South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute
The South Australian Government commissioned the Review of Health and Medical Research in South Australia, conducted by Professor John Shine and Mr Alan Young AM, which recommended the establishment of a dedicated, flagship research institute for South Australia.
In response to this recommendation, the South Australian Government committed to establish SAHMRI in 2008, and the Federal Government allocated $200 million to build our research facility. In December 2009, SAHMRI was incorporated as the state’s first independent flagship health and medical research institute.
As a new entity, SAHMRI will significantly increase the nation’s capacity for leading scientific research by:
Building a team of more than 600 outstanding researchers, who will work together in the search for better treatments and cures for some of the world’s most challenging diseases
Creating a world-class precinct of medical research and clinical application, with state of the art laboratories and equipment in a purpose-built, iconic, 25,000 square-metre facility, adjacent to the site of the new Royal Adelaide Hospital (new RAH)
Actively fostering and nurturing a new generation of the top research minds, and undertaking extensive and interactive community engagement and education programs.
James Ward, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute; Belinda Hengel, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute, and John Boffa, Curtin University
Young people in remote Aboriginal communities have high rates of STIs for a number of reasons, including inconsistent condom use and poor access to health services.
Benjamin Cowie, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity; James Ward, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute, and Steven Tong, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity
Hepatitis B rates in Indigenous communities are ten times higher than the rest of Australia. Eliminating the infection from Indigenous Australia can make a significant contribution to closing the gap.
The composition of bacteria in our gut regulates our immune system. Modifying it - through poo transplants for example - can control cancer risk, as well as response to treatment.
Jacqueline Gould, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute and Maria Makrides, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute
Fish oil capsules are marketed as prenatal supplements to improve brain development in children. But now top quality evidence suggests they won’t make any difference in women eating a balanced diet.
Enrico Ullman, Technische Universität Dresden and Julio Licinio, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute
The experience and situation of many of the refugees precludes successful treatment of PTSD due to the nature of the disorder and what it requires to ease.
The rate of Australians dying from cancer is on a steady, downhill trajectory, thanks to powerful advances made in prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
James Ward, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute; Donna B Mak, University of Notre Dame Australia; Johanna Dups, Australian National University, and Nathan Ryder, University of Newcastle
The syphilis outbreak in Central Australia is not about child abuse. But it highlights the urgent need for investment in sexual health services for Aboriginal Australians living in remote areas.
For decades, a low fat and sugar free diet were key to controlling type 2 diabetes. Now, new data shows a diet high in protein and healthy fats has better outcomes for the disease.
In 2012, 103,000 people around the world lost their lives to drug poisoning or overdose. As terrible as this waste of life seems, it’s important to remember that drug overdoses are not inevitably fatal…
Deb White, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute and Lisa Schafranek, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute
Can you imagine being so desperate for food that you would eat yourself to survive? Most people can’t but our cells do exactly this. When cells are deprived of energy and nutrients from their external…