Prime Minister opens Ingham Institute
The UNSW-affiliated medical research centre, the Ingham Institute, has officially opened in Sydney.
Published on the 23 Oct 2012
Prime Minister Julia Gillard has opened the new UNSW-affiliated medical research precinct in south-western Sydney, the Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research.
“I’m very proud of our researchers, proud of what they’ve achieved and proud that they are working today on the breakthroughs that will make a difference tomorrow,” Prime Minister Gillard said at the launch.
“And now, Sydney’s south-west is firmly in the race to be the custodian of that next big breakthrough.
“There’s no law of nature that says great medical research institute institutions, great hospitals and great healthcare have to be in the inner city.”
The Ingham Institute is focused on seven key areas of health that most impact the local south-western Sydney community – cancer; cardiovascular disease; community and population health; childhood diseases; infectious and inflammatory diseases; trauma and injury and mental health.
The Institute is a collaboration between the University of New South Wales, the South Western Sydney Local Health District and the University of Western Sydney and has 200 researchers working within its facilities based at Liverpool Hospital. It initially received $46.9 million in funding from the federal government.
“Medical research is viewed by many as a practice that may result in a new medicine or treatment approach in quite a few years’ time,” says Ingham Institute research director, Professor Michael Barton OAM.
“We want to change the way medical research is done in Australia and enable access to advances in scientific thinking and medical practice as quickly as possible and with input from those people that need it most.”
The Ingham Institute was conceived through the foresight and generosity of Bob Ingham AO, who wanted to address health challenges facing south-western Sydney, says Ingham Institue chairman Terry Goldacre.
Philanthropists who are supporting the Institute also include Lady Mary Fairfax AC, OBE.
View the Ingham Institute website here.
Media contacts:
Sophie Cooley I The Ingham Institute I 02 8738 9000, 0417 421 683
Fiona Tigar I Roar Communications I 0421 610 624