Inspiring Health
Transforming Care

Celebrating 2012-2022

10 Years of Applied Medical Research

On 23 October 2012, the Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research was officially launched and opened by the then Prime Minister Julia Gillard, introducing our world-class, state-of-the-art, brand new research building to strategically support the South Western Sydney Local Health District (SWSLHD) and community.

We celebrate this milestone of 10 years of applied medical research and the significant positive impacts our research is having on our local and global communities.

 


Above: Official opening of Ingham Institute by the then Prime Minister of Australia, the Hon Julia Gillard MP with John Ingham representing the Ingham family, and Terry Goldacre, Ingham Institute Chair.

This significant milestone enacted and found a permanent home for the vision of Bob Ingham AO and Jack Ingham AO, who in 1996 committed to establishing and supporting a research institute that would deliver significant benefits to their hometown of South Western Sydney. The Institute became an independent legal entity in 2008 and appointed its first Board. Four years later it moved into the current Liverpool premises – the milestone we celebrate today.Imagination is life to innovation. It fuels determination. It invites bold decisions and risk taking. Bob and Jack imagined and they acted with generous philanthropy as founding benefactors of the Ingham Institute.

Ten years on from our research building’s opening, we pause to celebrate their spirit and acknowledge the remarkable achievements and contribution of our researchers, whose work is making positive impacts locally, nationally and globally.

Some of our achievements and impacts

The Ingham Institute is dedicated to applying our medical research at a local, national and global level, ensuring it can have the greatest impact on the most people. Here are some of our most distinguished research advances implemented on a national or international scale.

  • Child health and wellbeing research including early life determinants and the Best-START program which captures health prognostic variables before a child commences school.
  • Mental health research specifically paediatrics.
  • Diabetes and obesity research which is acknowledged for its impact on global health.
  • Stroke medicine where we are recognised as national and global leaders, including interventional technology.
  • Obstetrics research where we have a significant and growing centre leading early pregnancy screening to identify early signs of foetal distress and maternal abnormality.
  • Women’s health research which is making global impacts in the prevention and management of eclampsia.
  • Cancer research including the Circulating Tumour Cells research positioning the Ingham at the forefront of diagnostic and therapeutic advances in cancer; surgical and adjuvant treatment of bowel cancer; cutting edge immunotherapy treatment; internationally recognised research in pancreatic cancer and colorectal cancer; basic science research of targeted radiotherapy using real time magnetic resonance imaging.
  • Inflammatory bowel and Crohn’s disease research for enhanced management of patients at home to reduce hospital presentation and re-admission, while improving the patient health and treatment experience.
  • Brain injuries and ageing research for assistive technologies to manage patients with muscular and cognitive disabilities.
  • Orthopaedic research where our evidence based research has challenged the need and efficacy of orthopaedic surgery.
  • Tuberculosis (TB) research contribution creating significant impacts on the prevention and treatment of TB in Asia Pacific, bring the community to the cusp of eliminating TB.
  • Nursing and allied health research that is multidisciplinary and acknowledged as one of the best in Australia.
  • Correlative microscopy research leaders with significant impacts.
  • Medical Emergency Team calls which have saved and continue to save countless lives, globally.
  • Peer Reviewed Publications 1800+.
  • NHMRC funding growth 208% (since 2017).

And one of our most recent achievements:

  • Robotics and health technology research with our multidisciplinary, rapidly growing research centre which is leading remote robotic interventional diagnostics and therapeutics. South Western Sydney is is one of a few health districts in the world to have both a cardiac and stroke robot; and Liverpool Hospital is one of three NSW public hospitals to have the very latest surgical robot.

Clinical trials are fundamental to research. The Institute and SWSLHD have invested significantly in establishing and developing a state-of-the-art clinical trials centre which has become a model for the State. Complemented by a Phase 1 unit, both medical research and industry led clinical trials have increased significantly. While many other institutes have seen a decrease in clinical trial activities during the last three years since COVID-19, the Ingham Institute continues to grow 30% year-on-year.

Our research excellence and contribution to the community is all thanks to our researchers and Institute team, our research partner SWSLHD and academic partners UNSW Sydney, Western Sydney University, The University of Sydney and University of Wollongong. Our research excellence and impacts are also made possible only by the support of our community, including our founding benefactors Bob and Jack Ingham, Lady (Mary) Fairfax AC OBE, the Perich family and Vitocco family.

The next 10 years

The Ingham Institute is on the cusp of bold, exciting and necessary expansion. We have plans for two additional institutes linked to the SWSLHD clinical service plan: the Ingham Institute Macarthur, co-located with Campbelltown Hospital, and the Ingham Institute Bankstown, co-located with Bankstown Hospital.

We are also expanding our investment in the future generation of clinicians and researchers, with our secondary school program including TAFE and the Western Sydney University campus. This will become a vertically integrated education and research hub which will offer career pathways and jobs for the people of South Western Sydney. It will be a beacon of light for years to come. It was imagined and it will happen.

Finally, while we celebrate this milestone – the 10 year anniversary of our current building – we recognise that impact is not about place, but people and partnerships. It precedes physical premises and extends long after bricks and mortar have given way.

We thank you for joining our journey so far, as we have forged and applied medical research in clinical practice and education. We look forward to sharing the next era of expansion as we embolden our vision to inspire health and transform care in South Western Sydney and beyond.

Prof Les Bokey
Research Director
Ingham Institute