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Construction of a major new $112 million medical research facility at the Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre has officially begun.

The research hub is the result of significant State and national collaborations led by The University of Western Australia (UWA) and the Western Australian Institute for Medical Research (WAIMR).

A commencement ceremony held today at the Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre in Nedlands was attended by WA Deputy Premier and Health Minister, Dr Kim Hames, as well as politicians, senior health administrators, researchers, academics and supporters.

The new facility has been funded primarily by UWA ($25 million), the Western Australian Government ($25 million) and the Federal Government ($50 million).  The Lions Eye Institute provided vital support, while the QEII Medical Centre Trust leased the land to WAIMR.  The North Metropolitan Area Health Service is facilitating the development.  Funding has also come from Lotterywest ($5.4 million) and the McCusker Charitable Foundation ($1.5 million)

The builder - Doric Contractors - is currently sinking foundations for the 10 storey research hub, which will be home to 450 staff from UWA and WAIMR, as well as several other research organisations.

When completed in 2013, the building will contain six levels of laboratory and clinical research space, two floors of shared facilities and public areas encouraging greater understanding of innovative medical research.  There will be capacity to expand to 800 staff, as the world-class facility attracts researchers from overseas and interstate.

"This facility will bring together laboratory-based scientists and clinical researchers," said WAIMR Director, Professor Peter Klinken.  "Our research teams are already making amazing discoveries which will lead to future treatments for cancers, diabetes, muscular diseases, liver disease and more.  In just two years, this well-equipped facility will be helping us fulfill our vision."

Professor Klinken told guests at the commencement ceremony that the research headquarters would also be an important centre for the community.  Lotterywest funding would go towards interactive areas on the ground floor to ensure the public was kept up to date with the latest advances in medical research into new treatments and cures for various diseases.

"The funding from Lotterywest will help us to educate secondary school science students and teachers through a demonstration laboratory and allow community groups to interact with us," Professor Klinken said.

"We are also grateful to the McCusker Charitable Foundation for its $1.5 million donation which will enable us to build a large auditorium for seminars and public forums."

Professor Klinken also thanked UWA for its long-standing commitment to medical research and support of WAIMR since its launch in 1998.

UWA Vice-Chancellor, Professor Alan Robson, said the new facility would allow the State's medical researchers to continue to deliver internationally significant and positive health outcomes.

"Western Australia has a strong record of outstanding medical research.  By bringing together so many of our top medical researchers and research staff in one facility, we will generate many new opportunities which will result in better health outcomes for the whole community.

"The University of Western Australia is proud to have been involved in the establishment of this world-class research facility.  It is a reflection of the State's outstanding record in medical research and the University's goal of achieving international excellence for the benefit of all Western Australians," Professor Robson said.

WAIMR's research headquarters will include shared infrastructure, such as centralised equipment for all researchers across the State in fields such as proteomics, genomics, imaging, monoclonal antibodies and bioinformatics.

The building was designed by architects Hames Sharley.  It is part of the expansion of the QEII Medical Centre into one of the largest medical, research and education facilities in Australia.

Media references

Carolyn Monaghan (+61 8)  9224 0377  /  (+61 4) 48 021 932
(WAIMR Communications Manager)
Janine MacDonald (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8)  6488 5563  /  (+61 4) 32 637 716