Expansion of Leading Medical Research Institute
Research into the causes and treatment of some of the most persistent and destructive diseases will benefit from the opening in Melbourne of a new seven-storey wing at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research.
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22 November 2012
Research into the causes and treatment of some of the most persistent and destructive diseases will benefit from the opening in Melbourne today of a new seven-storey wing at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research.
The new wing and upgrade of the existing building at what is one of Australia’s top medical research establishments were partly funded with a $50 million payment from the Australian Government.
Parliamentary Secretary for Health Catherine King said the new wing effectively doubled the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute’s capacity for laboratories, offices and other facilities.
“That means more research into causes and treatment of a variety of cancers, infectious diseases including malaria, HIV and hepatitis B, and autoimmune diseases,” Ms King said.
“One of the interesting additions to be housed in the new wing is an insectary – a laboratory where researchers can keep live mosquitoes and investigate the malaria life cycle.
“All in all, the expansion and upgrade will help to ensure that this great institute remains at the forefront of biomedical research not only in this country but on the international stage.”
Ms King attended the opening on behalf of the Minister for Health, Tanya Plibersek.
She said $700 million from the Government’s Health and Hospital Fund had been allocated to health and medical research infrastructure, in addition to research grants through the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) totalling $760.5 million in 2012-13.
The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute was recently awarded a total of $31 million from the NHMRC, the highest amount of any independent Australian medical research institute.
“We are proud to be supporting Australia’s best and brightest health and medical innovators as they undertake their world-beating research,” Ms King said. “Health and medical research is essential to the nation’s prosperous future.”
Ms King said the upgrade of the institute had already brought local economic benefits, with about 530 people employed during construction and the creation of over 400 new and ongoing science-related jobs.
For more information, contact the parliamentary secretary’s office on 02 6277 4230
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