHI’s research with community experiences of disease and consumer expectations. This is achieved by:

• involving medical, health and research consumers in our scientific research, and
• enabling our researchers and consumers to form productive working relationships.

The panel advises the WEHI director and heads of Clinical Translation on the involvement of consumers in research.

• Melbourne Academic Centre for Health (MACH): WEHI Consumer Program Evaluation
• Health Expectations: Patient and public involvement in preclinical and medical research

To learn more about joining the WEHI Consumer Program, contact Katya Gray, Consumer Program Manager:

Tel: 03 9345 2981
Email: consumers@wehi.edu.au