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QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

Established in 1945 by the Queensland Government, the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute (formerly the Queensland Institute of Medical Research) is a world leading translational research institute focused on cancer, infectious diseases, mental health and a range of complex diseases. Working in close collaboration with clinicians and other research institutes, our aim is to improve health by developing new diagnostics, better treatments and prevention strategies.

QIMR Berghofer is home to more than 700 scientists, students and support staff in six research departments (in over 50 separate laboratories) and a support division.

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Summer’s over, so how much sun can (and should) I get?

Katie Lee , The University of Queensland and Rachel Neale , QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

Our mood usually lifts in spring. But after early heatwaves and bushfires, this year may be different

Tara Crandon , QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

Emotional abuse is a pattern of hurtful messages – building parenting skills could help prevent it

Divna Haslam , Queensland University of Technology ; Alina Morawska , The University of Queensland , and James Graham Scott , QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

Is ‘climate anxiety’ a clinical diagnosis? Should it be?

Fiona Charlson , The University of Queensland and Tara Crandon , QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

I’m at home with COVID. When do I need to see a doctor? And what treatments are available?

Tari Turner , Monash University ; Bridget Barber , QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute ; Josh Davis , University of Newcastle , and Steven McGloughlin , The National Trauma Research Institute

‘Got no friends? Sit on the buddy bench.’ Untested anti-bullying programs may be missing the mark

Karyn Healy , QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

There’s no single gene for left-handedness . At least 41 regions of DNA are involved

David Evans , The University of Queensland and Sarah Medland , QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

You’re not the only one feeling helpless. Eco-anxiety can reach far beyond bushfire communities

Fiona Charlson , The University of Queensland and James Graham Scott , QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

Is social media damaging to children and teens? We asked five experts

Alexandra Hansen , The Conversation

Why do many people with Parkinson’s disease develop an addiction? We built a virtual casino to find out

Philip Mosley , QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

For people with a mental illness, loved ones who care are as important as formal supports

Emily Hielscher , The University of Queensland ; James Graham Scott , QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute , and Sandra Diminic , The University of Queensland

It’s perfectly legal for doctors to charge huge amounts for surgery, but should it be allowed?

Louisa Collins , QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

Origines de l’asthme : ce que l’on sait, ce que l’on suspecte

Simon Phipps , QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute and Md. Al Amin Sikder , The University of Queensland

What causes asthma? What we know, don’t know and suspect

Why does Australia have so much skin cancer? (Hint: it’s not because of an ozone hole)

Terry Slevin , Cancer Council Australia and David Whiteman , QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

New online tool can predict your melanoma risk

Phoebe Roth, The Conversation

Research Check: do most melanoma patients have fewer than 20 moles?

H. Peter Soyer , The University of Queensland and Richard Sturm , The University of Queensland

Interactive body map: what really gives you cancer?

Emil Jeyaratnam, The Conversation and Sasha Petrova, The Conversation

Nobel Prize in Chemistry highlights how our bodies can repair our fragile DNA

Kum Kum Khanna , Queensland Institute of Medical Research ; Amanda L Bain , QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute , and Janelle L Harris , QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

Common painkillers could decrease skin cancer risk

Reema Rattan, The Conversation and Nicki Russell, The Conversation

Associate Professor, infectious diseases, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

Senior Research Officer, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

Professor and Group Leader at the Cancer Control Group, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

Team Head, Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

Honorary Professor and Consultant Psychiatrist, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

Research scientist, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

Professor - Health Economics, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

Group Leader, Gynaecological Cancers Group, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

Research Fellow, Systems Neuroscience Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

Principal research fellow, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

Cordinator Mental Health Research Program, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

Associate Professor, Respiratory Immunology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

Psychologist and PhD Candidate, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

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Medical and biomedical science research projects within the Faculty have already led to discoveries with far-reaching social and economic impacts, including the Gardasil vaccine for cervical cancer.

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Our immunology researchers at the Frazer Institute focus on diseases of immune regulation. Their work examines the origins and progression of autoimmune disease through genetic studies, clinical and pathological observations, and the development of and in depth analysis of animal models of disease. In so doing, researchers share the common aim of working to develop novel immunotherapies. Clinical trials into diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthropathies, and Type 1 diabetes are testing novel therapeutics, novel uses of existing therapies, and the development of novel assays to help predict disease severity and progression. 

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Last updated: 10 April 2024

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Queensland Institute of Medical Research

By JOL Admin | 14 November 2015

1945 saw the establishment of the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR). Since that time, the QIMR has become a world leading medical research institute, focusing on cancer, infectious diseases and mental health.

The genesis of the QIMR was in October 1944, when Dr Edward Derrick, Director of the Laboratory of Microbiology and Pathology was asked to investigate the extension of medical research in Queensland by the State Government.

Derrick recommended that a Medical Research Advisory Committee be formed to oversee the establishment of an Institute of Medical Research. This committee was formed in April 1945 with Derrick as Chairman. The committee's recommendations formed the basis of the Bill tabled in the Queensland Parliament on September 6, 1945. The Queensland Institute of Medical Research Act of 1945 was gazetted on 19 January 1945. Initially the purpose of the QIMR was to research diseases such as Q fever, scrub typhus and leptospirosis.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H08Qo7U9VR8

A council was formed to manage and control the Institute. The first meeting of the council was held on February 8 1946. The first Chairman was Sir Raphael Cilento M.D., who was Director-General of Health and Medical Services in Queensland, 1934-45 and Professor of Social and Tropical Medicine at the University of Queensland. Also on the council was Dr Abraham Fryberg, State Health Officer and deputy-chairman on the council, and Dr Aubrey Pye, General Medical Superintendent at the Royal Brisbane Hospital, 1932-67.

Dr Edward Holbrook Derrick, 1940.

Sir Raphael Cilento, June 1945. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 188180

Dr Aubrey Pye. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 108297

The Institute was allowed to set up premises in a disused army building in Victoria Park. The building was 252 feet (77 metres) by 47 feet (14 metres), with 11,844 square feet (1,100 square metres) of floor space. According to the 1946 annual report for QIMR, practically all their equipment was obtained from the recently disbanded Land Headquarters Medical Research Unit in Cairns, and included centrifuges, dissecting microscopes, a vacuum pressure pump and a hot-air oven. The annual report also states that the Institute library collection had begun growing with the purchase of £148 of books and the Health Department donating back issues of various scientific journals.

Doctor I. M. Mackerras. First director of the Queensland Institute of Medical Research. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 195470

QIMR was inducted into the Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame in 2010.

You can browse our collection of publications and images related to the Queensland Institute of Medical Research via our One Search catalogue .

State Library of Queensland also hold  30400 Q Fever Research Papers 1930-1960 - papers and correspondence relating to Q Fever studies by Dr Edward Holbrook Derrick, 1898-1976, including first 300 cases of the disease, laboratory notes, original photographs and correspondence from France and French Africa regarding the disease.

Myles Sinnamon - Project Coordinator, State Library of Queensland

Previously titled -  70th anniversary - Queensland Institute of Medical Research

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• Queensland’s research capability
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Health and medical science

Professor Chamindie Punyadeera, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery – Leading researcher in saliva diagnostics, proteomics, and cortisol

• Over 100 employees health and medical research centres
• 3 times global average cited for AI-enabled healthcare
• 9 research hospitals across Queensland
• 361 million private manufacturing R&D investment annually

Queensland has an advanced research-informed healthcare system with world class health professionals, renowned researchers and state of the art facilities. Recent testaments to our highly collaborative, innovative, and well supported environment for conducting leading health and medical research include the development of the world’s first human papilloma virus vaccine, the mRNA vaccine and molecular clamp technology, and at-home non-prescription diagnostic kits for COVID-19. While many Queensland health and medical researchers re-prioritised their research on potential vaccines, treatments and other medical interventions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, other researchers have applied their expertise to other impacts of the pandemic upon our economy and other aspects of society.

AI-enabled healthcare includes analysis of the large volumes of personal and system-wide clinical data, management of electronic medical records, use of wearable devices, diagnostic imaging and genomics. In AI-enabled healthcare alone, Queensland researchers produced over 89,000 publications between 2017 and 2021, and the most recent of these (in 2020) were cited 3 times the global average (citation rate of attributable publications), with more than 1200 of these linked to patent publications. Queensland AI-enabled healthcare researchers collaborate most frequently with the USA (33%); the UK (25%); China (18%); Canada (12%), and Germany (11%).

Queensland has a network of infectious disease scientists and clinicians recognised internationally for research excellence that is supported by world-class infrastructure. The Queensland Infectious Disease Research Capabilities (PDF, 799.9KB) document provides comprehensive audit of infectious disease research capabilities across the Griffith University, QIMR Berghofer, University of Queensland, Queensland University of Technology, Bond University, University of the Sunshine Coast, James Cook University and the Translational Research Institute.

Queensland has world-leading researchers in areas such as:

• viral, bacterial and parasitic infection
• vaccine research and drug discovery
• genomics and personalised medicine
• digital and AI-enabled healthcare
• imaging and imaging technology
• cellular and molecular neuroscience
• advanced therapies for cancer

and has one the world’s leading high-risk pregnancy units.

Five out of Queensland’s nine universities have been rated ‘above’ or ‘well above’ world standards for medical and health sciences by the Australian Research Council.

Queensland boasts a critical mass of leading health and medical research precincts, institutes, and centres and over 140 research organisations involved in health and medical research. Queensland has nine universities – including three of Australia’s largest – all with strong research linkages with Queensland’s research hospitals and dedicated world-class research institutes and centres.

Leading health and medical research centres

All health and medical research centres

Industry-research collaboration and commercialisation

Vaccine development.

Millions of lives will be saved from cervical cancer by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine Gardasil® that was developed at the University of Queensland by Professor Ian Frazer and the late Dr Jian Zhou to reduce the incidence of cervical cancer. Now produced by Merck Vaccines Gardasil® has led to a 90% decrease in the prevalence of HPV.

Diagnostic imaging

Most of the MRI scanners in the world use magnetic resonance technology research by Queensland Centre for Advanced Imaging . The Translational Research Institute (TRI) collaboration with the Siemens Healthineers enables researchers and clinicians to use advanced medical imaging without the need for invasive testing.

A universal vaccine for Malaria – a disease that annually causes over 200 million clinical episodes and more than 600,000 deaths has been developed by JCU’s Australian Institute for Tropical Health and Medicine (AITHM), is in clinical development in a project led by AITHM in collaboration with Townsville University Hospital , DMTC Ltd and Pfizer .

AI-enabled healthcare

In a project aimed at using AI and whole-genome sequencing to predict patient outcomes of cancer treatment, the QIMR Berghofer have partnered with Brisbane-based AI technology company, Max Kelsen , precision analytics firm, genomiQa , genome sequencing company, BGI Australia , and the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital .

Personalised medicine

Fast-tracking of research into potential new lung cancer drug treatments has begun at the Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health in a partnership with Janssen Pharmaceutica NV that provides access to their Jump-stARTer Compound Library.

An acute-care bed dashboard to visualise unit bed capacity, patient status and care trajectory has been developed by Datarwe , a public-private collaboration with Griffith University , Gold Coast University Hospital , Queensland AI Hub and other healthcare providers and leading healthcare ecosystem partners.

Medical devices

The easily stored and administered needle-free vaccine delivery technology developed by researchers at the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology has been commercialised by UQ spin-off company Vaxxas into their Nanopatch™ High-Density Microarray Patch (HD-MAP).

Working to identify cancer-causing genetic mutations for better cancer survival rates, the Australian Translational Genomics Centre is a partnership between QUT, Metro South Hospital and Health Service , and Pathology Queensland , and is one of the largest genomic diagnostic and research DNA sequencing services of its kind in Australasia.

Medical technology

Global medical technology group Stryker has established its first Australian research and development facility at the Herston Health Precinct in collaboration with The University of Queensland , Queensland University of Technology, Metro North Hospital and Health Service and the Queensland Government.

Contact the commercial partnership offices of Queensland universities and research institutes for details of their research-industry collaboration or investment opportunities.

Support for the health and medical industry in Queensland

Queensland’s health system.

The Department of Health is the lead government agency the state’s health system. It works in collaboration with 16 Hospital and Health Services (HHS) statutory bodies. Under the auspices of the Clinical Excellence Queensland , the Queensland Clinical Networks are formally recognised groups, established to improve the quality and efficiency of healthcare across 25 areas of care.

Sustained investment

Several of the HHS operate major tertiary research hospitals in close partnership with the many specialised research centres and health faculties of Queensland’s universities and research institutes such as the Translational Research Institute (TRI), QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute , Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine and the Menzies Health Institute Queensland .

Successive Queensland Governments have developed several of these research hospitals and institutes over the last two decades. In 2022, further funding was announced for a new 150-bed Queensland Cancer Centre (A$750M) to be built within the Herston Health Precinct at Brisbane’s Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital in partnership with the University of Queensland – Herston , Queensland University of Technology and QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute . Also funded by the Queensland Government in 2022, is a medical manufacturing facility TM at TRI (A$60M of A$80M full cost) to be built in Brisbane. The facility will be equipped to produce promising drugs and vaccines for clinical trials.

UQ Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology – Illustration of blood clotting process

Photo credit: Dr Alexandr Kakinen

Biomedical industry

Queensland biomedical enterprises include biopharmaceuticals; generic pharmaceuticals; medical devices and point-of-care diagnostics; several multinational biomedical manufacturing businesses; and a thriving complementary medicines industry. The Queensland Biomedical 10-Year Roadmap and Action Plan released in June 2017 supports the continuing development the Queensland biomedical sector in the global value chain. The roadmap is supported by the Queensland Industry Partnership Program (2021–2025) that is investing A$350 million in several priority industry sectors including biomedical.

Institute for Molecular Bioscience investigates the stinging nettles of the world’s most venomous plants - the gympie-gympie tree

Photo credit: Darren Brown

Clinical trials

Queensland is a destination of choice for clinical trials, where it is far cheaper than the USA for early-phase clinical trials (28% cheaper before tax incentives and 60% after). Registered on the Queensland Clinical Trials Portal , one in five Australian clinical trials take place in Queensland across over 130 clinical trial sites.

CQUniversity Centre for Indigenous Health Equity Research co-design research projects with First Nations organisations

Research and innovation support

Advance Queensland is the key Queensland Government initiative (A$755 million allocated as of July 2022) delivered by nine government agencies, to develop entrepreneurial and research talent and to support start-ups and businesses. There are several funding programs , including the Industry Research Fellowships program that is.

The Department of Health’s HEALTHQ32 Research Strategy 2032 promotes partnerships between industry, research organisations and government to invest in innovative research. The searchable Database of Research Activity covers all human research undertaken in the Department of Health and includes research funded under the Advancing Clinical Research Fellowships , the Nursing and Midwifery Research Fellowships and other funding programs .

The majority of health and medical research in Australia is funded by two independent statutory agencies, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and the Australian Research Council (ARC) .

Talent pipeline for health and medical R&D

All of Queensland’s universities offer under and postgraduate courses and units in health and medicine and partner with Queensland’s research hospitals. Most of the universities host major research institutes and specialised research centres supporting post-graduate and dedicated researcher.

From their earliest years students in Queensland engage with STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) under the strategy for STEM in Queensland state schools and teachers access resources via the STEM Hub and the Queensland STEM Education Network provided by Queensland universities.

High school students can be industry-ready under the Gateway to Industry Schools Health (external link) program. This is long-term program to support the development of a highly-skilled workforce is delivered by CheckUP .

Queensland Life Sciences – Globally Competitive 04:47

Find out why top researchers and industry leaders are saying Queensland is one of the best places in the world for life science research.

View Queensland life sciences video with Chinese subtitles 昆士兰生命科学 – 全球领先”视频（附中文字幕）

The Department commissioned two reports to support emerging science-based industries:

• A New Chapter: opportunities to seed new industries for Queensland over the coming decade (2021) (PDF, 7.7MB)
• New Smarts Supporting Queensland’s knowledge-intensive industries through science, research and innovation (2019) (PDF, 11.9MB) .

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Teams of researchers from UQ working on pioneering melanoma imaging and preventing deadly infections, along with a science engagement team, have won prestigious 2024 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes.

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Nine University of Queensland researchers have been awarded $2.1 million through the 2024 Advance Queensland Industry Research Fellowships program.

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Capturing PFAS chemicals for better battery technology

Researchers at UQ’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology have made a filter which quickly and cleanly captures per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The filter contains a patented sorbent solution that uses an ion-exchange technique to isolate and remove the PFAS particles as the water passes through it.

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A quantum leap for biology

UQ has launched a $45 million research initiative to position Australia as a global leader in quantum biotechnology, and tackle some of the world's biggest challenges. The ARC Centre of Excellence in Quantum Biotechnology (QUBIC) brings together quantum technologies with life sciences, paving the way for advancements in health, energy…

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Traditional knowledge and biodiscovery in Queensland video

Watch the Traditional knowledge and biodiscovery in Queensland video to learn more about biodiscovery in Queensland and the importance of protecting traditional knowledge.

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Centre for Health Research

The Centre for Health Research takes an interdisciplinary approach to health issues that have the greatest impact on communities, especially in regional Australia. From mental health and wellbeing to aged care, sport and exercise, artificial intelligence, health economics, health biomarkers, and cancer survivorship, the Centre aims to better understand, prevent, and support health in regional and priority populations.

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This research theme examines new solutions to improve the mental health and wellbeing of Australians. Projects focus on innovative approaches to improving the delivery of evidence-based care, particularly for children and families and regional Australians.

Title: The Regional Australia Mental Health Research and Training Institute (Manna Institute)  Funding: Regional Research Collaborative | Australian Department of Education Skills and Employment  Leader: Professor Sonja March   Project Team: RUN collaborative  Project Partners: University of New England | Federation University| Australian Catholic University | Sunshine Coast University | Southern Cross University | Charles Sturt University 

A collaborative research institute with the Regional University Network, designed to enhance regional mental health research capacity and improve mental health outcomes for regional communities.  

Title: Translating evidence-based interventions into population-level digital models of care for child and adolescent mental health  Funding: MRFF / Million Minds  Leader: Professor Sonja March   Project Team: Professor Caroline Donovan | Professor Britt Klein | Professor Susan Spence | Professor Vanessa Cobham | Professor Leanne Hides | Professor Lara Farrell | Professor Alison Calear | Associate Professor Sanjeewa Kularatna | Associate Professor Melanie White  Project Partners: Australian National University | Griffith University | Queensland university of Technology | University of QLD | Federation University  A large multi-institution project making evidence-based digital interventions for child and adolescent mental health publicly available. 

Title: A Staged Mental Health Care Plan for Children integrating child & parent assessment in Education settings: A feasibility randomised control trial  Funding: Australian Rotary Health  Leader: Professor Sonja March   Project Team: Dr Kirsty Zieschank | Dr Michael Ireland | Dr Arlen Rowe   Project Partners: Catholic Education A project working with Catholic Education – Toowoomba Diocese, making child mental health screening and support accessible and engaging using digital technology. 

Title: Trauma-informed Behaviour Supports for the Early Intervention of Child mental Health: A Pragmatic implementation trial with Regional Schools  Funding: Australian Rotary Health  Leader: Dr Govind Krishnamoorthy   Project Team: Professor Sonja March | Dr Kay Ayre | Dr Emily Berger | Professor Sandra Chafouleas | Dr Ariana Eivers  Project Partners: Education Queensland | Independent Schools Queensland | Catholic Education  A project trialling whole of school strategies for supporting children at risk of mental illness.

Title: Finding the right balance of ‘support’: Testing a new digital model of care for child and adolescent anxiety in regional communities.  Funding: HCF  Leader: Professor Sonja March   Project Team: Dr Govind Krishnamoorthy | Dr Kirsty Zieschank | Dr Arlen Rowe  | Professor Caroline Donovan | Professor Alison Calear  Project Partners: Griffith University | Australian National University  A project aimed at making digital models of mental health care work for children and adolescents in regional communities.  

Title: Our Children – Their Future: Understanding Screen Use in Young Children   Funding: Ipswich Hospital Foundation  Leader: Professor Stuart Biddle   Project Team: Professor Sonja March | Dr Govind Krishnamoorthy | Professor Tracy Kolbe-Alexander | Dr George Thomas (UQ)  Project Partners: Dr Robert McGregor | Dr Muthulakshmi Narasimhan  A project in partnership with Ipswich paediatricians to understanding screen use and strategies for managing screen time in young children. 

This research theme includes projects aimed at understanding and improving cancer control and survivorship care, particularly for regional Australians.  

Title: Prostate Cancer Survivorship Essentials for Men with Prostate Cancer on Androgen Deprivation Therapy: Transforming Care to Improve Outcomes (PCEssentials)  Funding: National Health & Medical Research Council (NH&MRC) Partnership Grant (APP2006528)  Leader: Professor Jeff Dunn   Project Team: Rob Newton | Suzanne Chambers | David Smith | Haitham Tuffaha| Daniel Galvão | Peter Heathcote | Manish Patel | David Christie | Sam Egger | Sally Sara | Belinda Goodwin | Jeff Goh | Tony Costello | Jonathan Chambers | Tim Moss | Kirstie Graham | Dr Nicole Heneka | Helen Crowe | John Yaxley | Victoria Terry | Raph Chee | David Pryor| Dr Anna Green   Project Partners: Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia | Cancer Council Queensland | Australian Prostate Centre | Ipswich West Moreton Hospital Health Service| GenesisCare | Icon Group| Brisbane Urology Clinic | Healthy Male | Union for International Cancer Control  An NHMRC Partnership Project transforming Cancer Care through the implementation of Prostate Cancer Survivorship Essentials. 

Title: Providing Accessible Prostate Cancer Survivorship Care: A virtual care pilot in West Moreton Health  Funding: NH&MRC Centre of Research Excellence in Prostate Cancer Survivorship  Leader: Professor Jeff Dunn   Project Team: Suzanne Chambers | Dr Nicole Heneka | Shannon Wallis | Isaac Thangasamy | Stephen Walker | Melinda Parcell | Sue Coffey | Haitham Tuffaha  Project Partners: Ipswich West Moreton Hospital and Health Service  A collaboration with West Moreton Health to make Prostate Cancer Survivorship Care accessible through virtual care.

Title: PROFound - Prostate Cancer Counselling Service  Funding: Profield Foundation  Leader: Professor Jeff Dunn   Project Team: Anne Savage | Sally Sara | Bernie Riley | Jane Crowe | Paul Bain | Suzanne Chambers   Project Partners: Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia

Title: Development and evaluation of a patient-centred Prostate Cancer Survivorship Care Plan (‘My Personal Plan’) that supports integrated quality prostate cancer survivorship.  Funding: Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia  Leader: Associate Professor Nicole Heneka  Project Team: Professor Jeff Dunn | Sally Sara | Suzanne Chambers  Project Partners: Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia | NH&MRC Centre of Research Excellence in Prostate Cancer Survivorship| University of Technology Sydney| Australian Catholic University   A project in partnership with Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia developing Prostate Cancer Survivorship Care Plans for quality care.

Title: Translation of the Prostate Cancer Survivorship Essentials Framework into multi-disciplinary clinical practice: A participatory research project.  Funding: NH&MRC Centre of Research Excellence in Prostate Cancer Survivorship   Leader: Associate Professor Nicole Heneka   Project Team: Professor Jeff Dunn | Suzanne Chambers | Helen Crowe | Anthony Costello| Jane Crowe| Rachel Heerey | Isabelle Schaefer   Project Partners: Australian Prostate Centre | University of Technology Sydney | Australian Catholic University   Translating Prostate Cancer Survivorship Care into clinical practice.  

This research theme examines innovations in health through the application of artificial intelligence (AI) and technological solutions. Programs include technological innovations in medical materials, AI for the assessment of mental and cognitive states, AI for detection of chronic illness risk and AI for health and security.

Title: Automated Mood Inference Tool for Relapse Prediction in Mood Disorders  Funding: Queensland Government| Queensland Health| Netcare Pty Ltd  Leader: Dr Rajib Rana   Project Team: Professor Sonja March | Professor Jeffrey Soar | Dr Niall Higgins  Project Partners: Netcare Pty Ltd 

Using Artificial Intelligence to predict relapse in mood disorders from speech.

Title: Using Artificial Intelligence to prioritise emergency calls for suicide prevention dur to COVID-19 pandemic  Funding: Queensland Government| Queensland Health| Cogninet Australia  Leader: Dr Rajib Rana   Project Team: Professor Sonja March | Dr Jeffrey Soar | Dr Niall Higgins  Project Partners: Cogninet Australia

Using Artificial Intelligence to predict distress and suicide risk in emergency line calls.  

Title: AI-Assisted Summarisation of Consumer History (‘ASCH’) – A Quality Improvement initiative for Suicide Prevention Practice  Funding: Queensland Health  Leader: Dr Rajib Rana   Project Team: Dr Kathryn Turner | Dr Niall Higgins| Dr Anthony R. Pisani| Dr Rory O’Connor

Using Artificial Intelligence as a method for quality improvement in suicide prevention. 

Title: An AI-assisted STI Risk Assessment and Linkage to Care Coaching System: Your Life| Your Body and Your Privacy  Funding: Australian Government Department of Health:  Activities to Support the National Response to Blood Borne Viruses (BBV) and Sexually Transmissible Infections (STI)  Leader: Dr Zhaohui Tang | Professor Yan Li Project Team: Professor Amy Mullens | Sonya Osbourne | Judith Dean  Project Partners: University of Queensland | Queensland Positive People | Queensland Health | Queensland Council LGBTI Health

Using artificial intelligence to facilitate risk assessments for sexually transmitted infections and link to care.  

Title: The Key Techniques Development for EEG Classification and Mass Brain Network Modelling  Funding:  Shenzhen Delica Medical Equipment Co. Ltd  Leader: Professor Yan Li Project Team: Professor Peng (Paul) Wen   Project Partners: Shenzhen Delica Medical Equipment Co. Ltd| Queensland Health

Using artificial intelligence to develop techniques for brain modelling via EEG. 

Title: Developing an AI prediction model for Chronic Disease  Funding: Queensland Government (Advanced Queensland Fellowship)  Leader: Associate Professor Xujuan Zhou   Project Team: Professor Raj Gururajan | Floyd Leedie | Adjunct Professor Prabal D Barua  Project Partners: Goondir Health Services at Dalby | Cogninet Australia

Using artificial intelligence to predict risk of chronic disease. 

Title: AI Based Efficacy assessment of rTMS technology in mental health assessment  Funding: Belmont Private Healthcare  Leader: Professor Raj Gururajan  Project Team: Professor Xiaohui Tao | Associate Professor Xujuan Zhou | Mary Williams | Adjunct Professor Soman Elangovan  Project Partners: Belmont Healthcare 

Title: Using AI in postpartum assessment  Funding: SRM Institute of Science and Technology| India  Leader: Abinaya Goplakrishnan  Project Team: Professor Raj Gururajan | Associate Professor Xujuan Zhou | Professor Revathi Venkataraman  Project Partners: SRM Institute of Science and Technology| India  Using artificial intelligence to facilitate postpartum assessment.

Title:  3D bioengineered bone microenvironments to model tumourigenic properties Funding: Department of Education Leader: Dr Louisa Windus (UniSQ) | Alissa Reinke (PhD student) Project Team:  Professor Eliza Whiteside | Associate Professor Polly Burey | Dr Jessica Feldman | Dr Tristan Shelley  | Dr Michael Roberts (DDH and UniSQ) | Associate Professor Chris Wall (DDH and UQ Project Partners:  Darling Downs Health| Sunny Queen Eggs| UQ Using 3D bioengineered bone microenvironments to model tumourigenic properties.

Title: Development of 3D printed surgical guides for precision medicine in orthopaedics Funding:  Department of Education Leader: Dr Michael Roberts Project Team:  Professor Eliza Whiteside | Associate Professor Polly Burey | Dr Tristan Shelley | Steph Piper (UniSQ) | Dr Viv Shridhar| Associate Professor Chris Wall and Dr Doogie Whitcombe (DDH and UQ) Project Partners:  Darling Downs Health | UQ Using 3D printed surgical guides to facilitate precision medicine in orthopaedics.

Title:  Developing and evaluating training models for medical students and clinicians Funding:  Department of Education Leader:  Professor Eliza Whiteside Project Team:  Associate Professor Kate Kauter  |  Associate Professor Polly Burey  | Dr Tristan Shelley | Steph Piper (UniSQ) | Dr Rose Nicol and Dr Michael Roberts (DDH and UniSQ) | Dr Doogie Whitcombe (DDH and UQ) | Dr David Wedgwood (DDH and LifeFlight) Project Partners:  Darling Downs Health | UQ Rural Clinical Unit | Toowoomba A project examining training models for medical students and clinicians.

Title:  Single-use plastics recycling of hospital theatre waste Funding:  Department of Education Leader:  Dr Rose Nicol (UniSQ and DDH) Project Team:  Professor Eliza Whiteside  |  Associate Professor Polly Burey  | Dr Tristan Shelley | Dr Michael Roberts (DDH and UniSQ) | Dr Doogie Whitcombe (DDH and UQ) | Dr David Wedgwood (DDH and LifeFlight) Project Partners:  Darling Downs Health | Ability Enterprise A project examining strategies for reducing hospital theatre waste.

This research theme brings together inter-disciplinary researchers to reduce disparities and improve health outcomes among priority populations in health and wellbeing. Key programs of research include Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Communities, Neurodiversity, and Sexuality and Gender.

Title: Increasing capacity and capability for GPs to provide Hepatitis B testing and management among Chinese and Vietnamese Communities  Funding body: Queensland Sexual Health Research Fund   Leader: Professor Amy Mullens   Project Team: Jo Durham (QUT) | Zhihong Gu (ECCQ) | Joseph Debattista (Metro North Public Health) | Associate Professor Erich Fein (UniSQ) | Margaret Kay (BSPHN) | Lana Richardson (Hep Qld) | Dr Kirstie Daken (UniSQ)  Project Partners: Queensland University of Technology | Ethnic Communities Council Queensland | Brisbane South Primary Health Network | Hepatitis Queensland | Metro North Public Health

A project aimed at improving GP capabilities in Hepatitis B care for Chinese and Vietnamese communities.

Title: Enhancing pathways| workforce & capacity for HAND assessment for people living with HIV throughout Qld| including regional  Funding body: Queensland Sexual Health Research Fund  Leader: Professor Amy Mullens    Project Team:   Dr Kirstie Daken (UniSQ) | Adina Piovesana | Chris Howard (QPP) | Sue Gilling (QPP)  Project Partners: Queensland Positive People | University of New South Wales

A project aimed at improving workforce capacity in assessment of HIV in regional QLD. 

Title: Exploring the context for introducing a nurse-led satellite clinic to increase testing and surveillance for sexually transmitted infections Funding body: Fellowship | Nursing and Midwifery Research | Health Innovation | Investment & Research Office Prevention Division | Qld Health  Leader:  Amanda Balmer (PhD Candidate)  Project Team:  Leah East | Professor Amy Mullens | Sonya Osbourne | Associate Professor Annette Bromdal | Kathryn Kynoch (Mater)  Project Partners: Queensland Corrective Services| Queensland Health| Mater

A project aimed at improving access to testing and care for STIs.

Title: Co-deisgning a Food Sovereignty Model with Indigenous Communities Funding Body: Australian Research Council Leader: Associate Professor Debbie Duthie Project Team: A/Prof Donald Wharton (QUT), A/Prof Kate Murray (QUT), Prof Leah East, Prof Danielle Gallegos (QUT) Deanne Minniecon (Diabetes Australia.

This theme includes research that focuses on strategies for improving individual wellness, physical health and healthy lifestyles and community wellbeing (public health). Projects examine the role of physical activity and screen time in health, sports and activity-based interventions, and public health approaches to promoting community health and wellbeing. Title: Sustainable Industry Manufacturing Planning for Long-term Ecosystems (SIMPLE) Hub - Medical Materials and Technologies Stream   Funding: Department of Education| $3.35 million  Leader: Associate Professor Polly Burey | Dr Tristan Shelley | Professor Eliza Whiteside (Medical stream)  Project Team: Dr Louisa Windus | Associate Professor Kate Kauter | Dr Michael Roberts | Dr Rose Nicol   Project Partners: Centre for Future Materials | Darling Downs Health | South-West Health and Hospital Service | Sunny Queen Eggs 

A large initiative to develop and research sustainable medical materials and technologies.

Title: What do female athletes know about the menstrual cycle and hormonal contraception? Updating and validating Knowledge Questionnaire 2.0 (MCq-Knowledge) Project Leader: Dr Brianna Larsen Funding: Australian Sports Commission (Australian Institute of Sport) Research Team: Dr Brianna Larsen | Professor Stephen Bird External Partners: Dr Karlee Quinn (Queensland Academy of Sport) | Tim Newans (Griffith University) | Dr Alice McNamara (Australian College of Sport and Exercise Physicians; Victorian Institute of Sport; Swimming Australia)

This research theme explores the ageing process and care of older adults from an inter-disciplinary perspective (nursing, biomedical, allied health). Projects examine both healthy ageing and the more common clinical conditions that tend to occur in older age, like dementia, stroke and other health problems. Projects focus on ageing from the perspective of health care, aged care, workforce direction and interventions to improve rehabilitation and quality of life for consumers, carers and staff.

Title: The West Moreton Care at End of Life and Older Persons Care Collaboratives Project  Funding: Darling Downs and West Moreton Primary Health Network  Leader: Dr Melissa Taylor  Project Team: Carol Hope (Professor Doc Candidate) | Denne Geddes   Project Partners: West Moreton Hospital and Health Services | Members of the West Moreton Care Collaboratives (Dementia and Community/Rural Networks | Care at End of Life)  The West Moreton Region Care Collaboratives Project brings together like-minded government and non-government services and community to optimise systems, processes, and outcomes in social care activities with the community through co-designed, participatory approaches.  

Title: Somerset Assist  Funding: Darling Downs and West Moreton Primary Health Network Scoping project as part of the West Moreton Care Collaborative Project  Leader: Dr Melissa Taylor Project Team: Lyn Buchanan (Somerset Regional Council) | Deanne Geddes  Project Partners: Somerset Regional Council | Somerset Assist, Mable | Trilogy Aged Care and Skills Hub Australia | Members West Moreton Care Collaborative Community/Rural Network 

A novel self-managed aged care initiative that seeks to train local community to care for locals in the Somerset regional area. An embedded case study approach evaluates patient journeys, governance structures and service delivery outputs.

Title: Emergency Management Information Project for Regional and Rural Seniors: Increasing Consumer Advocacy Recall in Disaster Situations (CARDS) Scoping Project as part of West Moreton Care Collaboratives Project  Funding: Darling Downs and West Moreton Primary Health Network  Leader: Dr Melissa Taylor Project Team: Carol Hope | Denne Geddes | Professor Sonja March    Project Partners: Ipswich City Council | Somerset Regional Council | Scenic Rim Regional Council | Lockyer Valley Regional Council  Adopting a person-centred disaster preparedness approach for seniors in four West Moreton local government areas, the emergency medical information project prepares seniors with accessible health information for use during flood and evacuation. 

Title: Seniors Dental Pathways Project  Funding: Darling Downs and West Moreton Primary Health Network  Leader: Dr Melissa Taylor Project Team: Leonie Short (Seniors Dental Care Australia) | Dr Padma Gadiyar (Oral Tech AI)  Project Partners: UnitingCare | Seniors Dental Care Australia | Oral Tech AI | West Moreton Care Collaborative Dementia Network  Mapping oral health care needs and defining and sharing localised referral pathways for seniors in community to alleviate poor oral health. 

Title: Priority Pathways Project for Vulnerable Populations Needing End of Life Care  Funding: Darling Downs and West Moreton Primary Health Network  Leader: Carol Hope   Project Team: Dr Melissa Taylor | Denne Geddes | Professor Sonja March   Project Partners: Ipswich Hospice | West Moreton Health | Advanced Care Planning | Palliative Care Services West Moreton Health | West Moreton Care Collaboratives Care at End of Life  Mapping end of life care services and referral pathways for people from priority populations in West Moreton to improve access to care at the end of life.

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Duke Global Health Institute -- Pilot Research Topics in AI and Health

Duke University is at the forefront of groundbreaking research that intersects artificial intelligence (AI) with health, emphasizing ethical and equitable data science. “AI” is typically used to describe when computers are learning independent of human interaction - for example the ability to perform tasks in complex environments without constant guidance by a user or the ability to improve performance by learning from experience.

The Duke Global Health Institute (DGHI) encourages ethical data governance and use, promoting appropriate aspects of data science, machine learning, and/or artificial intelligence. As such, we are happy to invite interdisciplinary teams to submit proposals that drive innovation, foster collaboration, and shape the future of global health, leveraging the broad scope of AI technologies. Research and collaboration around data, machine learning and innovation are important to DGHI, Duke School of Medicine, and Duke University. Through this RFP, DGHI seeks to provide pilot funds to stimulate interdisciplinary research collaborations, with the goal of enabling investigators to leverage preliminary findings and data to obtain larger awards of external funding.

Deadline:  Nov. 4, 2024

• Collaborative and interdisciplinary proposals are required. Teams including new investigators, investigators new to global health, and/or investigators from low and middle-income countries, are encouraged. • DGHI is looking to support global health research ideas that will improve health equity and benefit hard-to-reach populations, low-resourced areas or global health partners. • We encourage cross-cutting investments that span multiple disciplines or topics (e.g. something that would aid both noncommunicable and infectious diseases, like heart disease, malaria or cervical cancer elimination). We welcome proposals that integrate diverse scientific approaches, from implementation science to genomics or sociobehavioral science, to create impactful, cross-cutting proposals. Proposed research can also focus on other aspects of AI, such as data equity, legal barriers to AI implementation/data access, or perceptions and acceptability of AI in your population. • Topic areas which have not previously received support and proposals that support and describe a sustainable line of global health research will be prioritized.

Duke faculty are eligible to apply for funding. Proposals that include collaborators from other institutions are encouraged. Study teams that include investigators from more than one Duke School, Institute, or Department will receive priority review.

The budget may include: supplies, support for technicians, research assistants, and graduate students; research-related travel; and other justifiable and allowable research expenses. Faculty salary, travel to scientific meetings, and indirect costs are not allowable expenses. Applicants may apply for up to $25,000 for a 12-month project. Smaller proposals for shorter periods are also encouraged. 

Marijuana | Cannabis Research Institute opens in Chicago,…

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Marijuana | Cannabis Research Institute opens in Chicago, looking to dig deep into marijuana

The institute’s leader hopes to break new ground in finding medical uses for cannabis, possibly for the treatment of cancer. Researchers also can help with the creation of a new state reference lab to check for accuracy in the testing of commercial pot. And they could track down a virus that threatens to ruin crops.

The research group is making use of a new lab in a former COVID-19 testing facility in the Illinois Medical Center campus on the West Side, harnessing DNA sequencing equipment formerly used to test for COVID-19.

But at least for now, the institute’s lab will not be in its planned new office. The headquarters for its parent organization, the University of Illinois System’s Discovery Partners Institute , is proposed for vacant land on The 78, the 62-acre South Loop site where the Chicago White Sox also want to build a new stadium.

Construction on the headquarters was expected this year and should start soon, officials said, but likely may not be completed until 2027. Meanwhile, state leaders have been unwilling to give the Sox money for the stadium — despite the developer of The 78, Related Midwest, installing a new sodded baseball field on the site to spur interest in the White Sox plan.

For now the director of the Cannabis Research Institute, Reggie Gaudino, is proceeding elsewhere. He’s using a three-year, $7 million grant from the Illinois Department of Human Services to get started and applying for research grants from other governmental and nonprofit organizations.

“It is quite possible there will be some types of cannabis that can address any number of maladies,” Gaudino said. “However, there are also potential harms to cannabis. The Cannabis Research Institute is doing the research to answer some of these questions and move the conversation forward with a sound scientific basis.”

Before coming to Chicago, Gaudino used his Ph.D. in molecular genetics and biochemistry as a patent scientist. He was president of Steep Hill Inc. cannabis testing and chief science officer at hemp company Front Range Biosciences in Boulder, Colorado.

He worked with early companies such as Charlotte’s Web, identifying strains high in CBD, a non-psychoactive compound to treat various conditions.

One child that Steep Hill worked with had an aggressive form of cancer in her head. Researchers found a hemp extract that Gaudino said helped that child and several others, who became cancer free.

Now, Gaudino hopes to partner with Northern Illinois University on further research into cannabis to inhibit cancer growth.

He also plans to hunt for hop latent viroid, a longtime scourge of hop plants used in making beer that’s recently running rampant in cannabis.

And he will advise on establishing a state reference lab that will check the accuracy of private labs. Studies have found discrepancies between lab reports and actual levels of potency and contaminants, including mold, in legal weed.

The Cannabis Research Institute was formed in 2022 with the state, the Cannabis Regulation Oversight Officer, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the city of Chicago.

The institute will not take money from cannabis companies, but is seeking funding through grants from the state or federal government, such as the National Institutes of Health.

Gaudino hopes to partner with other research groups to reach a prominent status in cannabis research, along the lines of centers in California, Colorado and Israel.

He hopes to get a waiver from the DEA to use cannabis produced within the state for research, rather than having to use a DEA-approved facility elsewhere. The proposed rescheduling of marijuana to a less-restrictive status should make research much faster and easier.

Cannabis researcher Dr. Sue Sisley congratulated Illinois on making a significant investment in the field, but warned that funding is just the first step.

It can take years, she said, to get approvals at the “glacial” speed of FDA and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to obtain cannabis for research and do clinical trials on humans, said Sisley, founder and principal investigator of the Scottsdale Research Institute .

Michigan approved $40 million for cannabis research in 2021, but three years later, federal obstacles have blocked many of those studies .

While lab research is a start, she said, human research is essential. And it’s important that funding goes to research rather than university overhead.

“It’s important to do real world study in humans to advance questions people have about how to use cannabis,” she said.

rmccoppinchicagotribune.com

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