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| Established | 1 November 1945; 80 years ago (1945-11-01) |
|---|---|
| Mission | Medical research |
| Focus | |
| Chair | Arun Sharma |
| Director and CEO | Fabienne Mackay |
| Staff | Approximately 1,000 (2025)[1] |
| Budget |  A$126 million (2024)[2] |
| Formerly called | Queensland Institute of Medical Research |
| Location | Herston Health Precinct, Brisbane, Australia |
| Website | qimrb |
TheQIMR Berghofer, formerly theQueensland Institute of Medical Research, is an Australian medicalresearch institute andstatutory authority located at the Herston Health Precinct inBrisbane,Queensland. The institute was established in 1945 by theQueensland Government, and governed by an independent Council. Originally intended to conduct research intotropical diseases inNorth Queensland, QIMR Berghofer now conducts research into cancers, infectious diseases, mental health, and chronic disorders.[3] In 2021, the institute received theQueensland Greats Award for their contributions to medicine.[4]
QIMR was created by an act of the Queensland state parliament in 1945 from a report by Edward Derrick that recommended a permanent research facility to be set up to investigate diseases endemic to the climate of Queensland. QIMR Berghofer began operations in 1947 with a staff of seven in a disused World War II US Army hut inVictoria Park, Brisbane. This temporary accommodation housed the institute for the next 30 years.
From 1951 to 1965, at a field station inNorth Queensland, QIMR researchers investigated outbreaks ofleptospirosis, scrub typhus,dengue and other tropical fevers. Researchers also studied viruses in Queensland's animals.
In 1960, QIMR scientists isolatedMurray Valley encephalitis virus from mosquitoes, which paved the way for discovery of other arboviruses likeRoss River virus in 1963. During the 1960s, QIMR Berghofer established an oncology section to investigate cancer-causing viruses. One project researched cancer cells taken fromBurkitt's lymphoma patients in Papua New Guinea, and found they were infected withEpstein-Barr virus (EBV). EBV is now known to cause many types of leukaemias and lymphomas. Eight years later, this same virus was found to immortalise white blood cells; a discovery that revolutionised research of these immune cells and their DNA.
In 1977, QIMR received a bequest of one a million dollars whenEttie Gwendoline Greenwood (1906–1977). The money was used to fund cancer research from what was named the Edith and Gordon Greenwood Medical Research Fund.[5] In the same year QIMR relocated to new laboratories in the grounds of theRoyal Brisbane and Women's Hospital atHerston.
In 1988, the Queensland Government amended the QIMR Act to make the institute a statutory authority. The premier at the time,Mike Ahern, secured $30 million to fund a new building for QIMR's increasing staff. The new building was officially opened in 1991, and was named the Bancroft Centre, as a memorial to the family who contributed to QIMR's early history.
In 1997, a donation of $20 million by property developer and philanthropistClive Berghofer was matched by both the federal and state governments, and used to build the QIMR Cancer Research Centre.
In 2002, Q-Pharm Pty Limited became operational at the QIMR Berghofer Cancer Research Centre. Q-Pharm is owned by QIMR Berghofer, and is a Phase I clinical trials facility to test potential new therapeutic products on humans. The same year, a new Indigenous Health Research Program was initiated to focus on improving health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and work in collaboration with Indigenous communities.
In August 2013, QIMR was renamed to QIMR Berghofer after Clive Berghofer donated a further $50.1 million to the institute. The donation is the largest philanthropic gifting in Australian history by any one individual.[6]
The institute's research includes:
The institute is located at the Herston Health Precinct, in the inner suburb ofHerston in Brisbane, Australia. The precinct co-locates QIMR Berghofer, theRoyal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, theSurgical, Treatment and Rehabilitation Service, and theUniversity of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research. TheQueensland University of Technology also maintains a healthcare research presence on the campus, as well as at its nearbyKelvin Grove campus. Various other public health organisations (such as Pathology Queensland and Genetic Health Queensland) and private companies (such asStryker and Nucleus Network) are present on the campus or in the immediate area.[7]
| Order | Incumbent | Start date | End date | Time in office | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ian Murray Mackerras | 2 June 1947 (1947-06-02) | 1961 | 13–14 years | [8] |
| 2 | Edward Derrick | 1961 | 1966 | 13–14 years | [9] |
| 3 | Ralph Doherty | 1966 | 1978 | 11–12 years | |
| 4 | Chev Kidson | 1978 | 1990 | 11–12 years | |
| 5 | Lawrie Powell | 1990 | 2000 | 9–10 years | |
| 6 | Michael F. GoodAO | 2000 | June 2010 (2010-06) | 9–10 years | [10][11] |
| 7 | Frank Gannon | January 2011 (2011-01) | January 2020 | 9 years | [12][13] |
| 8 | Fabienne Mackay | May 2020 (2020-05) | Incumbent | [14] |
In 2010, the Queensland Institute of Medical Research was inducted into theQueensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame.[15]
In 2021, the institute was named as one of theQueensland Greats by theQueensland Government.[4]
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