Translational Research Institute Australia

It was a meeting of the minds in TRI's auditorium today for the final Town Hall of 2024 where incoming CEO Maher Gandhi and outgoing CEO Scott Bell shared the stage and their views on everything from ice cream flavours to improving diversity in medical research. Associate Professor Helen Benham and Professor Ranjeny Thomas led an illuminating chat between these two acclaimed researchers as they discussed a wide range of topics including gender inequity in leadership, the importance of philanthropic investment in medical research, fostering industry career paths and collaborations, support for early to mid-career researchers and students. Maher takes over as TRI CEO in February 2025 when Scott takes on a new challenge as Chair of Research at Gold Coast Health. And for the record - Scott is a mango fan, while Maher favours rum and raisin.  

TRI-based Dr Arutha Kulasinghe from The University of Queensland #FrazerInstUQ and the Queensland Spatial Biology Centre (QSBC) will speak at the Life Sciences Queensland Ltd (LSQ) networking and AGM breakfast on November 29. Dr Kulasinghe will talk about his pioneering work in spatial analysis of the tumour microenvironment and the profiling of liquid biopsies. He has recently been listed with colleagues Professor John Fraser and Associate Professor Kirsty Short among the 100 leading innovators in The Australian, celebrating the ambition and commitment of the nation’s newest entrepreneurs. https://bit.ly/4fU3Ghl

Congratulations, TRI-based Infensa Bioscience and the team's researchers from The University of Queensland, nominated as a finalist in the Shaping Australia Awards. They are among five finalists in the problem solver category. Conceived by Universities Australia and supported by The Australian, the awards recognise universities’ achievements in solving the nation’s biggest challenges. The Infensa team is using a molecule from a funnel-web spider's venom for a medicine to stop cell death during heart attack and stroke - as well as for use in protecting donor hearts during transplantation. Voting for the awards is open until January 19 at https://lnkd.in/gRUmGXTz and winners will be announced on February 25. Read about the Infensa team's work: https://lnkd.in/gCe9gc6b Watch the video: https://lnkd.in/g47_QqKp Glenn KingNathan PalpantMark Smythe

TRI-based Professor Kiarash Khosrotehrani from The University of Queensland #FrazerInstUQ is at an important milestone in his work to reduce the burden of skin cancers in organ transplant recipients. He is leading SiroSkin, which has passed the half-way point of recruiting the trial's 150 participants from around Australia. Immune suppressive therapies allow many solid organ transplant recipients to live longer and healthier lives, but they also increase the risk of skin cancer. SiroSkin is investigating whether a topical ointment can reduce the number of skin cancers on the face in this population. Read more about SiroSkin: https://lnkd.in/g8vccG3C

TRI is a proud sponsor of Multi-Omics in Brisbane, now just under a month away. The meeting features TRI-based Professor Kenneth O'Byrne from QUT (Queensland University of Technology) and Metro South Health/Queensland Health, as well as Dr Arutha Kulasinghe, Associate Professor Fernando Guimaraes and Meg Donovan, PhD from The University of Queensland. Presentations, workshops and conversations will cover the latest in multi-omics, including spatial biology, digital pathology, artificial intelligence and omics-based deep tissue and liquid biopsy profiling. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gX6xqE4U

TRI would like to wish Prof Paul R Clarke all the very best, as he transitions from his role as Director of The University of Queensland's #FrazerInstUQ to that of Executive Director of the Griffith University Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics. We thank Prof Clarke for his contribution as part of our Shared Leadership Committee, shaping an inclusive, collaborative and translational ecosystem here at TRI. We also acknowledge his important role in leading researchers, mentoring students and building partnerships between scientists, clinicians and industry - ensuring translational research with the potential to have real impact on people's lives. Thank you and all the very best! Pictured: Shared Leadership Committee's Prof Maher Gandhi from Mater Research, TRI CEO Prof Scott Bell, D/Prof Patsy Yates from QUT (Queensland University of Technology), Prof Clarke and Prof John Upham from Metro South Health/Queensland Health.

"It takes a village...." That's why TRI is proactively shaping an ecosystem that supports early-phase start-up biotech companies. Our Executive Director of Translation, Associate Professor Helen Benham, has told a Cytiva-sponsored panel discussion at AusBiotech today that the companies can advance their work through: - use of our laboratories and infrastructure - leveraging our clinical trial facilities - benefiting from our expertise - interaction with TRI-based researchers from The University of Queensland, QUT (Queensland University of Technology), Mater Research and clinician-researchers from Metro South Health/Queensland Health. Industry at TRI includes AdvanCell, EMVision Medical Devices and Infensa Bioscience, Microba Life Sciences, Microbio, Ocugene and Oroborus. Our alumni includes the recently "graduated" Vaxxas. Pictured: Janelle Bryce from Cytiva, Helen Benham, Patrick James from CSIRO and Mark W. Womack from BioCina.

It's time to explore the critical transition from preclinical research to early-phase human trials with TRI Executive Director of Translation, Associate Professor Helen Benham and fellow panel members at AusBiotech. Associate Professor Benham will join the panel discussion from 2.20pm today (Thursday 31 October), sponsored by Cytiva. The discussion will cover overcoming hurdles in scaling for early phase trials; ensuring safety and refining dosages in human trials; and increasing drug production and scaling operations. While at AusBiotech, find out about TRI and our Australian-first advanced biomedical manufacturing facility - at the Queensland Government booth (36-41). See the AusBiotech Program: https://lnkd.in/gWph8vAv

TRI's Melissa Watter, Glenda Colburn and David Crowley have joined a strong Queensland delegation at AusBiotech in Melbourne. We have started Australia’s biggest week in #biotech at the Life Sciences Queensland Ltd (LSQ) VIP breakfast panel, held in partnership with the Queensland Government's Department of State Development and Infrastructure. A wonderful opportunity to discuss the building of partnerships and precincts to grow sustainable biomedical ecosystems - much like what TRI has been involved in shaping at Boggo Road and as part of the Brisbane Knowledge Corridor. We have also visited Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research) as part of a tour of the Parkville precinct. Now, TRI is making its presence felt at the Queensland Government booth (36-41) to talk collaboration, clinical trials and commercialisation. We are also quite happy to mention construction of our translational manufacturing facility, proudly co-funded with the Queensland Government for early-phase start-up biotech companies to establish, test and develop their products in an Australia-first facility. Ryan Parlett Trent Munro Sally Dillon Natalie Davis

"COVID was a wake-up call." TRI is being proactive in building sovereign capability and keeping intellectual property here, with TRI and the Queensland Government proudly funding construction of our translational manufacturing facility. Our joint investment will change the trajectory for early-phase start-up biotech companies, giving them the opportunity to establish, test and develop their products in an Australia-first facility. It's an important part of the ecosystem TRI is shaping, together with Queensland Health, The University of Queensland, Mater Research and QUT (Queensland University of Technology). We will be a large biomedical research institute with manufacturing capability, making a product that can go into clinical trials at our Clinical Research Facility at the Princess Alexandra Hospital. It truly gives us a "bench to bedside" approach to translational research. Find out more at AusBiotech in Melbourne, starting today. We will be at the Queensland Government booth (36-41). Built.