QIMR Berghofer

QIMR Berghofer Translational medical research institute making an impact in , and , and , and .

QIMR Berghofer is a leading translational research institute with an 80 year history in , Australia. Established in 1945 to research tropical and infectious diseases found in northern Australia, our scientists are now making an impact in , and , and , and . QIMR Berghofer is home to a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) facility, Q-Gen Cell Therapeutics, and a mosquito research laboratory which is the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere. Each year we welcome thousands of high school students to the Institute to participate in our education programs. We also host tours for small groups and offer a range of events and community engagement opportunities throughout the year. Join our community on social media to keep in touch and visit our website to connect with the latest health and medical research: www.qimrb.edu.au.

Imagine being nine years old and already aware of a looming sadness, a darkness that wraps around you without reason.Tha...
16/12/2025

Imagine being nine years old and already aware of a looming sadness, a darkness that wraps around you without reason.

That was Beau’s reality.

Despite therapy and medication, his depression worsened. He was running out of options.

Then, thanks to medical research, Beau received a new treatment called personalised Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (pTMS) that changed his life.

Your gift today could help more people access breakthroughs like this.

Give hope this Christmas: https://donate.qimrb.edu.au/sm-1

Charting the future of research 🔬Members of the Cancer Research Program at QIMR Berghofer gathered recently for its An...
12/12/2025

Charting the future of research 🔬

Members of the Cancer Research Program at QIMR Berghofer gathered recently for its Annual Scientific Retreat held at Brisbane Powerhouse, an inspiring forum for researchers to present their work, explore opportunities and strengthen collaboration across the Program.

Program Director Professor Juliet French highlighted key challenges and opportunities for 2026, and discussed the strategy informing the year to come.

The day ended with a chance to network and celebrate the collective successes of our cancer research community.

Our researchers are working hard to pioneer novel strategies and treatments across a broad range of cancers to help save lives and improve the quality of treatment. Learn more about cancer research at QIMR Berghofer: https://www.qimrb.edu.au/our-research/cancer

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas at QIMR Berghofer! Our lobby tree is shining brighter this year with message...
10/12/2025

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas at QIMR Berghofer!

Our lobby tree is shining brighter this year with messages from our generous donors and supporters 🎄✨

A tremendous congratulations to our researchers who have been awarded QIMR Berghofer Small Funding Grants in this round....
10/12/2025

A tremendous congratulations to our researchers who have been awarded QIMR Berghofer Small Funding Grants in this round.

These competitive grants support access to equipment, services, technology platforms and datasets to further research into some of the most complex challenges in medical science, including:
✨ developing new vaccines for neglected tropical diseases
✨ uncovering genetic pathways that link psychiatric symptoms and Alzheimer’s Disease
✨ improving understanding and diagnostics for ulcerative colitis and graft-versus-host disease
✨ advancing our knowledge of mosquito-borne diseases, scabies, ovarian cancer, and more.

Scroll through to learn more about research supported in this round 👉

Congratulations to Dr Jodi Thomas from QIMR Berghofer’s Genetic Epidemiology Lab for receiving a 2025 Healthy Environmen...
07/12/2025

Congratulations to Dr Jodi Thomas from QIMR Berghofer’s Genetic Epidemiology Lab for receiving a 2025 Healthy Environments and Lives (HEAL) Network Innovation Fund grant as one of only 11 recipients. This support will advance Dr Thomas’ research using blood-based biomarkers to assess the brain health of volunteer firefighters who have been exposed to bushfire smoke.

We also congratulate Cellular and Molecular Neurodegeneration Lab PhD student, Emily Vivian, who received the Best e-Poster Award at the HEAL 2025 Annual Conference. Her work, titled Impacts of Bushfire Smoke on the Human Brain: A Study on Vulnerable Populations in Australia, provides important insights into how bushfire smoke exposure affects neurological health.

Well done, Jodi and Emily!

The Healthy Environments and Lives Network brings together research, knowledge exchange, and translation into policy and practice to improve human and environmental health.

Thanks for Giving 🫶Last week, over 100 supporters from across our community visited QIMR Berghofer for the annual 'Than...
05/12/2025

Thanks for Giving 🫶

Last week, over 100 supporters from across our community visited QIMR Berghofer for the annual 'Thanks for Giving' morning tea and evening receptions - a celebration of your generosity and impact.

We are so inspired by our donors. Many of you donate each year, run marathons in honour of loved ones, organise community fundraisers, contribute through workplace giving, or choose to leave legacies that will change lives for generations. Your commitment strengthens medical research and every gift truly makes a difference.

Guests heard from our Director and CEO, Professor Fabienne Mackay, and COO, Dr Stephen Weller, along with several scientists whose work is made possible through your philanthropic support. This year alone, donor generosity has advanced research into cancer, dementia, mental health, infectious diseases and more.

Many of you also placed plaques on our Wall of Appreciation at the event, marking your commitment and honouring loved ones.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and to all who support medical research at QIMR Berghofer.

Dr Paniz Tavakoli, a researcher in QIMR Berghofer’s Leukaemia Research Group, has been awarded the 2025 Cannon Family Tr...
04/12/2025

Dr Paniz Tavakoli, a researcher in QIMR Berghofer’s Leukaemia Research Group, has been awarded the 2025 Cannon Family Travel Grant by the Snowdome Foundation.

Dr Tavakoli investigates how genomic mutations drive progression and relapse in high-risk acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). With this grant, she will attend the European Hematology Association Congress in Sweden—one of the world’s leading meetings for blood cancer research—to share research, build collaborations and accelerate progress towards therapies for patients with AML.

Congratulations Paniz!

🔬 Learn more about our Research Lab here: https://www.qimrb.edu.au/researchers-and-labs/leukaemia-research

Q-Gen Cell Therapeutics, QIMR Berghofer’s state-of-the-art cell therapy manufacturing facility, is proud to be a core pa...
03/12/2025

Q-Gen Cell Therapeutics, QIMR Berghofer’s state-of-the-art cell therapy manufacturing facility, is proud to be a core partner of the Solutions for Manufacturing Advanced Regenerative Therapies Cooperative Research Centre (SMART CRC).

This national collaboration brings together leading researchers, manufacturers and clinicians to accelerate the development and delivery of regenerative cell therapies in Australia. Through our partnership, Q-Gen is helping shape the future of advanced manufacturing — supporting innovation from discovery to clinical translation, and ultimately improving patient outcomes.

Together with the SMART CRC, we’re building stronger capabilities for the next generation of cell and gene therapies.

Balaji Somasundaram, Suzannah Walden and Tamanna Monem are excited to participate in the SMART CRC NSW Showcase event! We are pleased to share our work, engage with partners, and are proud of be a part of this inspiring event.

Last month, more than 200 guests came together for the Daniela Dwyer Foundation’s (DDF) inaugural Grey Matter Gala. Dan...
02/12/2025

Last month, more than 200 guests came together for the Daniela Dwyer Foundation’s (DDF) inaugural Grey Matter Gala.

Daniela Dwyer Foundation raises funds for research in honour of Daniela who died from brain cancer when she was only 34 years old.

Daniela donated blood samples to Professor Sudha Rao’s QIMR Berghofer Lab after she received the drug candidate, paxalisib, on compassionate grounds. Sadly the treatment was too late for Daniela, but in her honour, DDF supports the research behind a new liquid biopsy platform Professor Rao is developing. This non-invasive test aims to detect circulating cancer cells in the blood, and track immune responses in real time. The goal is for this platform to detect cancer spread early and to monitor the effectiveness of treatment.

At the gala, an incredible $60,033 was raised for Professor Rao’s vital research at QIMR Berghofer. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who made this possible.

Read more about Professor Rao’s research here: https://www.qimrb.edu.au/researchers-and-labs/gene-regulation-and-translational-medicine

A new chapter begins for QIMR Berghofer!The new Queensland Institute of Medical Research Act 2025 is officially in effec...
02/12/2025

A new chapter begins for QIMR Berghofer!

The new Queensland Institute of Medical Research Act 2025 is officially in effect, replacing the original 1945 Act in our 80th anniversary year. From 1 December 2025, this modern legislation strengthens our ability to compete globally, attract funding, and translate discoveries into better health outcomes for decades to come.

🧬👵👴Frailty research making headlines🧬👵👴Associate Professor Michelle Lupton’s latest study, published in Nature Genetics,...
01/12/2025

🧬👵👴Frailty research making headlines🧬👵👴

Associate Professor Michelle Lupton’s latest study, published in Nature Genetics, is sparking conversations worldwide! Her work, as part of an international team, uncovered 400+ genes linked to frailty and age-related decline, many active in brain regions tied to memory, movement and decision-making.

Coverage included:

🧬ABC News Breakfast | Interview – skip to 1hr 40min in | https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/brisbane-breakfast/breakfast/106014572?utm_content=link&…

🧬7News | https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1BYeMY3viF/

🧬ABC Radio Brisbane Breakfast | https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/brisbane-breakfast/breakfast/106014572?utm_content=link&utm_medium=content_shared

Celebrating decades of dedication! At this year’s QIMR Berghofer Scientific Conference, we proudly honoured staff who ha...
01/12/2025

Celebrating decades of dedication! At this year’s QIMR Berghofer Scientific Conference, we proudly honoured staff who have devoted 30–40 years to advancing medical research.

Congratulations to:
👏 Professors Nick Hayward, Georgia Chenevix-Trench, Nick Martin, Adele Green, Greg Anderson, Andreas Suhrbier, David Duffy, Grant Ramm, Rajiv Khanna AO – leaders in cancer, genetics, and immunology
👏 Lea Jackman, Jane Palmer, Simone Cross, Mary Duke, Jacqueline Burrows, Lucy Winkler, Suzanne Cassidy, Macky Edmundson – the backbone of our research teams

Your commitment and passion have shaped QIMR Berghofer’s legacy. Thank you for standing on the shoulders of giants and helping us reach new heights!

Pictured (L to R): Professors Rajiv Khanna AO and Greg Anderson, Macky Edmundson, Professors Grant Ramm, Georgia Chenevix-Trench, Nick Martin, Nick Hayward, and Jane Palmer.

Address

300 Herston Road, Herston
Brisbane, QLD
4006

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

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Our Story

With a history spanning more than 70 years, QIMR Berghofer aims to improve health by developing effective prevention strategies, new diagnostics and better health treatments. QIMR Berghofer was established in 1945 to research tropical and infectious diseases found in northern Australia. Since then we have broadened our focus to cancer, infectious diseases, mental health and chronic disorders. Each year we open our doors to more than 2000 high school students through our extensive school-based education programs. We also host tours for small groups, so if you would like to see our research firsthand, we encourage you to book a tour. QIMR Berghofer is home to a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) facility, Q-Gen Cell Therapeutics, a clinical trials facility, Q-Pharm, and a mosquito research laboratory which is the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere. Our researchers have access to cutting-edge technologies including the ACRF Centre for Comprehensive Biomedical Imaging and the Herston Imaging Research Facility. We have also introduced initiatives to support the commercialisation of our research so it can translated into new medical treatments for the community sooner. QIMR Berghofer has opportunities for Honours, Masters and PhD students. We also welcome visiting scientists from other research institutions. Each year our scientists collaborate with research institutions from across Australia and the world, as well as commercial collaborators. All the latest news, events and research updates are posted on our website or you can get involved by engaging in our conversations here on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn. It is an exciting time to be involved with QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute - the future of health.