In 1982, the John P Kelly Research Foundation was established to encourage research within Mater.
In July 1998, following years of planning to establish a first class research facility on the Mater campus, a world-wide search was launched for a leading scientist to direct Mater Medical Research Institute, culminating in the appointment of its first director, Professor Derek Hart. His focus was on dendritic cells—specialised white blood cells that play a critical role in initiating immune response. Effective cancer immunotherapy through manipulation of stem cells became a central goal for Mater Medical Research Institute.
On 4 March 1999, Mater Medical Research Institute was officially opened by the Governor-General of Australia, His Excellency Sir William Deane and blessed by the Archbishop of Brisbane, The Most Reverend John Bathersby, DD.
The Whitty Building at South Brisbane also welcomed the Queensland Diabetes Centre at Mater, in September 1998, which was officially opened by President of Ireland Mary McAleese.
Mater expands beyond 'Mater Hill'
During the 1990s, Queensland Health adopted the concept of collocating private hospitals with public healthcare facilities on government sites. This policy offered Mater an opportunity to establish a hospital away from the South Brisbane site. During 1999, construction began on the seventh hospital in Mater's family—Mater Private Hospital Redland.
Twelve months later, in 2000, Mater Private Hospital Redland was blessed by the Most Reverend John Bathersby, DD, Archbishop of Brisbane and officially opened by His Excellency Major-General Peter Arnison, AC, Governor of Queensland. The 60-bed private hospital provides medical, surgical and obstetric services to the ever growing population of Redland Bay.