2023 was an outstanding year for Mater Research with $13.7 million in grant funding received and 424 publications recorded. Our achievements were only made possible thanks to our team of dedicated researchers and professional staff who constantly strive for excellence to improve medical research and healthcare for all.
View the full Mater Research 2023 Annual Report or enjoy a snapshot of highlights below from the year that was 2023.
The significant and lifetime achievements of our researchers were acknowledged throughout the year, with Professor David Hume being appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in recognition of his distinguished service to biological science and tertiary education. Emeritus Professor David McIntyre was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Australian Diabetes Society recognising the outstanding lasting impact his work has had on diabetes, and Professor Lewis Perrin received the Jeannie Ferris Cancer Australia Award for his outstanding contribution to improving care for women with gynaecological cancers.
Turn to page 8 to learn more about Our Year at a Glance.
Our flagship events—the Future Leaders Symposium and the Mater Research Showcase—recognised the achievements of our researchers. The Future Leaders Symposium provided an excellent opportunity to celebrate our Higher Degree Research (HDR) students and Early-Mid Career Researchers (EMCRs), while the Mater Research Showcase saw more than 190 researchers and the broader Mater community came together to reflect on the collective accomplishments from the year. A highlight for many at the Mater Research Showcase was hearing an inspiring keynote address by Laureate Professor Emeritus Peter Doherty, who regaled the audience with insightful stories from his life, starting with his childhood in Brisbane and throughout his long and illustrious career in medical research. Professor Janet Hardy, an internationally acclaimed clinical researcher in palliative care who has led the Mater Research Cancer program since 2015, was honoured with a Mater Research Special Award for her outstanding achievements and contributions.
Turn to page 26 to learn more about the Future Leaders Symposium and page 30 to learn more about the Mater Research Showcase, including awards presented at the event.
Mater Clinical Trials, under the leadership of Ms Alicia Rooney—winner of Mater Early Career Excellence at the 2023 Mater People Awards—recorded 138 new clinical studies, including 68 clinical trials, 37 cohort studies and 33 clinical studies. A new National Clinical Trials Governance Framework was implemented in 2023 to embed clinical trial delivery into clinical care and report back to consumers, workforce and governance structure. Mater Clinical Trials is collaborating with Mater Health to implement the Framework and significant activities will be undertaken in 2024.
Turn to page 32 to learn more about Mater Clinical Trials.
Mater Research extends congratulations to all our Internal and External Award and Grant winners from 2023.
Turn to page 58 to learn more about Internal and External Grants and Awards.
A significant milestone also included a new Mater and The University of Queensland (UQ) alliance agreement, with a review underway in 2024. This partnership honours the close, long-standing, historical connection between Mater and UQ that has existed for over 75 years. This important partnership makes an enormous contribution to the health, education and welfare of the people of Brisbane and Queensland and we look forward to many more years working together.
At Mater Research, we are privileged to have so many inspired researchers and dedicated professional staff working together to realise our vision to translate research discoveries and integrate them into improved healthcare outcomes. 2024 is a significant year at Mater Research as we celebrate our 25th anniversary and we look forward to recognising this milestone with our medical and scientific community.
Read the 2023 Mater Research Annual report here.