WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research)

Myrna Dewar spent over two decades as a nurse, caring for cancer patients. She never expected that, one day, she’d be one of them. In the winter edition of Illuminate, Myrna describes how she came to be a steadfast supporter of medical research, and why she chose to leave a gift to WEHI in her Will. 

Great opportunity to hear from industry experts 👇 WEHI is a proud founding partner of Jumar Bioincubator, with CSL and University of Melbourne. 

Fantastic to be part of this collaborative powerhouse, the largest consortium of its kind in Australia.

It’s NAIDOC Week! We take this opportunity to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and this year's theme ‘Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud’ highlights the strength and enduring spirit of these communities.     At WEHI we’re excited to celebrate NAIDOC Week with activities that bring together staff and students for talks and events that help amplify First Nations voices and celebrate the cultural heritage of the oldest continuing culture in the world.     ➡ Learn more https://www.naidoc.org.au/  ➡ Explore events at University of Melbourne: https://lnkd.in/g5XFXUWA     #NAIDOCWEEK #NAIDOC2024

A groundbreaking blood test for colon cancer treatment is helping us transform the cancer story.    A world first clinical trial reveals that thousands of colon cancer patients could be spared unnecessary chemo each year.     Landmark breakthroughs like these mark paradigm shifts in oncological research. They open doors to improving treatments for other cancers too.    Learn more about WEHI’s excellence in life-changing medical research 👇   #TransformingCancer #CancerResearch #ColonCancer     📸 This image shows a tumour DNA fragment. The test assesses levels of circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) – genetic material shed from tumours into the bloodstream. Image: Dr Drew Berry, wehi.tv

Say hello to our latest cohort of InSPIRE students 👋 The undergraduate students from leading institutions in China, India, Japan, Korea, and Singapore are spending 10 weeks in labs learning from scientists across Melbourne’s Parkville biomedical precinct.  Showcasing the excellence of Australian medical research, the InSPIRE program provides the opportunity to further strengthen collaborative research ties with top institutions across Asia.  A big thank you to our wonderful InSPIRE program supporters including Australian China Education Foundation (ACEF), Bodhi Foundation, China Construction Bank (CCB), The National Foundation for Australia-China Relations (NFACR) 澳中基金会, Skysea, and City of Melbourne. Find out more about the program 👇 Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre Bio21 Institute The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute The Florey

We were delighted to have the opportunity to meet with Paul Fletcher and discuss WEHI's work and the impact of medical research for the Australian community and economy.   L-R: WEHI Deputy Director Professor Alan Cowman, Paul Fletcher, WEHI Director Professor Ken Smith, WEHI Chief Operating Officer Carolyn MacDonald GAICD

As an accomplished scientist in the field of ataxia genetics, bioinformatician Dr Haloom Rafehi received the 2024 Lorne Genome Mid-Career Award earlier this year. Ataxia is a neurological disorder that impairs balance, coordination and speech.  When Dr Rafehi first started in the field of ataxia genetics, it was an understudied research area, and she was able to make new and exciting discoveries quickly. Dr Rafehi continues to enjoy applying novel techniques to try to tease out more complex genetics. Dr Rafehi and her team have significantly improved genetic diagnostic rates for ataxia across Australia, benefiting families with long-standing undiagnosed cases. Interested in learning more about Dr Rafehi and her research? Read more 👇

We’re proud of the work our teams at the Colonial Foundation Healthy Ageing Centre do - and the ongoing projects that contribute to providing better healthcare for our communities. Research like using mass spectrometry technology to quickly determine the presence of medication or drugs in a patient’s blood when they present to hospital. This is important to ensure they are given the correct treatment - and the impact of any previous medication or drugs are mitigated. Read more about how mass spectrometry technology works, and how it’s helping provide more personalised care: https://lnkd.in/gZHGQNjd The Colonial Foundation Healthy Ageing Centre is a collaboration between the The Royal Melbourne Hospital and WEHI, supported by the Colonial Foundation.

Proud to be a part of an international research team creating new guidelines set to change the way we diagnose #type1diabetes. Congratulations to WEHI clinician scientist and The Royal Melbourne Hospital endocrinologist Associate Professor John Wentworth and all the co-authors! 👏 👏