Queensland Institute of Medical Research
Encyclopedia
The Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR) is one of Australia’s largest medical research institutes, and is recognised worldwide for the quality of its research. QIMR was established in 1945 by an Act of the Government of Queensland
. The original purpose of the Institute was to further the study of tropical diseases in North Queensland
. QIMR’s researchers are now investigating the genetic and environmental causes of the world’s most debilitating diseases. The current Director is Professor Frank Gannon.
QIMR has over 600 scientists, students and support staff in five research divisions and a corporate division. Because of its proximity to major teaching hospitals and the University of Queensland
Medical School, the Institute is well placed for clinical applications of research, including bench to bedside research techniques. It is one of Australia’s only fully integrated biomedical research and development centres with GMP
manufacturing facilities.
In 2007, QIMR was awarded a $2.7 million grant from the Australian Cancer Research Foundation
to provide vital equipment for the QIMR's Centre for Cancer Epigenetics - the first research facility of its kind in the world. QIMR's Education Program provides students with real laboratory experiences.
From 1951 to 1965, at QIMR field station in North Queensland
, researchers investigated outbreaks of leptospirosis
, scrub typhus, dengue and other tropical fevers. Researchers also studied viruses in Queensland’s animals.
In 1960, QIMR scientists isolated Murray Valley encephalitis virus
from mosquitoes, which paved the way for discovery of other arboviruses like Ross River virus
in 1963. During the 1960s, QIMR established an oncology section to investigate cancer-causing viruses. One project researched cancer cells taken from Burkitt's lymphoma
patients in Papua New Guinea, and found they were infected with Epstein-Barr virus
(EBV). EBV is now known to cause many types of leukaemias and lymphomas. Eight years later, this same virus was found to immortalise white blood cells; a discovery that revolutionised research of these immune cells and their DNA.
In 1977, QIMR relocated to new laboratories in the grounds of the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital
at Herston
.
In 1988, the Queensland Government amended the QIMR Act to make statutory authority. The Queensland Premier at the time, The Honourable Mike Ahern, secured $30 million to fund a new building for QIMR’s ever-increasing staff numbers. The new building was officially opened in 1991, and was aptly named the Bancroft Centre, as a memorial to the family who contributed to QIMR’s early history.
In 1997, a philanthropic donation of $20 million was matched by both the federal and state governments, presenting the opportunity to construct a comprehensive cancer research centre unparalleled in Australian history. The Cancer Research Centre was named after Mr Clive Berghofer
in appreciation of his extremely generous contribution towards the building.
In 2002, Q-Pharm Pty Limited became operational. Q-Pharm Pty Ltd is a joint venture between QIMR, The University of Queensland and Professors Hooper and Dickenson, and is a Phase I clinical trials facility to test potential new therapeutic products on humans. The same year, a new Indigenous Health Research Program was initiated to focus on improving health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and work in collaboration with Indigenous communities.
A new building is currently under construction on the site of the previous Queensland Radium Institute. The Smart State Medical Research Centre will link the existing two research facilities and is due to be completed in 2012.
The Institute’s vision is better health through medical research.
, Australia
.
QIMR is housed in two buildings (the Bancroft Centre and the Clive Berghofer Cancer Research Centre at Herston, Brisbane
, Queensland
adjacent to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital
, the Royal Children's Hospital, Brisbane and The University of Queensland
Medical School.
Previous Directors
Government of Queensland
The Government of Queensland is commonly known as the "Queensland Government".The form of the Government of Queensland is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1859, although it has been amended many times since then...
. The original purpose of the Institute was to further the study of tropical diseases in North Queensland
North Queensland
North Queensland or the Northern Region is the northern part of the state of Queensland in Australia. Queensland is a massive state, larger than most countries, and the tropical northern part of it has been historically remote and undeveloped, resulting in a distinctive regional character and...
. QIMR’s researchers are now investigating the genetic and environmental causes of the world’s most debilitating diseases. The current Director is Professor Frank Gannon.
Overview
QIMR aims to improve the health and well-being of all people by developing new methods of detection, better treatments and prevention strategies. This is achieved through fundamental research, drug development and clinical trials.QIMR has over 600 scientists, students and support staff in five research divisions and a corporate division. Because of its proximity to major teaching hospitals and the University of Queensland
University of Queensland
The University of Queensland, also known as UQ, is a public university located in state of Queensland, Australia. Founded in 1909, it is the oldest and largest university in Queensland and the fifth oldest in the nation...
Medical School, the Institute is well placed for clinical applications of research, including bench to bedside research techniques. It is one of Australia’s only fully integrated biomedical research and development centres with GMP
Good Manufacturing Practice
"Good manufacturing practice" or "GMP" are practices and the systems required to be adapted in pharmaceutical manufacturing, quality control, quality system covering the manufacture and testing of pharmaceuticals or drugs including active pharmaceutical ingredients, diagnostics, foods,...
manufacturing facilities.
In 2007, QIMR was awarded a $2.7 million grant from the Australian Cancer Research Foundation
Australian Cancer Research Foundation
The Australian Cancer Research Foundation is an Australian not-for-profit organisation which awards grants to cancer research organisations, specifically for high-end equipment purchases and infrastructure development.-History and structure:...
to provide vital equipment for the QIMR's Centre for Cancer Epigenetics - the first research facility of its kind in the world. QIMR's Education Program provides students with real laboratory experiences.
History
QIMR was created by an Act of Queensland State Parliament in 1945 from a report by Dr Edward Derrick that recommended a permanent research facility to be set up to investigate diseases unique to the climate of Queensland. QIMR began operations in 1947 with a staff of seven in a disused World War II US Army hut in Victoria Park, Brisbane. This temporary accommodation housed the Institute for the next 30 years.From 1951 to 1965, at QIMR field station in North Queensland
North Queensland
North Queensland or the Northern Region is the northern part of the state of Queensland in Australia. Queensland is a massive state, larger than most countries, and the tropical northern part of it has been historically remote and undeveloped, resulting in a distinctive regional character and...
, researchers investigated outbreaks of leptospirosis
Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis is caused by infection with bacteria of the genus Leptospira, and affects humans as well as other mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles.The...
, scrub typhus, dengue and other tropical fevers. Researchers also studied viruses in Queensland’s animals.
In 1960, QIMR scientists isolated Murray Valley encephalitis virus
Murray Valley encephalitis virus
Murray Valley encephalitis virus is a zoonotic flavivirus endemic to northern Australia and Papua New Guinea. It is the causal agent of Murray Valley encephalitis and in humans can cause permanent neurological disease or death...
from mosquitoes, which paved the way for discovery of other arboviruses like Ross River virus
Ross River virus
Ross River virus is a small encapsulated single-strand RNA alphavirus endemic to Australia, Papua New Guinea and other islands in the South Pacific. It is responsible for a type of mosquito-borne non-lethal but debilitating tropical disease known as Ross River fever, previously termed "epidemic...
in 1963. During the 1960s, QIMR established an oncology section to investigate cancer-causing viruses. One project researched cancer cells taken from Burkitt's lymphoma
Burkitt's lymphoma
Burkitt's lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system...
patients in Papua New Guinea, and found they were infected with Epstein-Barr virus
Epstein-Barr virus
The Epstein–Barr virus , also called human herpesvirus 4 , is a virus of the herpes family and is one of the most common viruses in humans. It is best known as the cause of infectious mononucleosis...
(EBV). EBV is now known to cause many types of leukaemias and lymphomas. Eight years later, this same virus was found to immortalise white blood cells; a discovery that revolutionised research of these immune cells and their DNA.
In 1977, QIMR relocated to new laboratories in the grounds of the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital
Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital
The Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital is a hospital located in the suburb of Herston in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.The hospital was formerly known as the Brisbane General Hospital.The hospital currently has a total of 948 beds...
at Herston
Herston, Queensland
Herston is an inner suburb of Brisbane, Australia located 3 km north of the Brisbane CBD.- Geography :Herston is dominated by the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital...
.
In 1988, the Queensland Government amended the QIMR Act to make statutory authority. The Queensland Premier at the time, The Honourable Mike Ahern, secured $30 million to fund a new building for QIMR’s ever-increasing staff numbers. The new building was officially opened in 1991, and was aptly named the Bancroft Centre, as a memorial to the family who contributed to QIMR’s early history.
In 1997, a philanthropic donation of $20 million was matched by both the federal and state governments, presenting the opportunity to construct a comprehensive cancer research centre unparalleled in Australian history. The Cancer Research Centre was named after Mr Clive Berghofer
Clive Berghofer
Clive John Berghofer is an Australian property developer, politician and philanthropist.Berghofer was an alderman on Toowoomba City Council from 1973 to 1982, serving as Toowoomba's 61st Mayor from 1982 to 1992. He was National Party MLA for Toowoomba South...
in appreciation of his extremely generous contribution towards the building.
In 2002, Q-Pharm Pty Limited became operational. Q-Pharm Pty Ltd is a joint venture between QIMR, The University of Queensland and Professors Hooper and Dickenson, and is a Phase I clinical trials facility to test potential new therapeutic products on humans. The same year, a new Indigenous Health Research Program was initiated to focus on improving health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and work in collaboration with Indigenous communities.
A new building is currently under construction on the site of the previous Queensland Radium Institute. The Smart State Medical Research Centre will link the existing two research facilities and is due to be completed in 2012.
Logo
The QIMR logo is composed of three superimposed hexagons, which represent interlocking benzene rings. Benzene rings are a molecular structure of carbon, the basis for all life on earth.The Institute’s vision is better health through medical research.
Research
The Institute’s research includes:- Cancers, including leukaemia, skin, breast, prostate, pancreatic, oesophageal and colorectal cancers
- Infectious diseases such as HIVHIVHuman immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
, malariaMalariaMalaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
, group A streptococcus, Epstein-Barr virusEpstein-Barr virusThe Epstein–Barr virus , also called human herpesvirus 4 , is a virus of the herpes family and is one of the most common viruses in humans. It is best known as the cause of infectious mononucleosis...
, Ross River virusRoss River virusRoss River virus is a small encapsulated single-strand RNA alphavirus endemic to Australia, Papua New Guinea and other islands in the South Pacific. It is responsible for a type of mosquito-borne non-lethal but debilitating tropical disease known as Ross River fever, previously termed "epidemic...
, scabies, dengue feverDengue feverDengue fever , also known as breakbone fever, is an infectious tropical disease caused by the dengue virus. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle and joint pains, and a characteristic skin rash that is similar to measles...
and schistosomiasis (blood flukes) - Mental health and complex disorders, including schizophreniaSchizophreniaSchizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
, Alzheimer’s disease, ataxia-telangiectasia, liver disease, anaemia and haemochromatosisHaemochromatosisHaemochromatosis type 1 is a hereditary disease characterized by excessive intestinal absorption of dietary iron resulting in a pathological increase in total body iron stores. Humans, like most animals, have no means to excrete excess iron...
Location
The Institute is located at 300 Herston Rd, Herston, BrisbaneBrisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
QIMR is housed in two buildings (the Bancroft Centre and the Clive Berghofer Cancer Research Centre at Herston, Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
adjacent to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital
Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital
The Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital is a hospital located in the suburb of Herston in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.The hospital was formerly known as the Brisbane General Hospital.The hospital currently has a total of 948 beds...
, the Royal Children's Hospital, Brisbane and The University of Queensland
University of Queensland
The University of Queensland, also known as UQ, is a public university located in state of Queensland, Australia. Founded in 1909, it is the oldest and largest university in Queensland and the fifth oldest in the nation...
Medical School.
Key positions
- Director: Professor Frank Gannon
- Deputy Director: Professor Adele Green AC
- Council Chair: Professor Emeritus John Hay AC
- Patron: Her Excellency Ms Penelope Wensley AO, Governor of Qld
Previous Directors
- 1947-1961: Dr Ian Murray MackerrasIan Murray MackerrasIan Murray Mackerras was an Australian zoologist.Mackerras was born in Balclutha, New Zealand to James Murray Mackerras, and Elizabeth Mary , both farmers. His parents separated and Ian and brother Alan lived with their mother in Sydney...
- 1961-1966: Dr Edward Derrick
- 1966-1978: Professor Ralph Doherty
- 1978-1990: Professor Chev Kidson
- 1990-2000: Professor Lawrie Powell
- 2000–2010: Professor Michael Good