The Westmead Institute for Medical Research

The Westmead Institute for Medical Research Finding cures. Saving lives. Medical Research Institute

WIMR is pleased to announce three new appointments to our Board Committees, strengthening the Institute’s expertise acro...
25/03/2026

WIMR is pleased to announce three new appointments to our Board Committees, strengthening the Institute’s expertise across governance, risk and commercialisation.

We are delighted to welcome Manisha Goyal to the Board Audit and Risk Committee and as inaugural Chair of the WIMR Cybersecurity Governance Board Working Group, and Dr Christian Toouli and Dr Kerstin Schütz to the IP and Commercialisation Committee.

These appointments bring deep experience across legal, governance, enterprise risk, biotechnology, commercialisation and innovation - further strengthening WIMR’s capacity to translate research into real-world impact.

As Board Chair Michael Rose AM said:
“These appointments strengthen WIMR’s governance and our capacity to translate research into real-world impact. The breadth of experience across commercialisation, risk and innovation will support the Institute’s continued growth and its contribution to Western Sydney and beyond.”

Please join us in welcoming Manisha, Christian and Kerstin to WIMR.

Read more on our website: https://wimr.org.au/news/wimr-strengthens-board-committees-with-new-appointments/

This International Women’s Day, we’re proud to celebrate the extraordinary women at Westmead Institute for Medical Resea...
07/03/2026

This International Women’s Day, we’re proud to celebrate the extraordinary women at Westmead Institute for Medical Research who are advancing discovery and improving health outcomes for women everywhere.

From reproductive health and autoimmune disease to cancer, cardiovascular disease and mental health, our researchers are tackling the complex conditions that disproportionately affect women and ensuring women are better represented in medical research.

We’re continually inspired by the brilliant female scientists at Westmead who are leading breakthrough research, mentoring the next generation, and driving real change in how we understand and treat disease.

Investing in women in science is not only about equity, it leads to better research, better innovation and better health for all.

We are rolling out the welcome mat at WIMR! Today we are celebrating Snow Medical’s support for a seven‑year, $15.5m n...
04/03/2026

We are rolling out the welcome mat at WIMR!

Today we are celebrating Snow Medical’s support for a seven‑year, $15.5m national program tackling fatty liver disease (MAFLD).

From our home base at the Storr Liver Centre (WIMR), we’ll unite teams across Australia to speed up earlier diagnosis, effective treatments and prevention linking discovery science with real‑world care.

Big thanks to Snow Medical Research Foundation and to our brilliant partners Centenary Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead Hospital, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, The University of Queensland, Monash University and more.

Equity matters: the program is embedding senior female leadership, mentoring for early- and mid-career female researchers, and female co‑leads across major program aims.

If you’re at the launch, tag us in your photos!



We are proud to launch the Snow Program for Liver Health. This is Australia’s largest philanthropic investment in liver...
04/03/2026

We are proud to launch the Snow Program for Liver Health.

This is Australia’s largest philanthropic investment in liver research, made possible by a $15.5m commitment from Snow Medical

Over seven years, this national research program will be headquartered at our Storr Liver Centre in The Westmead Institute for Medical Research and focused on fatty liver disease (MAFLD),
which affects up to one in three Australian adults and can progress to cirrhosis, liver failure and even liver cancer. This program brings together leading teams from across Australia including Centenary Institute, The University of Sydney, Charles Perkins Centre, Westmead Hospital, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, St Vincents Hospital, The University of Queensland, Monash University and additional partners nationwide.

Our goals:
• Earlier detection
• Improved non‑invasive diagnostics
• Better treatments and prevention turning discovery into meaningful patient impact

A major component of the program is embedding senior female leadership, structured mentoring for early- and mid-career female researchers, and female co‑leads across major research aims building long‑term balance in biomedical leadership.

Thank you, Snow Medical, for backing ambitious, collaborative science that will make a real difference for patients and families.

Learn more: wimr.org.au/snow-program-for-liver-health



As we mark Shingles Action Week 2026, WIMR is proud to highlight the important contribution of our world leading infecti...
26/02/2026

As we mark Shingles Action Week 2026, WIMR is proud to highlight the important contribution of our world leading infectious diseases and vaccine researcher, Professor Tony Cunningham. With decades of pioneering work in viral immunology, Tony continues to play a key role in helping Australians understand the real and rising impact of shingles, particularly for older adults and those with weakened immune systems. His evidence-based insights are helping cut through confusion and ensure the community has access to clear, trustworthy information about prevention, symptoms and treatment.

Shingles is far more common than most people realise, and Tony’s leadership in public education is critical to improving early diagnosis and encouraging informed and preventative health actions. At WIMR, we focus on tackling real-world health challenges through research that leads to tangible clinical outcomes and improvements for patients. We are proud of Tony’s continued contribution to the national conversation and the difference his research program makes to the growing challenge presented by Shingles.

We’re incredibly grateful for the remarkable support provided by the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation, and their partn...
19/02/2026

We’re incredibly grateful for the remarkable support provided by the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation, and their partners in the Global Ovarian Cancer Research Consortium, Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance (United States), Ovarian Cancer Canada, and Ovarian Cancer Action (United Kingdom) through their AI Accelerator Grant.

This investment is a powerful boost for our Australian team at the Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute and UNSW and an exciting moment for ovarian cancer research globally. With access to advanced AI capability and one of the world’s most comprehensive ovarian cancer datasets, this grant enables researchers to uncover new insights that could transform how we predict treatment response, personalise care, and ultimately improve survival outcomes for women everywhere.

This work has never been more important. Ovarian cancer remains one of the most lethal gynaecological cancers with around 2,000 Australians diagnosed each year, and nearly 1,000 lives lost annually, with a five‑year survival rate of just 49%. Symptoms are often vague, leading many to be diagnosed late. The urgent need for innovation is clear, and this grant represents a major step forward. We’re proud to be part of a global effort working toward better tools, better treatments, and better futures for everyone impacted by ovarian cancer.

Multiple research groups from The Westmead Institute for Medical Research (WIMR) have received highly competitive Ideas ...
23/12/2025

Multiple research groups from The Westmead Institute for Medical Research (WIMR) have received highly competitive Ideas Grant funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), reinforcing WIMR’s strong and sustained performance in national funding schemes.

This latest success follows a standout performance for WIMR in the previous round and reflects continued recognition of the relevance, innovation and translational focus of research being undertaken across the Westmead Health Precinct.

NHMRC Ideas Grants support innovative research across all career stages, from discovery through to implementation, addressing specific questions with the potential to improve human health. Successes this year again underscore the Institute’s capacity to deliver impactful, collaborative research in partnership with hospital and university partners at Westmead and other national and international collaborators.

WIMR Executive Director, Professor Philip O'Connell congratulated the successful investigators and noted that the results reflect both excellence and consistency. “This outcome reflects sustained national recognition of the quality, innovation and translational strength of research at WIMR and across the Westmead Health Precinct.

Ideas Grants are highly competitive and specifically designed to support creative, high-impact research that can move from discovery through to real-world application. These projects exemplify that intent."

Congratulations to the following WIMR investigators, and their teams, who received NHMRC Ideas Grants as lead investigators:

Professor Eddy Kizana
Associate Professor Aaron Schindeler
Dr Kamal Muhammad Kamruzzaman, PhD, FASM

And to the following two researchers who have received funding as co-investigators in projects led by partner institutes:
Dr Kerrie Sandgren
Professor David Gottlieb

Read more here: https://lnkd.in/guF5Svc7

Congratulations to WIMR researcher Dr Artur Shvetcov, who has been awarded the 2025 John and Anne Leece Family Prize, pr...
18/12/2025

Congratulations to WIMR researcher Dr Artur Shvetcov, who has been awarded the 2025 John and Anne Leece Family Prize, presented by WIMR and .

Dr Shvetcov is a Senior Bioinformatician and Head of the Bioinformatics Program in WIMR’s Neurodegeneration and Disease Modelling Lab. His research uses machine learning and large-scale clinical and proteomic datasets to uncover the biological mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases, identify early biomarkers, and help guide the development of new precision medicine therapies.

The Leece Family Prize will support a new project focused on developing interpretable diagnostic and prognostic tools for people carrying APOE ε4, the strongest known genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. This work aims to enable earlier diagnosis, more accurate risk prediction and safer, targeted treatment strategies for conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and related disorders.

WIMR thanks John and Anne Leece for their inspiring commitment to supporting early-career researchers and PhD students, and congratulates Dr Shvetcov on this outstanding achievement.

Read the full story here: https://wimr.org.au/news/announcing-the-winner-of-the-2025-john-and-anne-leece-family-prize/

10/11/2025

Discovery Magazine Issue 11 is OUT NOW!

This issue explores:
• Research breakthroughs in Alzheimer’s, autoimmune disease, and heart regeneration
• How adjuvants are being used to improve vaccine effectiveness
• The science of circadian rhythms and breast cancer recovery
• Highlights from community-led events and inspiring donor stories

Read the latest issue:https://wimr.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/J088228_WESINT_Discovery-Magazine-Issue-11-12pp-webLR5.pdf

WIMR Supports the Full Release of the MRFFThe Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) was created to support life-saving med...
03/11/2025

WIMR Supports the Full Release of the MRFF

The Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) was created to support life-saving medical research—from cancer breakthroughs to advances in mental health care.

Today, only half of its potential funding is being released. This limits programs, slows discoveries, and leads researchers to leave.

Australian researchers are among the most productive and cost-efficient in the world, yet their ability to improve health outcomes is held back by funds that already exist.

WIMR supports AAMRI’s call to release the full MRFF and ensure Australia’s research sector can continue to thrive and deliver discoveries that save lives.

Learn more: www.aamri.org.au/mrff

WIMR supports the Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes (AAMRI) campaign to release the full Medical Res...
30/10/2025

WIMR supports the Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes (AAMRI) campaign to release the full Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF).

The MRFF was established to provide $1 billion annually to support Australian medical research. Currently, only $650 million is being released, limiting programs, prompting researchers to leave, and slowing critical discoveries.

Australian researchers are among the most productive and cost-efficient globally, yet their ability to advance health outcomes is constrained by funding that already exists.
We call for the full MRFF to be released to secure the future of Australian medical research.

Learn more: www.aamri.org.au/mrff

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