March 2016 - Launch of the Translational Reserach Facility

The Australian Minister for Health, the Hon Sussan Ley MP, has officially opened the Translational Research Facility at the Monash Health Translation Precinct (MHTP) yesterday (Thursday, March 10). The new $84million Translational Research Facility brings together researchers, clinicians, and patients in an innovative collaboration that allows patient needs to better inform medical research.

Bringing together the expertise of Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Monash University and Monash Health, the MHTP encourages patient-centred research and the sharing of knowledge and learning between researchers.

The five-level building houses extensive medical and scientific research laboratories, cutting-edge technological units and a dedicated clinical trials centre, with eight beds and 21 chairs for the purpose of bringing the latest research directly to patients.

Research at the precinct focuses on six clinical streams: – Cancer – Cardiovascular – Diabetes, Obesity, Men’s Health and Endocrinology – Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases – Neuroscience and Psychiatry – Women’s, Children’s and Reproductive Medicine

Director and CEO of Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Professor Bryan Williams, said the official opening marks the realisation of a vision that began days before Christmas in 2006, when the Federal Government sought a submission for a new, purpose-built research facility.

Professor Williams, together with Head of the Centre for Innate Immunity and Infectious Diseases, Professor Paul Hertzog, and Hudson Institute Senior Fellow, Professor John Funder worked to submit an application for an innovative facility that would tighten research and clinical links.

“Ten years later that vision that we held for the Monash Health Translational Precinct, which Hudson shared with our partners, Monash University and Monash Health is now a reality, thanks to our shared vision, hard work and collaboration,” Professor Williams said.

Professor Williams said the co-location of researchers and clinicians, state-of-the-art technological research platforms, a clinical trials unit and proximity to patients at the facility will help to foster collaboration, innovation and research commercialisation.

“MHTP’s state of the art facilities will see the rapid translation of our laboratory work into better diagnoses, treatments and disease prevention,” Professor Williams said.

“In addition, by co-locating our discovery research with new platform technologies and enabling the rapid translation of our discoveries we become an attractive venue for biopharma and biotechnology industries.”

Head of the Centre for Cancer Research, Associate Professor Ron Firestein, says MHTP changes the landscape of translational research in Australia.

“The access to patients at the TRF means we can more quickly take our research discoveries to patients to better understand, prevent and treat disease,” Associate Professor Firestein said.