Victoria has opened what it says is Australia’s first hospital-based biomedical engineering research centre, with the Victorian Government describing the facility as a major investment in accelerating medical discoveries and improving patient outcomes.
Minister for Health Harriet Shing, representing Deputy Premier and Minister for Medical Research Ben Carroll, announced the opening of the Aikenhead Centre for Medical Discovery (ACMD), co-located at St Vincent’s Hospital in Fitzroy.
The $206 million centre received $60 million in funding from the Allan Labor Government, with additional support provided by the Commonwealth Government, St Vincent’s Health Australia, and philanthropic and research partners.
According to the Victorian Government, the ACMD brings together clinicians, scientists and engineers from hospitals, universities, research institutes and healthcare companies to help translate research into clinical applications more quickly.
Research undertaken at the centre is expected to focus on chronic conditions including epilepsy, cancer and osteoarthritis, drawing on technologies such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology and regenerative medicine.
The facility has capacity for up to 900 researchers and includes 3D printing laboratories, a kinetics lab, engineering workshops and robotics designed to support the development and testing of new treatments.
It will also be able to train up to 300 new doctors each year, while a dedicated education centre will support the development of future clinical, nursing, allied health and biomedical professionals.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Medical Research Ben Carroll said the investment reflected the state’s commitment to strengthening Victoria’s research capabilities.
“We’re backing world-class facilities like the Aikenhead Centre for Medical Discovery that generate lifesaving breakthroughs and support thousands of jobs,” Carroll said.
Health Minister Harriet Shing said the centre had the potential to improve outcomes for patients facing complex health challenges.
“The impact of medical research is life-saving and life-changing, and this Centre will fast-track more treatments and bring better outcomes to Victorians living with a range of really complex conditions,” Shing said.
Aikenhead Centre for Medical Discovery Acting Chief Executive Officer Michael Krieg said the co-location of research and clinical expertise would help move innovations into healthcare settings more efficiently.
“This isn’t just a research facility, it’s where the discoveries made in the lab will find their way to the bedside faster, and more reliably, than ever before,” Krieg said.
The ACMD forms part of Melbourne’s biomedical precinct, which the Victorian Government says helps attract international research talent and investment to the state.Â
Since 2014, the government says it has invested more than $1.1 billion in health and medical research to support new treatments, job creation and growth in the sector.
