Overview

Established in 1945 by the Queensland Government, The Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR) is one of the largest medical research institutes in the southern hemisphere, and is recognised worldwide for the quality of its research. Originally established to further the study of tropical diseases in North Queensland, QIMR has, over its 60 years' history, broadened its scope to include the immunological, biological and molecular basis of a wide range of infectious diseases, cancers and other disorders. QIMR has also built a strong research stream in epidemiology, the study of the environmental, lifestyle and genetic factors that contribute to disease incidence among populations.

QIMR is housed in two buildings, the Bancroft Centre and the Clive Berghofer Cancer Research Centre, located on the southern border of the Royal Brisbane Hospital complex and adjacent to the Royal Children's Hospital. Currently, QIMR is home to over 700 scientists, students and support staff in four research divisions - which include 44 separate laboratories - an Indigenous Health Program, and a corporate division. Because of its close proximity to major teaching hospitals and the University of Queensland Medical School, the Institute is ideally placed for clinical research collaborations and as a centre for research seminars and symposia.

QIMR has an active program for patenting and commercialisation of technologies developed within the Institute, including those developed in conjunction with academic or commercial collaborators. QIMR also has facilities for the GMP manufacture of cell-based and molecular therapies. Colocated within the Institute is a commercial Phase I/II clinical trials facility, allowing QIMR scientists and external clients the extended and unique capability for taking research findings "from the bench to the bedside".

Research Divisions

Indigenous Health Program
Corporate Division

To find out more about QIMR's research areas, visit the Research Topics pages, or, for information on the work of individual laboratories, go to the Research Divisions and Programs page.