Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
Encyclopedia
The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research is Australia's oldest medical research institute.
In 2011, the institute is home to more than 650 researchers who are working to understand, prevent and treat diseases including blood, breast
and ovarian cancers
; inflammatory diseases (autoimmunity
) such as rheumatoid arthritis
, type 1 diabetes
and coeliac disease
; and infectious diseases such as malaria
, HIV
and hepatitis B and C
.
Located in Parkville
, Melbourne
, it is closely associated with The University of Melbourne
and The Royal Melbourne Hospital
. The institute also has a campus at La Trobe University
.
following the death of her husband Walter Russell Hall
. The institute owes its origin to the inspiration of Harry Brookes Allen
, who encouraged the use of a small portion of the charitable trust to found a medical research institute. The vision was for an institute that 'will be the birthplace of discoveries rendering signal service to mankind in the prevention and removal of disease and the mitigation of suffering.’
In April 1915 the new Melbourne Hospital agreed to provide a home for the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Research in Pathology and Medicine, as it was then known. A few weeks later, the new institute's director-designate, Gordon Mathison
, suffered fatal wounds in the ANZAC
Battle of Gallipoli
. The floors set aside for the institute in the grounds of the old Melbourne Hospital were given over to the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories
in 1918 until a new director could be secured at the cessation of hostilities.
Sydney Patterson
was appointed the first director and took up his post in 1919. Patterson resigned and returned to England in 1923. He was followed by Charles Kellaway
for the critical years 1923-44. Kellaway formalised research streams, supported aspiring local researchers, built up public benefactions and secured the first Commonwealth grants for the institute's researches. He also oversaw the plans and construction of the first separate institute building adjacent to the new Royal Melbourne Hospital
, which opened in 1942. Under Kellaway's directorship, the institute came to achieve international recognition as a centre for excellence in medical research by the outbreak of World War II
.
Sir Frank Macfarlane Burnet
was the institute director between 1944 and 1965, and he brought the institute to international prominence for virological research, especially influenza
, and then for immunology. Such was the nature of Burnet’s achievement that he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1960 with Sir Peter Medawar
for the discovery of immunological tolerance.
Sir Gustav Nossal
succeeded Burnet as director in 1965, aged 35. Under his stewardship, the institute grew in size and scope, with its scientists making important discoveries in the control of immune system responses, cell cycle
regulation and malaria
. During this time, the group led by Professor Donald Metcalf
discovered and characterised the colony-stimulating factors (CSFs), which have benefited more than 10 million cancer patients worldwide.
Between 1996 and 2009, it was led by Professor Suzanne Cory
. Since July 2009, Professor Doug Hilton
is the director of WEHI.
The institute is organised into the following 13 divisions:
The institute is one of five research centres to establish the ACRF Centre for Therapeutic Target Discovery - an Australian-first collaborative and comprehensive cancer research centre. The new consortium is funded by a $5 million grant awarded in 2006 by the Australian Cancer Research Foundation
. The award is in honour of Australian businessman Sir Peter Abeles AC
.
degree; medical students can also study for Advanced Medical Science. Undergraduate students can also be part of the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program
(UROP). During the 2005–2006 financial year 17 students obtained a PhD at the WEHI, while 17 obtained a Bachelor of Science (Honours). As of June 2006, the Institute hosts 60 PhD students.
The institute is also part of the Gene Technology Access Centre, located next to the institute building at University High School
, which provides education programs in molecular and cell biology for secondary students in Victoria
.
In 2011, the institute is home to more than 650 researchers who are working to understand, prevent and treat diseases including blood, breast
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
and ovarian cancers
Ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer is a cancerous growth arising from the ovary. Symptoms are frequently very subtle early on and may include: bloating, pelvic pain, difficulty eating and frequent urination, and are easily confused with other illnesses....
; inflammatory diseases (autoimmunity
Autoimmunity
Autoimmunity is the failure of an organism to recognize its own constituent parts as self, which allows an immune response against its own cells and tissues. Any disease that results from such an aberrant immune response is termed an autoimmune disease...
) such as rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disorder that may affect many tissues and organs, but principally attacks synovial joints. The process produces an inflammatory response of the synovium secondary to hyperplasia of synovial cells, excess synovial fluid, and the development...
, type 1 diabetes
Diabetes mellitus type 1
Diabetes mellitus type 1 is a form of diabetes mellitus that results from autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas. The subsequent lack of insulin leads to increased blood and urine glucose...
and coeliac disease
Coeliac disease
Coeliac disease , is an autoimmune disorder of the small intestine that occurs in genetically predisposed people of all ages from middle infancy onward...
; and infectious diseases such as malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
, HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
and hepatitis B and C
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is an infectious disease primarily affecting the liver, caused by the hepatitis C virus . The infection is often asymptomatic, but chronic infection can lead to scarring of the liver and ultimately to cirrhosis, which is generally apparent after many years...
.
Located in Parkville
Parkville, Victoria
Parkville is an inner city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Melbourne. At the 2006 Census, the population was 4,980....
, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, it is closely associated with The University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
and The Royal Melbourne Hospital
Royal Melbourne Hospital
The Royal Melbourne Hospital , located in Parkville, Victoria an inner suburb of Melbourne is one of Australia’s leading public hospitals. It is a major teaching hospital for tertiary health care with a reputation in clinical research...
. The institute also has a campus at La Trobe University
La Trobe University
La Trobe University is a multi-campus university in Victoria, Australia. It was established in 1964 by an Act of Parliament to become the third oldest university in the state of Victoria. The main campus of La Trobe is located in the Melbourne suburb of Bundoora; two other major campuses are...
.
History
The institute was founded in 1915 using funds from a trust established by Eliza HallEliza Hall
Eliza Rowdon Hall was an Australian philanthropist, also known as Eliza Rowdon Kirk.Hall was the wife of Walter Russell Hall. After Walter's death in 1911, Eliza — who was childless — allocated funds from her husband's will to a trust deed...
following the death of her husband Walter Russell Hall
Walter Russell Hall
Walter Russell Hall was an Australian businessman and benefactor.Hall was born in Kington, Herefordshire, England, eldest son of Walter Hall, glover , and his wife Elizabeth Carleton, née Skarratt. He was educated in Kington and Taunton, Somerset...
. The institute owes its origin to the inspiration of Harry Brookes Allen
Harry Brookes Allen
Sir Harry Brookes Allen was a noted Australian pathologist.-Education:Harry Brookes Allen was born at Geelong, Victoria, the son of Thomas Watts Allen. He was educated at Flinders School, Geelong, and in 1869–70 at Melbourne Church of England Grammar School...
, who encouraged the use of a small portion of the charitable trust to found a medical research institute. The vision was for an institute that 'will be the birthplace of discoveries rendering signal service to mankind in the prevention and removal of disease and the mitigation of suffering.’
In April 1915 the new Melbourne Hospital agreed to provide a home for the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Research in Pathology and Medicine, as it was then known. A few weeks later, the new institute's director-designate, Gordon Mathison
Gordon Mathison
Captain Gordon Clunes Mackay Mathison MB BS, MD, DSc, FRCP was a physician and medical researcher...
, suffered fatal wounds in the ANZAC
Australian and New Zealand Army Corps
The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps was a First World War army corps of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force that was formed in Egypt in 1915 and operated during the Battle of Gallipoli. General William Birdwood commanded the corps, which comprised troops from the First Australian Imperial...
Battle of Gallipoli
Battle of Gallipoli
The Gallipoli Campaign, also known as the Dardanelles Campaign or the Battle of Gallipoli, took place at the peninsula of Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire between 25 April 1915 and 9 January 1916, during the First World War...
. The floors set aside for the institute in the grounds of the old Melbourne Hospital were given over to the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories
CSL Limited
CSL Limited is a global specialty biopharmaceutical company that researches, develops, manufactures and markets products to treat and prevent serious human medical conditions...
in 1918 until a new director could be secured at the cessation of hostilities.
Sydney Patterson
Sydney Patterson
Sydney Wentworth Patterson MB BS, MD, DSc, FRCP was a physician, medical researcher and first director of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne, Australia.-Education:...
was appointed the first director and took up his post in 1919. Patterson resigned and returned to England in 1923. He was followed by Charles Kellaway
Charles Kellaway
Charles Halliley Kellaway, MB, BS, MD, MS, MC, FRS, was an Australian medical researcher and science administrator.-Early years and education:...
for the critical years 1923-44. Kellaway formalised research streams, supported aspiring local researchers, built up public benefactions and secured the first Commonwealth grants for the institute's researches. He also oversaw the plans and construction of the first separate institute building adjacent to the new Royal Melbourne Hospital
Royal Melbourne Hospital
The Royal Melbourne Hospital , located in Parkville, Victoria an inner suburb of Melbourne is one of Australia’s leading public hospitals. It is a major teaching hospital for tertiary health care with a reputation in clinical research...
, which opened in 1942. Under Kellaway's directorship, the institute came to achieve international recognition as a centre for excellence in medical research by the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Sir Frank Macfarlane Burnet
Frank Macfarlane Burnet
Sir Frank Macfarlane Burnet, , usually known as Macfarlane or Mac Burnet, was an Australian virologist best known for his contributions to immunology....
was the institute director between 1944 and 1965, and he brought the institute to international prominence for virological research, especially influenza
Influenza
Influenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae , that affects birds and mammals...
, and then for immunology. Such was the nature of Burnet’s achievement that he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1960 with Sir Peter Medawar
Peter Medawar
Sir Peter Brian Medawar OM CBE FRS was a British biologist, whose work on graft rejection and the discovery of acquired immune tolerance was fundamental to the practice of tissue and organ transplants...
for the discovery of immunological tolerance.
Sir Gustav Nossal
Gustav Nossal
Sir Gustav Victor Joseph Nossal, AC, CBE, FRS, FAA is an Australian research biologist.-Life and career:Gustav Nossal's family was from Vienna, Austria. He was born four weeks prematurely in Bad Ischl while his mother was on holiday...
succeeded Burnet as director in 1965, aged 35. Under his stewardship, the institute grew in size and scope, with its scientists making important discoveries in the control of immune system responses, cell cycle
Cell cycle
The cell cycle, or cell-division cycle, is the series of events that takes place in a cell leading to its division and duplication . In cells without a nucleus , the cell cycle occurs via a process termed binary fission...
regulation and malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
. During this time, the group led by Professor Donald Metcalf
Donald Metcalf
Emeritus Professor Donald Metcalf AC FRS FAA is an Australian medical researcher who spent most of his career at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne...
discovered and characterised the colony-stimulating factors (CSFs), which have benefited more than 10 million cancer patients worldwide.
Between 1996 and 2009, it was led by Professor Suzanne Cory
Suzanne Cory
Suzanne Cory, AC, FAA, FRS is an Australian biologist.Cory is the current President of the Australian Academy of Science. She is the first-elected female President of the Academy and took office on 7 May 2010 for a five year term...
. Since July 2009, Professor Doug Hilton
Doug Hilton
Douglas “Doug” James Hilton PhD FAA is an Australian molecular biologist. He is the Director of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne, Australia and Head of the Department of Medical Biology at the University of Melbourne...
is the director of WEHI.
Current research
Currently the work of the Institute is centered on:- cancersCancerCancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
such as leukaemia, lymphomaLymphomaLymphoma is a cancer in the lymphatic cells of the immune system. Typically, lymphomas present as a solid tumor of lymphoid cells. Treatment might involve chemotherapy and in some cases radiotherapy and/or bone marrow transplantation, and can be curable depending on the histology, type, and stage...
, multiple myelomaMultiple myelomaMultiple myeloma , also known as plasma cell myeloma or Kahler's disease , is a cancer of plasma cells, a type of white blood cell normally responsible for the production of antibodies...
, breast cancerBreast cancerBreast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
and ovarian cancerOvarian cancerOvarian cancer is a cancerous growth arising from the ovary. Symptoms are frequently very subtle early on and may include: bloating, pelvic pain, difficulty eating and frequent urination, and are easily confused with other illnesses....
; - inflammatory or autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetesDiabetes mellitus type 1Diabetes mellitus type 1 is a form of diabetes mellitus that results from autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas. The subsequent lack of insulin leads to increased blood and urine glucose...
, coeliac diseaseCoeliac diseaseCoeliac disease , is an autoimmune disorder of the small intestine that occurs in genetically predisposed people of all ages from middle infancy onward...
, multiple sclerosisMultiple sclerosisMultiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...
and rheumatoid arthritisRheumatoid arthritisRheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disorder that may affect many tissues and organs, but principally attacks synovial joints. The process produces an inflammatory response of the synovium secondary to hyperplasia of synovial cells, excess synovial fluid, and the development...
; and - infectious diseases such as malariaMalariaMalaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
, HIVHIVHuman immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
and hepatitis B and CHepatitis CHepatitis C is an infectious disease primarily affecting the liver, caused by the hepatitis C virus . The infection is often asymptomatic, but chronic infection can lead to scarring of the liver and ultimately to cirrhosis, which is generally apparent after many years...
.
The institute is organised into the following 13 divisions:
- Bioinformatics (headed by Professor Terry SpeedTerry SpeedProfessor Terence Paul Speed, or Terry Speed , is an Australian statistician, known for his contributions to the analysis of variance and bioinformatics, and in particular to the analysis of microarrays data....
) - Cancer and Haematology (Professor Nick Nicola)
- Cell Signalling and Cell Death (Professor David Vaux)
- Chemical Biology (Professor David Huang)
- Immunology (Professor Phil Hodgkin)
- Infection and Immunity (Professor Alan Cowman)
- Inflammation (Professor Ian Wicks)
- Molecular Genetics of Cancer (jointly headed by Professors Jerry AdamsJerry AdamsJerry McKee Adams, FAA, FRS is a molecular biologist whose research into the genetics of haemopoietic differentiation and malignancy, led him and his wife, Professor Suzanne Cory, to be the first two scientists to pioneer gene cloning techniques in Australia, and to successfully clone mammalian...
and Andreas Strasser) - Molecular Immunology (Professor Stephen Nutt)
- Molecular Medicine (Professor Doug HiltonDoug HiltonDouglas “Doug” James Hilton PhD FAA is an Australian molecular biologist. He is the Director of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne, Australia and Head of the Department of Medical Biology at the University of Melbourne...
) - Stem Cells and Cancer (jointly headed by Professors Geoff Lindeman and Jane Visvader)
- Structural Biology (Professor Peter Colman)
- Systems Biology and Personalised Medicine (Professor Liam O'Connor).
The institute is one of five research centres to establish the ACRF Centre for Therapeutic Target Discovery - an Australian-first collaborative and comprehensive cancer research centre. The new consortium is funded by a $5 million grant awarded in 2006 by the Australian Cancer Research Foundation
Australian Cancer Research Foundation
The Australian Cancer Research Foundation is an Australian not-for-profit organisation which awards grants to cancer research organisations, specifically for high-end equipment purchases and infrastructure development.-History and structure:...
. The award is in honour of Australian businessman Sir Peter Abeles AC
Peter Abeles
Sir Peter Emil Herbert Abeles, AC was an Australian transportation magnate. A refugee from Hungary, he became one of the most powerful businessmen in Australia, and was knighted in 1972.-Life:...
.
Education
The institute forms the department of Medical Biology at the University of Melbourne; graduate students enrolled at the University who undertake research at the institute can obtain a Bachelor of Science (Honours) or Doctor of PhilosophyDoctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
degree; medical students can also study for Advanced Medical Science. Undergraduate students can also be part of the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program
Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program
The Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program provides funding and/or credit to undergraduate students who volunteer for faculty-mentored research projects pertaining to all academic disciplines at universities such as Boston University, the University of California, Irvine, the Massachusetts...
(UROP). During the 2005–2006 financial year 17 students obtained a PhD at the WEHI, while 17 obtained a Bachelor of Science (Honours). As of June 2006, the Institute hosts 60 PhD students.
The institute is also part of the Gene Technology Access Centre, located next to the institute building at University High School
University High School, Melbourne
The University High School is a public, co-educational high school, located in the Melbourne suburb of Parkville.-History:...
, which provides education programs in molecular and cell biology for secondary students in Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
.