World class institute officially opened for world class researchers
Published Tuesday, 22 April, 2008 at 01:48 PM
Minister for Tourism, Regional Development and Industry
The Honourable Desley Boyle
The research facility where Professor Ian Frazer co-created the world’s first cervical cancer vaccine was today officially opened by Regional Development and Industry Minister Desley Boyle.
Ms Boyle said the University of Queensland’s Diamantina Institute for Cancer, Immunology and Metabolic Medicine at Princess Alexandra Hospital was currently being used by more than 200 scientists to develop better medical treatments, therapies and anti-cancer drugs.
“Queensland is extremely lucky to have researchers of the calibre of Director Professor Ian Frazer and his colleagues at the Institute,” Ms Boyle said.
“As we know Professor Frazer helped to develop the world’s first cervical cancer vaccine which protects against the strains of the human papilloma virus that causes 70 percent of cervical cancers.
“His colleagues are also working on a number of potentially groundbreaking projects.
“These include Professor Tom Gonda who is leading a team investigating new treatments for cancer and Professor Ranjeny Thomas and her researchers who are looking at developing a simple test which predicts whether a child will develop Type 1 diabetes.
“Their research is truly amazing and on behalf of all Queenslanders, I thank them for their hard work and dedication.
“This Institute will only add to Queensland’s reputation as a world-class centre for biomedical research with world-class researchers.”
Ms Boyle said the Queensland Government had also committed $100 million towards establishing of the Translational Research Institute (TRI).
“This brand new building will be built beside the PA and will house researchers from not only the Diamantina Institute, but also from QUT, Mater Medical Research Institute and Queensland Health who will work together to progress research to a clinical level,” Ms Boyle said.
The TRI and the Diamantina Institute are part of the Queensland Government’s Smart Health Research for a Smarter Queensland 2006 State Election commitment.
“We have also provided an additional $300,000 under the Smart State Innovation Skills Fund for the Dr Jian Zhou Smart State Fellowship, a special one-off Smart State Fellowship acknowledging the late doctor’s significant contribution to the development of the cervical cancer vaccine,” Ms Boyle said.
“This fellowship was awarded to Dr Ming Wei from the University of Queensland in 2006 who is continuing his research into developing an innovative method of treating lung cancer using sophisticated gene therapy.”
Ms Boyle said Queensland Government had spent more than $3 billion on science, education and innovation since 1998.
22 April 2008
Media Contact: Marcus Taylor (3225 1005) or Kirstie Maier (3224 2007)
Ms Boyle said the University of Queensland’s Diamantina Institute for Cancer, Immunology and Metabolic Medicine at Princess Alexandra Hospital was currently being used by more than 200 scientists to develop better medical treatments, therapies and anti-cancer drugs.
“Queensland is extremely lucky to have researchers of the calibre of Director Professor Ian Frazer and his colleagues at the Institute,” Ms Boyle said.
“As we know Professor Frazer helped to develop the world’s first cervical cancer vaccine which protects against the strains of the human papilloma virus that causes 70 percent of cervical cancers.
“His colleagues are also working on a number of potentially groundbreaking projects.
“These include Professor Tom Gonda who is leading a team investigating new treatments for cancer and Professor Ranjeny Thomas and her researchers who are looking at developing a simple test which predicts whether a child will develop Type 1 diabetes.
“Their research is truly amazing and on behalf of all Queenslanders, I thank them for their hard work and dedication.
“This Institute will only add to Queensland’s reputation as a world-class centre for biomedical research with world-class researchers.”
Ms Boyle said the Queensland Government had also committed $100 million towards establishing of the Translational Research Institute (TRI).
“This brand new building will be built beside the PA and will house researchers from not only the Diamantina Institute, but also from QUT, Mater Medical Research Institute and Queensland Health who will work together to progress research to a clinical level,” Ms Boyle said.
The TRI and the Diamantina Institute are part of the Queensland Government’s Smart Health Research for a Smarter Queensland 2006 State Election commitment.
“We have also provided an additional $300,000 under the Smart State Innovation Skills Fund for the Dr Jian Zhou Smart State Fellowship, a special one-off Smart State Fellowship acknowledging the late doctor’s significant contribution to the development of the cervical cancer vaccine,” Ms Boyle said.
“This fellowship was awarded to Dr Ming Wei from the University of Queensland in 2006 who is continuing his research into developing an innovative method of treating lung cancer using sophisticated gene therapy.”
Ms Boyle said Queensland Government had spent more than $3 billion on science, education and innovation since 1998.
22 April 2008
Media Contact: Marcus Taylor (3225 1005) or Kirstie Maier (3224 2007)