A N N U A L
R E P O R T
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Contents 10
Our manifesto
Power of the Melbourne Children's Campus
Sarah Murdoch Creating possible “ Families will never have to endure the agonizing wait for diagnosis. Immediate diagnoses giving immediate answers so our teams can get to work helping our most vulnerable children.”
Paul Rayner
4 Message from our Chairman & Director
12 Creating a healthier world
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Creating possible “ Ensuring that there is sufficient paediatric resources in Australia to enable Australian children , regardless of where they live, to receive adequate medical care.”
MCRI Board 2017
8 Our purpose
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From the very start and at the very heart
Innovating on the frontlines of health
We believe that for every question there’s an answer. For every child’s illness there must be a cure. For every obstacle there must be a way around. What inspires us is asking the big questions – Why is it so? Why does it happen? How can we fix it?
18 A once in a generation ‘V’ opportunity
20 A year of celebration and appreciation
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Thank you
Some amazing stories of support
What excites us is tackling the big issues affecting children’s health. Children are at our heart, in our blood, and in our bones. We believe every child deserves a healthy start to life. And a happy and prosperous community needs healthy children. We believe in the power of curiosity, cleverness and cutting-edge research.
26 A lasting legacy for children
27 Dads making a difference
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Turning research findings into actions that can help millions
A brilliant mind
We are excited by discovery and new knowledge to make a difference. The future is purchased by the present, we can shape the future, we can change the world. So every child can have a childhood. So every child can grow to reach their full potential. Children are at the heart of everything we do.
32 MCRI Research Excellence: Outstanding achievements
34 How you can help create possible
36 Year at a glance
42 Our beliefs, Our values Annual Report Murdoch Children’s Research Institute | 3
Message from Our
Chairman
As I reflect on the past year, I can’t help but feel that we are entering a new stage in the Institute’s history – one marked by international leadership, collaboration, bold ambitions and the overwhelming desire to have a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of all children around our globe. The Annual Report is a wonderful time to recognise and honour our past and history, but also to celebrate and dream about our future. A future with enormous and profound possibilities – where together we focus and turn what once may have been impossible, into the possible. I have absolute confidence in our vision under the leadership of our extraordinary Director, Kathryn North AM. I am thrilled to share with you that Kathryn has agreed to lead this great Institute for another five years. Together with the Board, I would like to recognise Kathryn’s enormous contribution to the Institute and look forward to working with her and her wonderful executive team in the years to come. Murdoch Children’s Research Institute's (MCRI) team strive every day to improve the lives of millions of children both in Australia and around the globe. It is with great pride that I work alongside Kathryn, helping to steer MCRI’s team with a commitment to diversity and collaboration, while also engendering a passion for excellence in everything we do. From my perspective one of the highlights over the past year was the launch of Gen V. It is an ambitious, groundbreaking initiative – a partnership between the Institute, the Paul Ramsay Foundation and the Victorian State Government which will help ensure the very best health care outcomes for future generations of Australians. Gen V represents the absolute spirit of collaboration and tireless work to bring together this “Big Idea” that exists at the Institute and on Melbourne Children’s Campus, which you will read more about in the Annual Report. I believe we will be witnessing the positive and far reaching effects and impact of this project for many years to come. The breadth of the Institute was again showcased in 2017. A significant number of our researchers were recognised with prestigious awards and fellowships. Our commitment to commercialisation also saw a number of highly practical tools launched that can be used every day to support individuals caring for children. Whether it’s our groundbreaking research that will lead to millions of young lives being protected around the world through the Rotavirus vaccine, to uncovering an opportunity in our clinical environment that can be turned into a handy diagnostic or information tool, every day the best and brightest minds are focused on ensuring every child can live life to their fullest potential.
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2017 marks a pivotal stage in our history – where the potential for impact is both real and profound on a global level. I would also like to acknowledge and pay tribute to our Melbourne Children’s Campus partners comprising of The University of Melbourne, The Royal Children’s Hospital and The Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation. Our shared sense of unity, absolute alignment of interest and a determination to work together and pioneer new ways of thinking is real, inspiring and has never been seen before in our history. Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank and honour our Board, MCRI team, our most valued donors and friends and our Council of Ambassadors - all of you ensured this year was a remarkable one. Our work simply would not be possible without your generosity, leadership, and counsel. Innovation on the Melbourne Children’s Campus is driven by philanthropy and our past, present and future success is dependent on your ongoing support – a heartfelt thank you. The altruistic nature of our work and the equity and care given to all that enter the doors of the Melbourne Children’s Campus continue, as always, to uplift my spirits and fill me with hope. Hope for a better future and hope to answer the previously unanswerable questions. Together we share a collective responsibility to improve the face of child health around our world. On behalf of the Board, I am proud to share this Annual Report with you – thank you for being part of this journey we are on - it simply would not be possible without your unconditional support and presence.
Suzi Carp Chairman
Our As we now look forward to the future, I am confident that MCRI has the sense of purpose and vision, combined with the brilliance of our team and partners, to continually make a positive difference to transforming the lives of all children.
Director
Looking back on 2017, there were many moments that highlight the power we have as a team to bring about greater change for our children, young people and our communities. Each story in this Annual Report reflects people who have energised us and speaks to the real impact of our research. One moment that had a profound impact on our team was meeting Louis Clarke. Louis was born four years ago with a rare genetic disorder that affects 1 in 10 million children, and doctors did not expect him to live for more than a few years. This was devastating news for his parents, Amy and Martin. Fast forward four years and genomic medicine identified the gene responsible for his condition – and his diagnosis led to a treatment specific to Louis’ condition. I was incredibly moved by the lifting of this ‘death sentence’ for Louis and his parents, and proud of MCRI’s role in leading such a life-changing initiative. There are thousands of children like Louis whose lives have been touched by our research. While you will read more about our research and its impact in the following pages, I have included some key highlights below. · Genomic Medicine is shifting the paradigm from waiting years for a diagnosis to an earlier and more accurate diagnosis with tailored treatment; · Stem Cell Medicine allows us to develop models of disease for diabetes, childhood leukaemia, muscle and kidney disorders and congenital heart disease to develop new and targeted therapies; · We have developed a new Rotavirus vaccine that will protect newborns and significantly improve the lives of over 215,000 children worldwide; · We established one of the world’s largest longitudinal studies of children – GenV – to give every child in Victoria the opportunity for better lifelong health and learning.
We have made extraordinary progress. However, chronic problems continue to affect too many of our children – 1 in 10 develop food allergies; 1 in 5 children in disadvantaged communities experience significant delays in their brain development resulting in lifelong learning disabilities; 1 in 4 children and adolescents are diagnosed with a mental health issue such as depression and anxiety; and 1 in 3 are overweight or obese. These problems are complex – no one approach necessarily works for every individual, nor does one treatment fix the disorder. Tackling these complex disorders requires experts from a range of disciplines, armed with genetic, behavioural, environmental and clinical information to better understand the various factors underpinning the disorder in each individual – we have the required breadth and depth of expertise and we have a wealth of data to find the answers. What is missing is the ability to connect these vast, but currently siloed, datasets. We are therefore embarking on an ambitious “big data” program to connect and harness the wealth of research and clinical information available to open up new paths to diagnosis and treatments. I look forward to sharing more about this new initiative with you over the coming months. What inspires us is asking the big questions. We believe that for every question there’s an answer. MCRI is playing a leading role in shaping Australia’s health and medical research into the future. Thank you to our amazing friends, donors and partners – we couldn’t do any of this without you.
Professor Kathryn North AM Director
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MCRI Board of Directors 2017
Suzi Carp
Hon. Rob Knowles AO
Creating possible “ A future towards precision child health, where no child will be left behind.”
Creating possible ” To ensure children can reach their fullest potential with positive mindsets, unencumbered by mental health challenges.”
Chairman
Kathryn North AM Director
Creating possible “ At MCRI, we always strive to answer the impossible questions in child health.”
Jason Yeap Thank you Jason joined the MCRI Board in February 2011 and resigned in April 2018. We sincerely thank Jason for his seven years of commitment towards improving the lives of children.
Bruce Grey Creating possible ” To get the Rotavirus vaccine on the market early to save over 200,000 children under five, worldwide, dying each year.”
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Simon Rothery
Kate Mohr
Creating possible ” That we continue to undertake the bravest challenges in child health, with strong, secure and sustainable funding in place.”
Creating possible “ Every child would be free from disease and live an active and healthy life.”
Steven Casper
Geoff McColl
Creating possible “ To realise the benefits of Gen V., ensuring each new generation is healthier than the last.”
Thank you Geoff resigned from the Board of MCRI in April 2018 and we sincerely thank him for his commitment to improving the lives of children.
Judy Paterson
Sarah Murdoch
John Stanway
Thank you Judy joined the MCRI Board in December 1995 and resigned in February 2018. We sincerely thank Judy for her 22 years of commitment towards improving the lives of children.
Creating possible “ Families will never have to endure the agonising wait for diagnosis. Immediate diagnoses giving immediate answers so our teams can get to work helping our most vulnerable children.”
Creating possible “ To give all children access to the highest quality care, diagnostics and treatment either within the hospital, or with our partners in the community.”
Patrick Houlihan
Paul Rayner
Creating possible “ To support yet another discovery that transforms child health.”
Creating possible “ Ensuring that there is sufficient paediatric resources in Australia to enable Australian children, regardless of where they live, to receive adequate medical care.”
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Our purpose We want all children to have the opportunity to live a healthy and fulfilled life.
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MCRI News
Power of the Melbourne Children’s Campus The co-location of three premier child health organisations - The Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, The Royal Children’s Hospital, and The University of Melbourne Department of Paediatrics, form the Melbourne Children’s Campus, supported by The Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation. Together with our partners, MCRI is able to create a game-changing environment for our researchers and clinicians to collaborate in real‑time to align research, clinical care and education through shared goals.
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A culture of research excellence The Melbourne Children’s Campus is a purpose-built facility specifically designed to organically foster collaboration in a multidisciplinary environment. This unique model not only enables MCRI to attract the very best scientific talent, it also ensures that the majority of our staff can hold dual appointments in the same location, and in the same team, in real time. This co-location optimises the alignment of a wide range of scientific and clinical disciplines around a shared purpose – for all children to have the opportunity to live a healthy and fulfilled life. For our researchers, the reward is an acceleration of their work through an environment energised by research discovery and translation. Embedded in the heart of the Melbourne Biomedical Precinct, MCRI has become an epicentre for national collaborative networks such as the Australian Genomics Health Alliance and the Paediatric Trials Network, ensuring that Australia is at the forefront of scientific breakthroughs. MCRI leads eight diverse National Centres of Research Excellence, attracting significant government funding to deliver a step-change in our approach to child health today and into the future. We are able to deliver programmes that are having significant impact on improving health equity and accessibility locally and internationally. Today, this has resulted in MCRI being recognised as a global leader in child health, with the quality and impact of our research outcomes being twice that of the world average.
Achieving health equity for women, children & families The World Health Organisation’s Sustainable Development Goals put a spotlight on the importance of tackling the marked disparities in child and maternal health outcomes between, and within, member countries, including Australia. To make a real difference to child health, the Melbourne Children’s Campus places importance on identifying a broad range of ways to improve equity and access in all disadvantaged populations, locally and internationally. This is very much at the heart of the ground breaking work being undertaken across the Campus. In the Australian context, Indigenous communities are equally as vulnerable as those in low- and middle-income countries. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people living in all parts of Australia experience higher rates of preterm birth and low birthweight, and poorer physical health and wellbeing than other Australian children and young people. Over a decade ago, the Intergenerational Health group was established by Professor Stephanie Brown with the vision to improve health, wellbeing and equity for mothers, children and families, particularly those who are socially isolated and/or disadvantaged in the Australian context. In 2017, Professor Brown and the Intergenerational Health group celebrated ten years of partnership with the Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia. Professor Brown and MCRI were also recognised for the impact of their sustained efforts to improve the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal children and families when Stephanie was invited to give the NAIDOC Week Grand Round together with Deanna Stuart-Butler (Manager, Strategic Operations, Aboriginal Health Division), at Adelaide Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
The First Thousand Days
Gene sequencing changes lives
The kids are OK
The earliest stage of human development — the period from conception to the end of a child’s second year — has become known as the first 1,000 days. What is so special about this stage in a child’s life is the astonishing rates of development that occur. Recently, a mounting body of evidence has highlighted the significance of the environments and experiences of the child as they develop. From the moment children are conceived, they are affected in multiple ways including how the foetus uses ‘cues’ provided by their mother’s physical and mental states to ‘predict’ the kind of world they will be born into, and how to adapt accordingly. The Melbourne Children’s Campus is leading a study of the First Thousand Days, overseen by Professor Frank Oberklaid, MCRI Group Leader Policy, Equity and Translation, Foundation Director of the Centre for Community Child Health at The Royal Children’s Hospital and an Honorary Professor of Paediatrics at The University of Melbourne. One of the investigators, Dr Tim Moore highlights that “children need to feel calm, safe and protected. The child’s brain places emphasis on associations with survival, before developing those that are essential to future learning and growth.” This study has attracted partnerships with leading global brands in health such as Bupa Health Foundation, PwC and the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth.
An estimated 125,000 Australian children live with an undiagnosed genetic condition. Most of these undiagnosed inherited conditions are chronic, severe and sometimes life threatening — and account for around 50% of paediatric hospital admissions. The Victorian Clinical Genetics Service (VCGS), together with MCRI researchers, are tasked with the challenge of unlocking the over 5,000 rare conditions in order to provide families with answers and improve outcomes for those living with a rare genetic disease. MCRI and VCGS, together with the Melbourne Genomics Health Alliance, began using genomic sequencing to find answers in undiagnosed children in 2014. An Australian-first study led by clinical geneticist Associate Professor Sue White (MCRI), showed that by using cutting-edge technology to spell out all 20,000 genes that each person has, diagnoses can be found in more than half of all children with undiagnosed syndromes. The study resulted in five times more diagnoses at half the cost per diagnosis. This study also showed that when doctors know a child’s specific diagnosis, they can do a better job of preventing complications keeping the children well. More than a quarter of the diagnosed children had a change to their medical care because their condition was more precisely understood. What is clear is that the earlier the test can be offered, the more children will be diagnosed, sparing them lots of painful investigations and sparing their parents years of not knowing. Since the launch of the VCGS clinical genomic sequencing service in March 2016, more than 1,400 patient reports have been issued, with definitive diagnoses reached in almost 500 of these. The expert team continues to work together to provide a comprehensive service to patients and families with more diagnoses expected every week. Olivia (featured above) was finally diagnosed with Kleefstra Syndrome – a genetic disease which affects one in a million children. An accurate answer has given Olivia a better quality of life and her parents were able to grow their family. “It was like finding a stray apostrophe in a dictionary and it changed our world,” says Kate McMahon (Olivia’s mum).
2017 marked the year that Australians voted on marriage equality. It was an emotionally charged debate which included many misleading and confusing messages. None more so than the suggestion that children and adolescents with same-sex parents were at risk of poorer health and wellbeing than other children. MCRI researchers Professor Frank Oberklaid, Dr Sarah Stephenson, Mr Ken Knight and Dr Sue West determined we had a responsibility to address this issue and put the record straight. The team evaluated 30 years of peer-reviewed research on same-sex parenting. Their conclusions found kids raised in same-sex parented families do just as well emotionally, socially and educationally as children raised by heterosexual couples. Their research was published in the Medical Journal of Australia, titled "The kids are OK: it is discrimination not same-sex parents that harms children." This work helped inform a very divisive public debate in a meaningful and rational, evidence‑based way. Professor Oberklaid highlighted that young LGBTIQ+ people are much more likely to experience poor mental health, self-harm and suicide than other young people. Sadly, this is largely attributed to the harassment, stigma and discrimination they experience in our society. Importantly, there is strong international evidence also confirming legalised same-sex marriage has had a positive impact on the mental health and wellbeing of same-sex parented families and LGBTIQ+ young people. MCRI welcomes the positive impact of marriage equality on the health and wellbeing of all children and young people.
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Creating a healthier world
“ ...being uniquely positioned on the doorstep of the Asia Pacific region, where there is a large burden of childhood illness and death, we can extend our expertise and impact beyond our shores to help all children in the world.” Professor Andrew Steer, Infection and Immunity Theme Director
Each year, approximately six million children globally die from preventable causes, with most of these deaths occurring in underprivileged and disadvantaged countries in the Asia Pacific and African regions. As one of the top two most impactful child and adolescent health research institutes in the world, MCRI takes its role in improving the lives of all children and adolescents, no matter where they live, very seriously.
Lessons Learnt Crucial to all of MCRI's Global Health initiatives are strong partnerships that have developed with health professionals and public health researchers in neighbouring countries. Through partnerships – some of which have developed across ten, twenty or forty years - MCRI has learnt the value in providing dedicated paediatricians and researchers from low- and middle-income countries with opportunities that enable them to answer clinical or public health questions raised in their own communities.
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“At MCRI we are achieving some amazing breakthroughs in child and adolescent health research and as Australians, we have a strong belief in helping those who don’t have the same opportunities as ourselves,” explains Professor Andrew Steer, Infection and Immunity Theme Director (bottom right). “So being uniquely positioned on the doorstep of the Asia Pacific region, where there is a large burden of childhood illness and death, we can extend our expertise and impact beyond our shores to help all children in the world.” In aiming to reduce health inequity and improve the health of children and adolescents globally, MCRI has a particular focus on using public health interventions to combat infectious diseases and prevent childhood morbidity and mortality. Such initiatives include the development of a lowcost human neonatal Rotavirus vaccine, designed to reduce the 215,000 deaths annually from Rotavirus gastroenteritis in low-and middle-income countries, as well as the development of new vaccines, treatments and programs for diseases such as tuberculosis, rheumatic heart disease and pneumonia. Renowned researcher, Professor Kim Mullholand (top right), has extensive experience in research leading to the introduction of new vaccines like pneumococcal disease in the developing countries. Kim’s significant body of work was recognised in 2017 when he was awarded Research Australia’s highest honour, the Peter Wills Medal. “I’ve always been interested in things and places that are different, as well as people that are different and I think from an early age I’d always wanted to travel,” explains Kim. “And today, the one thing that keeps me going, and that keeps me coming back to work is not the prizes, papers and awards, but the opportunity to change public health policy on a global scale, which can have such a significant impact on children’s health.”
Dr Joshua Osowicki is a PhD student within MCRI’s Group A Streptococcus research group has also won many awards including the Gustav Nossal Award in 2017 but it is the nature of the work itself that motivates him everyday. “There are relatively few areas of clinical medicine or research that focus on both the microscopic aspects of a disease state, all the way through to shaping local and global health policy and every step in between,” explains Josh. An important part of MCRI’s Global Health initiative is to partner with research, public health and education bodies locally in low- and middle-income countries in order to help build capabilities and capacities in the local communities themselves. MCRI’s work is supported by international funding bodies, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Health Organization, GAVI The Vaccine Alliance, and the Asian Development Bank.
Murdoch Children’s Research Institute is a signatory to the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) Code of Conduct. As a signatory, our work is conducted with transparency, accountability and integrity in line with the guidelines and principles of the ACFID Code of Conduct. Further information on the code is available on the ACFID website www.acfid.asn.au
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From the very start and at the very heart One in 12 Australians have a rare genetic condition, many of them children and many undiagnosed. Since 1986, MCRI has positioned itself at the forefront of genetic discovery to improve the lives of children, especially those living with a rare genetic disease. As it is clinically challenging, families often experience a protracted, invasive and expensive process to find answers. The Victorian Clinical Genetics Services (VCGS) was originally established to provide genetic counselling and newborn screening services to help these families. Today VCGS is Victoria’s leading specialist scientific and clinical genetics service, reshaping the landscape for what is possible in genetics. “ Working together in partnership ensures that we deliver the right test, at the right time, for the right patient — this is something we deeply believe in.” Professor Martin Delatycki
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As a wholly owned subsidiary of MCRI, and in the spirit of the Melbourne Children’s Campus, what differentiates VCGS is the co-location of key disciplines in genetic health and care - Clinical Genetics, Genetic Counselling, and Laboratory Scientists. Not only is VCGS immersed in the premier child health research institute in Australia, their notable ingredient of success “put simply, is the true integration of research, clinical services and our clinical laboratories,” says Dr Damien Bruno, Laboratory Director. This approach has attracted Australia’s leading talent providing an extraordinary ensemble of research expertise and clinical interpretation skills, balanced with the care of our counsellors. It is a unique end-to-end approach to genetics. VCGS is now recognised nationally and internationally for its foresight in reproductive genetics, genomics, and biochemical genetics. “We are continually pushing the boundaries to refine and improve our tests in order to make them even better and ultimately translate into the success we have with diagnosis,” explains Dr Sebastian Lunke. It is this commitment to being the very best that saw VCGS winning the ‘Improving Children’s Health’ category in the Victorian Public Healthcare Awards 2017 for their ground-breaking project ‘Pioneering clinical genomics in undiagnosed children’. This project demonstrated the benefits of genomic sequencing in the diagnostic pathway, by providing a diagnosis in more than 50 per cent of patients, four times the rate of standard care. As a team, VCGS is motivated by the challenges faced by those in their care. Unlocking faster and more accurate diagnoses for more children can
demonstrably improve their outcomes. It is goals like these that motivate the team to regularly review their systems and infrastructure. “We look at all our processes, pull them apart and work out how we could put them back together again to achieve a faster result,” explains Dr Lunke. VCGS is also one of Australia’s leaders in reproductive genetics. Pre-conception and prenatal screening services provide parents with the opportunity to learn if their child has a chance of being born with a genetic condition. Such conditions include cystic fibrosis, fragile X syndrome and spinal muscular atrophy, which are some of the most common and serious inherited health conditions. VCGS research has shown 1 in 20 people are carriers of one or more of these conditions and approximately 1 in 1,000 couples may have an affected pregnancy. Underpinning this desire to deliver the highest quality of care is VCGS’ commitment to their status as a not-for-profit service. Associate Professor Sue White emphasises that “the first goal is that every undiagnosed child with a suspected genetic condition has equitable and timely access to genomic testing”. Ultimately it is about ensuring timely diagnosis for all families who need it. It is this unrivalled and genuine approach to care, plus the accessibility of a co-located team, that makes VCGS so special. The passion and compassion they display in supporting their peers, patients and their families is the definition of patient-first care. Professor Martin Delatycki highlights that “working together in partnership ensures that we deliver the right test, at the right time, for the right patient — this is something we deeply believe in”.
2017 Facts Counselling services to 8,500 families Specimens received 168,000 Laboratory staff 112 Clinical staff 30
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Innovating on the frontlines of healthcare More than half of MCRI’s researchers are also practising clinicians, which provides a powerful combination of skill sets that bring the intellectual rigour of a world-class research mindset, to building preventative solutions to problems identified everyday in the hospital.
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“The emergency room or surgery at any children’s hospital is really a minefield of ongoing problems and issues just waiting to be solved,” explains Professor Vicki Anderson, Theme Director, Clinical Sciences, at MCRI. “Basically, if our clinicians see a new technique working positively for a patient in the hospital, they can evaluate it in their daily practice and then implement the new procedure rapidly, based on the immediately available evidence.” An example, is the more than 1,000 children admitted to The Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne each year presenting with symptoms of concussion. When MCRI’s clinician scientists identified that many of these children were brought to the hospital more than 24 hours after receiving a head knock, an idea was born. “Our research shows that parents or trainers don’t always recognise when a concussion has occurred, and will bring a child into the emergency department with symptoms of headache, lethargy or confusion often a day or more following an incident,” says Professor Anderson. “We wanted to find a way to educate parents and trainers to recognise when medical attention is needed after a head knock occurs.” So MCRI, working with technology partner Curve Tomorrow, set about developing a digital app, HeadCheck, that is based on the latest research and clinical guidelines. HeadCheck guides non-medical users through a series of concise questions and observations to quickly identify whether a child’s head injury requires an ambulance, hospital, or a GP visit. At another very precise end of the child health spectrum, is how MCRI is informing life-changing surgery for children with severe epilepsy through sophisticated imaging technology. Removing parts of the brain that contribute to epilepsy in children can have a dramatically positive effect on seizure frequency. But it does come with risks for the affected children, as previously there has been very little research undertaken on the infant or developing brain, and a child’s brain itself can undergo sizable movements at key points during surgery. MCRI researcher Dr Joseph Yang is now using highly sophisticated medical imaging to assist surgeons to navigate their way through a child’s brain to pinpoint exactly the areas to remove and, as importantly, the surrounding areas not to damage.
The two factors that have combined to support surgeons are the expertise in managing highly sophisticated imaging technology, as well as new research into understanding the infant and childhood brain that previously hadn’t existed. “MRI technology is the most sensitive way we know to track neuro development and it is offering us so many insights into how a child’s brain develops which were previously unknown,” explains Dr Marc Seal, Group Leader of Developmental Imaging research. “Previously, people have assumed a child’s brain is a smaller version of an adult's, but that’s definitely not the case, so with the knowledge and understanding we’re creating through imaging, we can inform such critical procedures such as brain surgery to help create a highly successful outcome.” A further example of identifying a problem in the hospital has been the recognition that clinicians had difficulty diagnosing children who were suffering the effects of a stroke. “People don’t tend to associate strokes with children. In fact, they do occur quite frequently, and present to our Emergency Department, and unfortunately they are quite difficult to diagnose,” explains Professor Vicki Anderson. So Dr Mark Mackay, Director of MCRI’s Children’s Stroke Program and Professor Franz Babl, Group Leader of Emergency Research, set about creating an algorithm to identify child stroke to ensure they can firstly be identified, and as importantly, treated immediately. Once completed, this work will change practice for children presenting to the Emergency Department, as well as in ambulance services, even prior to admission.
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A once in a generation ‘V’ opportunity
GenV is a world-first initiative that aims to solve pressing questions for the next generation of Victorians. Transforming the entire State into a dynamic living laboratory, it will help create better lifelong health, development and wellbeing.
Back in December 2012, 70 of the Melbourne Children’s Campus leaders gathered in the crisp mountain air of Lancefield in Victoria’s Macedon Ranges to brainstorm what more could be done, collectively, to change the face of children’s health. By 2013, those thoughts had merged into a single ‘Big Idea’, which has since become Generation Victoria, or GenV. “We’d already experienced the power of bringing all MCRI’s large studies together through our Life Course program,” explains Professor Melissa Wake, Scientific Director of GenV. “But this only goes part of the way. We started to dream of a unique, flexible and dynamic ‘whole of state’ infrastructure that would break down the barriers between different ‘types’ of research, and build on the information that Victoria’s fantastic services already collect. We want to speed up the pace of discovery and translate that into tangible actions that can help children now with better prevention, prediction, treatments and service delivery. By 2035, we want to have solved major issues facing children today.” Will Siero joined MCRI in the field of diabetes and maternal health, but in 2013 was appointed full-time project manager of GenV. “We started with pilot studies to evolve the idea, understand ethical issues around collecting and using children’s information, and see how best to recruit large numbers of parents and children into the program,” says Will. “Interestingly, most parents thought all the information on their child was already being collected and used to help improve the health system - now a long-term goal of GenV.” Still in its early stages, GenV today has several building blocks. ‘Cohort 2020’ has an ambitious plan to approach and enlist every newborn in Victoria over a two-year period from late 2020, and to track their
health and development throughout the lifecourse like never before. The ‘Solutions Hub’ will be the engine of GenV’s impact, creating partnerships with researchers, policy makers, practitioners and the Victorian community, and driving science and solutions for modern childhood problems. Finally, GenV’s ‘Big Data’ and ‘Bio Bank’ are innovating on a large scale – truly taking data and biology to society. “GenV’s size and scale is really its greatest value,” says Professor Sharon Goldfeld, MCRI Group Leader of Policy, Equity and Translation. “For the first time, we’ll be able to include harder-to-reach members of our community such as disadvantaged, remote and indigenous people, ensuring outcomes are equitable and understanding of all.” Now half way through a ten-year implementation strategy, GenV was boosted with a $24.5 million partnership announced with the Paul Ramsay Foundation in late 2017. “We’re partnering with GenV to give future researchers a platform and the infrastructure they need as a basis for their research,” said Simon Freeman, CEO the Paul Ramsay Foundation. “This means studies will be completed faster and at less cost, translating to better preventions and treatments for all Australians.” A further $2million was committed by the Victorian State Government in 2017. Minister for Health, Jill Hennessy, said that GenV fits within their long-term investment in specialist and community health programs. “Victoria is a prime location for the project because of its world-renowned medical research facilities and universities,” said Minister Hennessy. “Our focus is on studies like GenV that emphasise prevention as well as treatment to ensure better outcomes for Victorians.”
Ultrasounds
Newborn Screening
Maternal & Child Health Visits
School Entrant Health Q
Maternal Serum Screening
Infant Hearing Screening
Immunisation Register
Birthing Outcomes System
Consent soon after birth
Kinder Childcare
Australian Early Development Census (AEDC)
Non-invasive Prenatal Screening (NIPT)
Child and Parent DNA
Brain Development
Cord blood bank
GenV’s four key aims 1 Reduce the burden of modern epidemics for children (like obesity, allergies, infections, social exclusion, poor mental health) 2 Turn around the unprecedented rates of adult diseases (like heart disease, diabetes, kidney failure and osteoporosis) 3 Change the landscape of how large-scale research happens 4 Reap the full benefit of Victoria’s existing state-wide health data infrastructure
NAPLAN School Health Checks
Health & Education service encounters: Administrative Data (e.g. VAED, VEMD, Medicare, My Health Record) Clinical & Developmental Repository Geographic Information System (GIS) 18 | Murdoch Children’s Research Institute Annual Report
Existing but joined-up collections
Gen V Specific
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Philanthropy & Engagement Dame Elisabeth Murdoch Mother’s Day Luncheon
A year of celebration and appreciation
Set in a beautiful garden at the home of David and Andrea Fox, the sun shone on guests who gathered to socialise and help raise funds for a vital new piece of cutting-edge equipment, the Dragonfly Microscope. Guests were inspired by Darren Catherall sharing his family’s story of how life-saving MCRI genomic and stem cell research had saved his son, Aiden. Successful fundraising has enabled the purchase of the Dragonfly Microscope which is now heavily utilised supporting the research efforts of a multitude of research groups across the Institute.
MCRI celebrates thirty remarkable years
The Duke of York’s special visit
More than 170 guests gathered for an elegant lunch to mark the 30th Anniversary of MCRI. Guests included past and present Board members, Institute leaders and long standing donors and supporters. We were delighted to have members of the Murdoch family come from across the globe to attend this very special event. It was a marvellous opportunity to celebrate past successes and to articulate the future direction of medical research at MCRI. Mr Rupert Murdoch honoured his late mother’s legacy by describing her lifelong commitment to child health and his view that there is nothing more important than the health and wellbeing of future generations.
MCRI was honoured to host a visit from His Royal Highness, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, during his whirlwind tour of Melbourne in September 2017. The Duke, who expressed his interest in child health research as well as his passion for innovation, heard from our experts about our internationally-recognised work and saw first-hand MCRI’s cutting edge stem cell research including beating heart cells and our revolutionary minikidneys modelled from stem cells.
An evening of celebration
Biennale 2017 The Institute’s third Biennale dinner was held at the stunning Metropolis in Southbank. Professor Kathryn North AM and Steven Casper inspired the room full of guests who collectively donated almost $700,000 to support stem cell research at the Institute. Guests gathered for dinner by candlelight, with entertainment provided by the talented Megan Washington at the piano. Special thanks to the Biennale Committee for their commitment to creating an exceptional dinner; Kate Mohr, Elizabeth Briskin, Vas Katos, Amanda Henderson, Clark Kirby and Dion Appel.
Dame Quentin Bryce, Lady Primrose Potter, Janet Calvert-Jones and Jean Miller were among the esteemed guests in attendance to help launch MCRI Women’s Network at Government House, Victoria. The Governor of Victoria, the Honourable Linda Dessau AC, inspired all who attended as she officially launched the Network, which aims to connect women from business, philanthropy, medicine, research, media and academia through a program of dynamic and inspirational events. Source: Herald Sun
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GenV announced by State Health Minister
Dame Quentin Bryce’s book launch
Australia’s first Bio‑printer
The Honourable Jill Hennessy MP announced a generous commitment of $24.5m from the Paul Ramsay Foundation to support our Generation Victoria (GenV) initiative, the Minister also announced the State Government’s initial $2m contribution towards GenV as part of their long-term investment in specialist and community health programs. GenV aims to invite parents of all babies born over a two year period across the state to participate. Together they will create a holistic picture of the health and wellbeing of Victorian children and uncover the causes of a broad range of conditions.
MCRI was delighted to host the official book launch of ‘Dear Quentin: Letters of a Governor-General’ by Australia’s first female Governor-General, Dame Quentin Bryce. The book is a beautiful collection of the many letters Quentin wrote and received during her term as Australia’s Governor-General. Royalties from the book are donated to MCRI’s life-changing child health research.
MCRI’s world-renowned Stem Cell Medicine research program, led by Professor Melissa Little, has partnered with Organovo to bring their revolutionary 3D bio-printer to MCRI – it is the first in the southern hemisphere. This revolutionary piece of equipment will now enable the team to create even more accurate stem cell models to help diagnose and treat conditions with a more precise and personalised approach. This collaboration was made possible by a generous gift from the Methuselah Foundation.
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Thank you Donors 6A Foundation Mrs & Mr Anna & James a’Beckett Mrs Sue a’Beckett Mr & Mrs Paul & Nina Aberdeen Mr & Mrs Gary & Suzanne Adler Ahepa Ippokratis Inc AKA Promotions Mrs Antoinette Albert Mrs Susan Alberti AC Ms Allison Alcorn Aleksandar Jason Photography Mr Kenneth Allardice & Ms Julie Roy Mr Charles Allen Mr Malcolm Allen & Professor Katie Allen Allergy and Immunology Foundation of Australasia (AIFA) Mr Andrew Alston Ms Laura Anderson Mr Nicholas Andreou Ms Lara Andrews Angior Family Foundation Mr Christopher Archibald & Ms Melissa Goode Asian Development Bank Asian Pacific Building Corporation Pty Ltd Association Française de l’Ataxie de Friedreich Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance Mrs Pauline Atkins Australian & New Zealand Society of Paediatric Dentistry Australian Communities Foundation Australian Government Department of Education and Training Ms Jo Baevski Mr & Mrs James & Josephine Baillieu Mrs & Mr Michelle & Marshall Baillieu Mr & Mrs Sam & Angela Baillieu Mrs Joanna Bainbridge Mr Rowland Ball Ballandry Fund Mr & Mrs Angus & Ariane Barker Mr & Mrs David & Penny Barlow Mr & Mrs Adam & Kim Barnes Mr Paul Barnett Mr & Mrs Stewart & Natalie Baron Mr & Mrs John & Rosemary Barr Mr & Mrs Kelvin & Chloe Barry Mr & Mrs Michael & Melissa Bartlett Mr & Ms Andrew & Natalie Bassat Bayleaf Catering Mrs Gillian Beaurepaire Mr & Mrs Juergen & Melissa Bebber Beck Family Foundation Mr & Mrs Tony & Barbara Bell Mrs Janet Bell Bell Charitable Fund Bellwether Foundation Pty Ltd Bendigo Truss Plant Pty Ltd Bensimon Boutique Mr & Mrs James & Kate Bergmuller Bernard Corser Property Bernard van der Leer Foundation Dr Bligh Berry Mr Marc Besen AC & Mrs Eva Besen AO Big W Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Bio Tools Pty Ltd Mrs Rosemary Bird Mr Chris Blake Mr Daneal Blicblau & Ms Jessica Huberman Ms Natalie Bloom & Mr Brian Hamersfeld Mr & Mrs Brian & Helen Blythe Mr & Mrs James & Miffany Blythe Mr Gerard Bongiorno Mr Brett Bradley Mr & Ms Bruce & Genevieve Brammall Mr Warwick Bray & Ms Lida Rahdon Mr Richard Bright Mr & Ms David & Elizabeth Briskin Mr Andrew Rettig & Mrs Amanda Briskin‑Rettig
Mrs Janet Brodie Mrs Saxon Brooke Mr Paul Brotchie & Ms Susan Sandford Mr & Ms Richard & Alicia Brown Mr & Mrs Nick & Prue Brown Mr & Mrs Stephen & Renate Browning Mr Geoffrey Bruce Ms Georgie Bruce Ms Rose Bryant-Smith The Honourable Dame Quentin Bryce AC CVO & Mr Michael Bryce AM AE Ms Narelle Bulley BUPA Australia Burdekin Readers & Writers Association Mr & Mrs Graham & Robyn Burke Mr Graham Burrows Business Chicks Mr Wayne Calder Mr James Calvert-Jones Mrs Janet Calvert-Jones AO & Mr John Calvert-Jones AM Calvert-Jones Foundation Mr & Mrs John & Alison Cameron Mrs Krystyna Campbell-Pretty Canaccord Genuity Australia Limited Ms Sheryl Carnie Dr & Mrs Brandon & Nicky Carp Mr & Mrs Barry & Suzi Carp Mr Paul Carr Ms Lorraine Cash Mr & Ms Michael & Carol Casper Mr Steven Casper & Ms Ilana Wald CASS Foundation Mr & Mrs George & Freda Castan Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare Cerebral Palsy Alliance Mr Jason Chequer Mr & Mrs Nathan & Camit Cher Cher Family Foundation Ms Jeanette Chester Children’s Cancer Foundation Mr & Mrs Brandon & Davina Chizik Mr Wilson Chong & Ms Winnie Ho Professor Andy Choo Mr & Mrs Andrew & Vanessa Chrapot Christen Consulting Pty Ltd Miss My Chung Ms Elizabeth Clancy Mr Sandy Clark & Ms Marie McDonald CMV Foundation Mrs Pam Coffey Ms Hannah Cohen Mr & Mrs Trevor & Heather Cohen Colgate Alliance for a Cavity Free Future Mr & Mrs John & Christine Collingwood Mrs Helen M Collis Mr & Mrs Neil & Sue Comrie Mr Sean Conlan Ms Amanda Coombs Mr Gus Cooper Mr & Mrs Anthony & Melanie Coops Ms Christine Corbett Ms Kathy Corrone Ms & Mr Emma & James Cotton Mr & Mrs Andrew & Abigail Cox Mr Daniel Crennan Creswick Foundation Mr Glynn Cribb Ms Narelle Curtis & Mr Nicholas Tyshing Dale Brothers Damm Fine Foods Mrs June Danks Mr & Mrs Ian & Min Darling Mr & Mrs James & Anouk Darling Datt Family Foundation Ms Daina Davidson Mr & Mrs Gerry & Jessica Davies Mr Charles Day & Ms Elise Everest DBR Corporation Pty Ltd Dr & Mrs Richard & Sarah de Crespigny Mr & Mrs David & Veronica de la Coeur
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Mr & Mrs Will & Natalie Deague Deague Group Pty Ltd Ms Margaret Dean DEBRA Australia Detroit Power Products DHB Foundation Ms Tanya Diaz Mr Campbell Dobbin Dr Annette Domanti Mrs Jennie Donaldson Mr Denis Dowty Dr Karin Du Plessis Mr & Mrs Anthony & Sophie Duggan Mr & Mrs Julian & Georgia Dunne Ms Jennie Dunstan Ms Denise Egan Egans Plant Hire Mr Mustafa Eideh Ellen Smith Photography Ms Kathryn Ellis Equity Trustees Eureka Benevolent Foundation Mrs Meredith Evans Mr Tim Fairfax AC & Mrs Gina Fairfax Mr & Mrs Joe & Linda Faralla Mrs Deirdre Farfor Ms Judy Feiglin Mrs Joan Fell Mrs Sandra Fidock Fight Cancer Foundation Financial Markets Foundation for Children Ms David Fisher Ms Katie Flockart Fonda Charities Pty Ltd Mr & Mrs Murray & Caroline Forbes FOXTEL Foundation for Prader-Willi Research Mr & Mrs Graeme & Pamela Fraser Fred & Ginger Catering Mr & Mrs Marcus & Sarah Freeman Dr & Mrs John & Diana Frew Mrs Vivienne Fried Mr Robert Frost Mr Ben Fung Mr & Mrs Tony & Helen Gandel Gandel Philanthropy Mr & Mrs Michael & Helen Gannon Ms Sophie Gannon Mrs Kimberley Gardiner Mr & Mrs Ross & Judith Gardner Garnett Passe and Rodney Williams Memorial Foundation Mr & Mrs John & Gaye Gaylard George & Freda Castan Families Charitable Foundation Mr Aidan Geysen Mrs Sonia Gilderdale Mr & Mrs Adrian & Sarah Giles Mr Dale M Gilmore Global Connections Fund Gloss Creative Mr Mark Gluyas Goldman Sachs Gives Goodlife Health Clubs Mrs Louise M Gourlay OAM Mr & Mrs Jamie & Rebecca Gray Mrs Elaine Greenhall Mr & Mrs Bruce & Anne Grey Mr Peter Griffin AM & Mrs Terry Swann Mrs Rosemary A Griffith Ms Neda Haghighi Mr Maurice E Hall Mr & Mrs Leonard & Tanya Hamersfeld Mr & Mrs Michael & Susan Hamson Ms & Mrs Peter & Janet Handbury Ms Rachel Hann Mr Adam Hanson Hares Street Market Mr Leigh Harink Harry the Hirer Mr & Mrs L & C Hart Harvey Norman
Heart Foundation HeartKids Ms Jennifer Heath Mr & Mrs Geoffrey & Dorothy Heeley Ms Clare Hemingway Mr Solly Hendler Mr John Henwood Ms Sophie Hexter Mr Ian Hockings Ms Deb Holmes Dr Dilip Hoole Mr Grant Hooper Mr & Mr John & Belinda Hope Mr & Mrs Patrick & Susan Houlihan Mr Tim Hovey Mr & Mrs Rob & Margaret Howden Mr & Mrs Tok & Elizabeth Hung Ms Stacey Hynes Ian Potter Foundation Mr Simon Ilkin InfoCentric Inner Wheel Australia Interprop Investments Pty Ltd Mr Tony Isaacson Isaacson Davis Foundation Jack Brockhoff Foundation Mr & Mrs Peter & Margaret James Mr Charles Jamieson Ms Alison Jeffries Mr Craig Jensz John Burge Trust Mr Mark Joiner Dr Subodh Joshi Dr Joan Kaaden Mr & Mrs George & Rose Kailis Kalibrate Pty Ltd Karoo Primary School Kartel Catering Mr Vas Katos & Mrs Nicole Georgelos Mrs & Mr Felicity & Daniel Keady Mr Ian Kennedy AM & Dr Sandra Hacker AO Ms Lidia Kerr Mr & Mrs Jason & Caroline Kimberley Mr & Mrs Clark & Sara Kirby Mr & Mrs Robert & Mem Kirby Mr & Mrs Peter & Judy Kitchen Mr Steve Kloss Kogarah Public School Ms Daniel Kogler Mr George Kompos Mr Peter Konidaris Mr Larry Kornhauser Mrs Doreen Kotsanis Mr Marcel Kreis & Professor Mimi Tang Mrs Dinah Krongold Mr & Mrs Mike & Fran Kudelka Mr Jamie Kuhn Mrs Leanne Kuhn Mr Alex Kumar Mr Sameer Kumar Mrs Jean Kydd LaManna Direct Mrs & Mr Karen & Daved Lambert Mr & Mrs Jeremy & Miranda Lansell Mrs Kati Lansell Mr & Mrs Wayne & Tamara Lasky Latitude Financial Services Mr David Jenkins & Ms Fran H Lefroy Dr & Mrs George & Joan Lefroy Ms Marj Lefroy Mr Sam Riggall & Ms Nichola Lefroy Mr Jeremy Leibler Leila Rose Foundation Mr Stanley Stavros & Ms Marisa Leone Mrs & Mr Glenda & Greg Lewin Mrs Jeannette Lewis Ms Helene Lewit Lions Club of Lara Lions Cord Blood Foundation Listamere Pty Ltd Mr Brian Little Ms Denise Livingstone
Ms Caroline Long Mrs Nicky Long Mr Neil Louis Mr Michael Lovett Lung Foundation Australia Lupino Italian Bistro Mrs Christine MacGill Ms Sarah Maclean Ms Tricia Maclean Macquarie Group Foundation Mr Kelly Magin Mr Jeffrey Mahemoff AO & Mrs Helen Mahemoff Mr & Mrs Joel & Neda Mahemoff Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals Mr Sam Malouf Mrs Karen Louise Mann Mr & Mrs Jeremy & Eliza Mantello Mr Joe Marmilic Mr & Mrs Peter & Elaine Mastos Mrs Judy Matear Mrs Rachael Mazurczak Mrs & Mr Christine & Denis McConnell Mr & Mrs Craig & Georgia McElvaney Mr & Mrs Stirling & Sasha McGregor Mr Anthony McIntosh Mr & Mrs Don & Jill McKenzie Mrs Amanda McKinnon Mr & Mrs Gillon & Laura McLachlan Mr & Mrs Hamish & Sophie McLachlan McPhee Charitable Trust Ms Fiona Mellor & Mr Scott Tanner Metropolis Events Professor Geoffrey Metz & Dr Kaye Anderson Mr & Mrs Andrew & Jean Miller Mr Michael Milstein MineWriters Minimax Minsmere Pty Ltd Mitchell Institute Modara Pines Charitable Foundation Dr Anna Moffat Mr & Ms Dean & Kate Mohr Mr & Ms Stan & Helen Mohr Mr Sean Morrissey Mr & Mrs Richard & Romy Moshinsky Moth Design Mount Scopus Memorial College - Gandel Besen House Mr Christian Moura MTV Australia Pty Ltd Murdoch Family Foundation Mr Paul Murphy Mr & Mrs Jason & Danni Murray Muscular Dystrophy Australia Muscular Dystrophy Foundation Ltd Mr Baillieu Myer AC & Mrs Sarah Myer Naranda Meadows Pty Ltd Mr Les Nash National Ataxia Foundation National Institutes of Health (US) Dr Philip Neri Mr Donovan Newton Nexia Melbourne Pty Ltd Nick Baldi Constructions Pty Ltd Ms Shay O’Hara-Smith Ms Julie O’Keefe E Oldham Mr Tuncer Oluklu & Ms Ayfer Akalin Ken Ong ONTrac Ms Elizabeth Orchard Orloff Family Charitable Trust Paceline Inc. Page 8 Mornington Ms Maria Paikos Mrs Margaret Partridge Mr & Mrs Rowly & Judy Paterson
Professor David Penington AC & Dr Sonay Hussein Ms Karan Perkins Perpetual Trustee Company Peter Rowland Catering Peter Sheppard Footwear Pty Ltd Ms Emma Pidgeon Pierce Armstrong Trust Mr Frank Polanco Mrs Rosemary Polson Mrs Dale Pope Ms Rebecca Pope Mrs Aija Postneck Mrs Wendy Potts Mrs Anthony Powell Predikkta Pty Ltd Mr Bram Presser & Ms Debbie Cohen Mr & Mrs Dan & Eva Presser PWC Australia Yan Xin Qiu Mr & Mrs Michael & Adrian Quilter Mr Shane Quinn Mrs Kiri Rajakulendran Mr Harish Rao & Ms Monica Rao Mr Bryce Raworth & Ms Isobel Williams Rebecca Cooper Medical Research Foundation Mr & Mrs Adrian & Christina Redlich Redpath Australia Pty Limited Ms Jill Reichstein OAM Mrs Margaret Reid Mrs Kerrie Reith Rellim Foundation Ms Jenny Renton Mr Jo Rhodes Ms Clara Rich River Capital Foundation Mrs Judy Roach Mrs & Mr Kirsty & Don Robertson Mrs Judith Robinson & Mr Michael Robinson AO Mr Sam Robinson Mr & Mrs Mathew & Julia Rockman Ms Ilda Rodrigues Mrs Belinda Roper Dr & Mrs Paul & Gay Rosen Mr & Mrs Zac & Cecilia Rosenberg Roseville Public School Mr & Mrs Jonathan & Nadine Rosham Rotary Club of North Brighton Mr & Mrs Simon & Alison Rothery Royal Australian College of Physicians Mr Oliver Roydhouse Mr Michael Ruhl Mr Adam Ryan Mr & Mrs Gerry & Valerie Ryan Mr & Mrs Nathan & Dahlia Sable Sarah & Friends Foundation Mrs Pamela Sargood Mr Jon Satterley Mr & Mrs Ross & Kaylene Savas Ms Luisa Savio Dr Barbara Sawyer Scanlon Foundation Mr & Mrs Phillip & Susan Schudmak Ms Melanie Searle Mr & Mrs David & Anna Serry Mr John Shea Shepherd Foundation Mr & Mrs Peter & Margaret Sheppard Mr & Mrs Jim & Holly Shergold Richard Sherman Mr & Mrs Daniel & Dionne Shrimski Mr & Mrs Benjamin & Amy Silluzio Mr & Mrs Nick & Georgie Sims Mr Gary Singer Siobhan Wolff Photography Mr Steven Skala AO & Mrs Lousje Skala Mr Leon Skaliotis Mr & Mrs Matt & Robin Slattery Professor Richard Smallwood AO & Mrs Carol Smallwood
Ms Cathy Smith Mr Colin Smith Mr & Mrs Colin & Jan Smith Ms Naomi Smith Mrs & Mr Fiona & Jacob Smith-Hughes Associate Professor Joe Smolich Mr & Mrs Rodney & Ann Smorgon Mr & Mrs David & Kathie Smorgon Mr & Mrs Dean & Ellie Smorgon Mrs Gita Smorgon Mr & Mrs Jake & Jacqueline Smorgon Mr & Ms Paul & Georgia Solomon Lady Southey AC Ms Betty Spangaro Mr Peter Spencer Mr Neil Spitzer Splitrock Spotlight Charitable Foundation St Philips Christian College Stafford Fox Medical Research Foundation Mr Roy Stanley State Trustees Mr & Mrs Grant & Terri Stephenson Mrs Rosemary Stipanov Mr Kerry Stokes AC & Mrs Christine Simpson Stokes Mr Robert Stone Ms Caitlin Stonehouse Ms Ann Summers Susan Alberti Medical Research Foundation Ms Meredith Swain Mrs Jenny Swann Ms Sophie Swann Swann Family Foundation Dr Christine Sweeney Mr Robin H Syme Mr & Mrs Jeremy & Gina Szwider Mr & Mrs David & Valerie Taranto Task Force for Global Health Mrs Polly Taylor Mr Charles Tegner Telstra ten20 Foundation The Cameron Family Foundation The Campbell Edwards Trust The Caponero Grant The Drew Family Trust The Flew Foundation The Fox Family Foundation The Fresh Flower Man The Isabel & John Gilbertson Charitable Trust The John Barnes Foundation The Kimberley Foundation The M & J Rockman Foundation The Miller Foundation The Monash-Aires The Myer Foundation The Pratt Foundation The Ray and Margaret Wilson Foundation The Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation The Samuel Nissen Charitable Foundation The SANDEL Foundation The Sunraysia Foundation The Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand The Waterloo Foundation The Wolf Foundation The Yulgilbar Foundation Mrs Judith Theobald Mr & Ms Peter & Debbie Thomas Thrasher Research Fund Mr & Mrs David & Lisa Thurin Tour de Cure Mr Bruce Trethowan Mr Andrew Tsatsaris Mr Alexander Turnbull UBS Australia Foundation UHG Foundation Mr Richard Umbers Uncle Bobs Club Mr & Mrs Patrick & Margaret Upfold
Mr & Mrs Tony & Judy Van Bergen Ms Olivia van Eysden Professor Alasdair Vance Vanguard Investments Australia Ltd Vertex Innovation Victorian Medical Insurance Agency Limited Mr & Mrs Campbell & Elli Walker Mr Marcus Wallace Ms Bree Walsh Mrs Betty Walton Ashley Warmbrand Mr Kenneth Watkins Mr Robert Watmuff Mr Adam Watson Dr & Mr Jacqueline & Phillip Watts Mr Kelvin Wearn Mr & Mrs Stephen & Brenda Wellard Ms Vivien Wertkin Mr & Mrs Tom & Sarah Whinney Willfish Gift Fund Pty Ltd Mrs Georgina Williams Dr Nicholas Wilsmore Mr & Mrs Andrew & Elina Wilson Mr & Mrs Ron & Joan Wilson Mr Robert Wise Dr Jillian Woinarski Women in Science Parkville Precinct (WiSPP) Dr Elizabeth Xipell Yabby Lake Wines Ms Anita Zanchetta In Memory In memory of Ann Dooley In memory of Chloe Rutherford In memory of Clementine Whinney In memory of Constantinos Ploudias In memory of Donald Kinsey In memory of Dorothy A Dooley In memory of Edith J Ashton In memory of Georgia O’Keefe In memory of Laura J Tynan In memory of Sam Miller In memory of Sophia L Donald In Celebration In celebration of Alan & Lynda Harris In celebration of Alexx Holland In celebration of Arielle Ostroburski’s Birthday In celebration of Bori Liberman’s Birthday In celebration of David Robertson In celebration of Don Robertson’s Birthday In celebration of Edward & Donald Payne’s Birthdays In celebration of Fran H Lefroy’s Birthday In celebration of Frankie Lucas’s Birthday In celebration of Harry Preston’s 50th Wedding Anniversary In celebration of Helen Dellaca’s Birthday In celebration of Helen Liberman’s Birthday In celebration of Jacob & Debbie Weinmann’s Birthdays In celebration of Jeffrey & Sue Appel In celebration of Kay Elliott’s Birthday In celebration of Ken Fehily’s Birthday In celebration of Marlo Newton’s Birthday In celebration of Minnie Smorgon’s Birthday In celebration of Morrie Wail’s Birthday In celebration of Nathan Sable’s Birthday In celebration of Neil Comrie’s Birthday In celebration of Nicholas Kammel’s Birthday In celebration of Oliver Bryce In celebration of Paul Bassat’s Birthday In celebration of Raphael Bush’s Bar Mitzvah In celebration of Sebastian Van Paassen’s Birthday In celebration of William McMahon’s Baptism Bequests Estate of Daryl Giles Howard Estate of Keith William Seston Estate of Marion A I H M Spence Estate of Narelle Ferry Estate of Teresa Malone Estate of Nance Elizabeth Creaton
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Philanthropy & Engagement
Big support from an incredibly generous Big W Big W has been a long-standing supporter of MCRI over the last decade helping to raise nearly $2million for child heart research. Staff at Big W help raise money during the year through a range of fundraising activities. 2017 was no exception, with stores across Victoria, Southern NSW and ACT continuing their powerful commitment, and raising $250,000 to further advance MCRI research to improve the lives of children with heart conditions.
Some amazing stories of support A very pleasant fright Created as a safe, fun and spooky way for kids and their families to celebrate Halloween, Spooktober is an annual Melbourne festival with trick or treat adventures for kids of all ages to enjoy. In 2017, Spooktober chose MCRI as beneficiary of the gold coin donations made on their festivals trick or treat trail. A hair-raising total of more than $3,500 was raised by the generous vampires, ghosts and ghouls attending the event.
Muscular Dystrophy Australia’s super support
Left foot, right foot, repeat (for 1,657km)
For more than a decade, Muscular Dystrophy Australia (MDA) under the passionate leadership of Boris Struk, has provided invaluable funds for research into muscular dystrophy, as well as supporting clinical services for patients and providing quality of life programs for those affected by the disorder.
The amazing Cherise Bell ran a gruelling 50km per day to cover the distance from Brisbane to Melbourne in world record time. Cherise took just 31 days, 12 hours and 53 minutes to complete the journey shaving 5 days off the previous world record. Cherise’s epic effort raised over $10,000 for life saving research at MCRI. A truly inspiring achievement.
Warm hands from an even warmer heart Eight-year-old Grace Shoolman was sick of having cold hands in the playground during winter, so she came up with a clever idea to fix that and turned it into her very own business! Monkey Mitts are grippy gloves which keep little hands warm and are perfect for play‑based activity. A little entrepreneur with a big heart, Grace chose to support MCRI by donating $2 from the sale of every pair of Monkey Mitts to the Institute. In her own words, she wants “to make sure all kids are healthy enough to enjoy playing and climbing around like you and me”.
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A long walk towards a cure brings hope and support The Australian Mitochondrial Disease Foundation (AMDF) was founded by Doug and Margie Lingard, their friends, and experts in the field of mitochondrial disease. Doug and Margie tragically lost two children to mitochondrial disease. MCRI is proud of its significant and longstanding relationship with AMDF, as Professor David Thorburn served as a founding director and now chairs the Scientific and Medical Advisory Committee.
MDA has provided over $1.5million, raised through fundraising initiatives including their annual Super Hero Day, to support research projects that aim to better understand muscular dystrophy so that we are able to find improved treatments or a preventable cause. Generous funding has also been given to support the next generation of muscular dystrophy researchers through PhD student support. Our researchers share a close connection with the MDA team and their mission to assist the MD community. MDA kindly provided the opportunity for our MD researchers to attend family camps run by MDA. Dr Adam Piers attended a camp in 2017 and found it a humbling experience, “It’s a genuine honour to meet the children affected by muscular dystrophy, and it’s inspiring to think that our research might in some way help to change the course for these children and their families”.
The Bloody Long Walk, AMDF’s major fundraising initiative, is a 35km walk held in 10 locations each year. Pictured above/right is MCRI’s 2017 team, who relished every strenuous step walking alongside AMDF, as we jointly continue our search for answers to mitochondrial disease.
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Philanthropy & Engagement
A lasting legacy for children Narelle Ferry had to overcome more than most as a child. She was born in the 1960’s with Neurofibromatosis (NF), an incurable genetic condition that causes tumours to grow in the body. Narelle endured many painful medical procedures over the years and also lived with autism, as is common for people with NF. Despite these childhood challenges and being bullied until she left school, Narelle made the most of her adult life. She volunteered for 20 years typing resumes for job seekers and formed close friendships with the people she worked with. When Narelle passed away in 2016 aged 51, her greatest wish was to make sure that children born with NF would not suffer as she did as a child. She included a donation in her Will that is now helping MCRI researchers find more ways for kids with NF to reach their full potential.
Kids like Alex (pictured below left with his brother) met with experienced NF clinicians and researchers at MCRI and was diagnosed with ADHD and autism. “Whilst these diagnoses can be daunting for some, they have actually provided Alex the pathway to access funding and support that he so desperately needed and deserves,” says Alex’s mum, Shelly. “We’re incredibly grateful to Narelle and her family,” says MCRI Director Professor Kathryn North AM. “We’ve made great progress in the diagnosis and treatment of NF, but we still have a long way to go. Narelle’s legacy will improve the health and wellbeing of children with this condition well into the future.”
Narelle Ferry “ Narelle’s last wish was to leave some money in her Will for research into this complicated condition so that no other child would have to live like she did,” explains her relative, Cecilia Ferry.
Create your own legacy One of the most life-changing ways you can make a difference to children’s lives in the future is to include a gift in your Will for MCRI. For a confidential conversation about a gift that is meaningful for you, please contact our Will Giving Advisor, Ariane Whitehouse on 03 9936 6390 or at ariane.whitehouse@mcri.edu.au
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Not just content to be highly innovative in the world of breakthrough medical research, the MCRI Development Board ensures the Institute also thinks differently about raising funds and generating support.
Dads making a difference While charity fundraising events focused on children tend to attract a large number of female followers, the MCRI Development Board sensed an untapped opportunity amongst men, especially fathers. Inspired by this, the Dads of Melbourne committee was formed comprising Marcus Freeman, Peter Mastos, Vas Katos, Clark Kirby, Andrew Cox and Development Board Chair, Kate Mohr. “We knew from our friends and networks that a lot of working fathers really wanted to get involved in helping children through charitable activities, but there weren’t many opportunities available that were suited to their daily routines,” explains Marcus Freeman (above), “So we decided to hold our first ‘Dads of Melbourne’ lunch on a Friday in October 2016, and deliberately made it different to the typical footy club style fundraising lunches many of our friends have attended in the past.” The event is proudly sponsored by investment bank and financial services firm Canaccord Genuity, together with PwC, ensuring all money raised goes directly to funding life-saving research. With a discreet and low-key air, the only fundraising request for the dads is a silent pledge card, where each attendee can commit an amount they’re comfortable donating to MCRI. “We didn’t
want it to be like all the other charity events men typically go to, such as auctions with memorabilia to bid on,” explains Marcus. “We only have a couple of speeches, with one from someone who has been touched by the great work of the Institute, and then leave it up to the individuals to pledge the level of support that suits them best.” Since the inaugural event in 2016, the Dads of Melbourne lunch has become a much anticipated event. The Dads of Melbourne presents a great opportunity to not only raise awareness of MCRI amongst a typically powerful and untapped cohort, but also raise much-needed funds. “Our shared vision for the Dads of Melbourne is to create an ongoing annuity stream for MCRI, where attendees at the lunch can tick a box to automatically pledge an amount each year that can be direct debited to the Institute. They can simply then enjoy the lunch each year as a thank you, knowing they’ve already actively contributed.” MCRI is Australia’s pre-eminent paediatric research institute and one of the top two most influential in the world. MCRI hopes to expand this fund-raising initiative into other capital cities with the Dads of Sydney firmly in its sights!
From left: Vas Katos, Marcus Freeman, Kate Mohr, David Elliott, Pete Mastos and Clark Kirby
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“ Our focus at the Institute is achieving excellence in our output and making sure we’re one of the best in the world at what we do, but we know we can’t do it all by ourselves,” James Dromey, COO
As one of the world’s leading research institutes, MCRI helps to answer some of the hardest questions in child health today. But it is the Institute’s approach to translating these research findings into tangible health outcomes that allows it to truly create possibilities that can benefit millions of children worldwide.
Turning research findings into actions that can help millions “MCRI today participates in a new era of ‘big science’ and ‘team science’, which is a significant shift from how research has been undertaken in the past,” explains James Dromey, Chief Operating Officer, MCRI. “Now it is important to have large teams of people, coming from many different backgrounds, helping to solve the biggest problems on a much larger scale, whether that’s on a state, national or international level, and then as importantly, translating research findings into tangible health outcomes.” MCRI’s approach to turning research into reality involves not only uncovering the scientific breakthroughs, but then finding appropriate funding sources and identifying the additional expertise required, to get these outcomes into the hands of as many people as possible. “When you think of research and development, we’re experts in the research side of the equation,” says James. “But we also know that for our work to have the greatest impact, we can’t just stop at the findings, and we need to identify additional skills or partnerships to help ensure excellence on the development and delivery side of the equation.” From an operating perspective, the imperative for MCRI in this new era of 'big science' is to remain nimble, responsive and collaborative with the ability to ‘scale up’ to take on some of the biggest challenges in health. “Our focus at the Institute is achieving excellence in our output and making sure we’re one of the best in the world at what we do, but we know we can’t do it all by ourselves,” says James. An example of MCRI’s unique approach to translating research findings into tangible health outcomes is its ongoing collaboration with digital innovation company, Curve Tomorrow, which has been physically located in the Institute’s offices since 2013. “Because so many people, not only in Australia but also in the developing world, now have access to smart phones, there has never been a time like now where we can connect with someone through a device, anywhere at anytime, on the planet,” says Sanji Kanagalingam, Director, Curve Tomorrow. “Having
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access to the evidence base of MCRI means we can jointly identify health needs that can be best solved through technology to help make a lasting impact on people’s lives,” says Sanji. When MCRI researchers identified children were presenting to hospital with concussion symptoms more than 24 hours after receiving a head knock, they worked with Curve Tomorrow to develop a digital app to help solve this problem. The result, ‘Head Check’, is an app that guides non-medical users through a series of concise questions and observations to identify whether a child’s head injury requires an ambulance, hospital, or a GP visit. But to ensure this app gets into as many hands as possible, MCRI also partnered with the Australian Football League, who has now made Head Check a mandatory part of the Level 1 First Aid Trainer’s Course and has launched it nationally through AFL Junior Community Leagues. MCRI’s research on food allergies is another leading example of how sourcing further expertise can accelerate the potential impact of breakthrough research. MCRI researcher Professor Mimi Tang pioneered a promising new treatment for peanut allergies that has been found in a clinical trial to induce tolerance to peanut in more than 80 per cent of children treated, allowing them to include peanuts as part of their regular diet. Four years later, 80 per cent of treatment responders were still eating peanut and 70 per cent had challenge-proven long-term tolerance. To help progress this innovative world first treatment, MCRI partnered with OneVentures, an Australian Venture Capital firm. A private company, Prota Therapeutics, was established in late 2016 with an initial $15million Series A investment led by OneVentures. The investment has allowed Prota to bring together a dedicated team with expertise in clinical trials, product development, manufacturing and commercialisation providing the best possible chance of successfully developing the treatment into a product that can be used to treat millions of children with peanut allergy.
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“ The opportunity to work closely with clinicians who are incredibly engaged academically with the science of our research is very motivating and really helps to inform the possibilities of what we might achieve and the direct benefits to children.”
A brilliant mind Associate Professor Enzo Porrello has headed up the Cardiac Regeneration Laboratory at MCRI and The Royal Children’s Hospital since 2017, and is also a Senior Research Fellow in the School of Biomedical Sciences at The University of Melbourne. Taking inspiration from nature, Enzo and his team are now on the verge of some very significant breakthroughs that could transform cardiac health for centuries to come.
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Enzo’s interest in childhood health was awoken at a very early age as he grew up in a family deeply affected by the death of a child. “My cousin passed away at the age of nine, before I was born, and his death had a big impact on my family,” he says. “It really proved to be a strong motivating force for me and sparked my initial interest in childhood health and the heart.” Originally from Melbourne, Enzo completed his PhD in Physiology at The University of Melbourne and was then awarded a fellowship at the UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, USA, where he stayed for three years. Returning to Australia, Enzo established the Cardiac Regeneration Laboratory at The University of Queensland, which he led jointly with Dr James Hudson from 2013 to 2017. It was during that period that Enzo and his team made some fascinating discoveries in young mice that he is now working on replicating in humans at MCRI. “We know that the Mexican Walking Fish – which isn’t actually a fish at all, but an amphibian – has the ability to regenerate various cells, including complete body parts such as limbs, gills and eyes as well as areas of its heart muscle,” explains Enzo. “So building on this precedent, we undertook research into the mammalian heart of young mice, where we discovered there’s a window of between one and two weeks after birth when their heart cells continue to divide and grow. The cells in the human heart, by comparison, lose their ability to divide and grow within the first year after birth. So if we can determine the reason why a mouse’s heart can retain this ability for a short period, and then unlock this capability in humans, ultimately we may be able to help the human heart regenerate after being injured.” Enzo decided to join MCRI in 2017 because of its unique campus environment, encompassing the clinical expertise of The Royal Children’s Hospital as well as MCRI’s ground-breaking Stem Cell Research. “The opportunity to work closely with clinicians who are incredibly engaged academically with the science of our research is very motivating and really helps to inform the possibilities of what we might achieve and the direct benefits to children.” Enzo is working alongside MCRI's Stem Cell team, who
Associate Professor Enzo Porrello
have developed methods to instruct stem cells to generate heart muscle and the vessels that support heart function. His dream is to one day use this breakthrough, combined with his own team’s research findings, to help regenerate damaged heart tissue following a heart attack. “If we can understand and harness what might be the dormant ability of human heart cells to divide and grow, as is evidenced in young mice as well as newborn infants, and combine this with the regenerative breakthroughs being discovered in stem cell research,” he says, “ultimately, we might be able to find a cure for heart failure.” Enzo currently holds an NHMRC Career Development Fellowship and a Heart Foundation Future Leader Fellowship, and his research has been recognised by a number of prestigious awards. They include the NHF Paul Korner Innovation Award, Heart Foundation Researcher of the Year (Qld), UQ Foundation for Research Excellence Award, the A.K. McIntyre Prize (Australian Physiological Society) and the UT Southwestern Postdoctoral Achievement Award. With a burning desire to improve childhood health sparked at a very early age, and such an outstanding career to date, Associate Professor Enzo Porrello is another example at MCRI of a brilliant mind exploring previously unimaginable possibilities to improve the future health of all humankind.
Annual Report Murdoch Children’s Research Institute | 31
MCRI Research Excellence MCRI continues to attract and retain the very best experts focused on improving the lives of all children. Our culture inspires high performing individuals to reach even greater heights as is evidenced by the number of prestigious awards won in 2017 by MCRI researchers. We are also proud to be ranked second in the world in 2017 for children’s research based on the citation impact and volume of published work. With 983 papers published in 2017, MCRI truly stands as a centre of research excellence.
Outstanding achievements
Associate Professor Catherine Satzke
Dr Joshua Osowicki
Frank Fenner Award
Joshua was presented with the Gustav Nossal Award by the NHMRC. The award is named in honour of Sir Gustav Nossal and his pioneering work in the field of immunology. It is awarded to the highest ranked applicant for an NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship in the field of medical research.
Catherine is the 2017 recipient of the Australian Society for Microbiology Frank Fenner Award. The award recognises distinguished contributions in any area of Australian research in microbiology by scientists in a formative stage of their career. Catherine has recently been promoted to Associate Professor.
The Gustav Nossal Award
Professor Andrew Davidson & Professor John Christodoulou Fellows of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences Both Andrew and John were welcomed as new Fellows of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (AAHMS) at the Academy’s 3rd Annual Scientific Meeting. Fellowship of the AAHMS recognises distinguished professional achievement in health and medical research.
Professor Melissa Little Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science Melissa has been elected as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science, one of the highest honours an Australian scientist can receive. The Academy’s election of Melissa recognises her outstanding contribution to stem cell medicine.
Professor Andrew Steer
Professor Kim Mulholland
Professor Kathryn North AM
Associate Professor Mark Mackay
Dr Emma Sciberras
Frank Fenner Award, the Eureka Prize, Heart Foundation Future Fellowship and was the recipient of a NHMRC Research Excellence Award
The Peter Wills Medal
Doctor of Medical Science
Professor Kim Mulholland was awarded the prestigious Peter Wills Medal at the Research Australia Health and Medical Research Awards on 5th October, 2017. Kim was nominated for the award by Sir Gustav Nossal, and was presented with the Peter Wills Medal by Peter Wills himself. The Peter Wills Medal recognises an Australian who has made an outstanding contribution to building Australia’s international reputation in the area of health and medical research, and for harnessing government, research, industry and philanthropic collaborations to promote better health. In a research career spanning more than 30 years, Kim has dedicated himself to leading transformative child health research projects across Africa, Asia and the Pacific with incredible outcomes. His work on childhood pneumonia, malnutrition, and the links between the two, has contributed to new approaches that save the lives of children in developing countries.
On 14th November 2017, Kathryn North AM was awarded a Doctor of Medical Science (Honoris Causa) by The University of Melbourne, in recognition of her exceptional contribution to health and medical research, and to society. Kathryn also delivered the 3rd Priscilla Kincaid-Smith Oration, 'Precision Medicine – The Future is Now'. For over 25 years, Kathryn has made a significant contribution to improving the health of the Australian people and has dedicated her life to improving genetic diagnosis for patients. A paediatrician, neurologist, clinical geneticist, and translational research scientist, Kathryn is leading the largest transformative change to Australian healthcare within the last 100 years - from the old model of medicine, which waits for someone to get sick, to a new model where diseases can be detected early and the disease course corrected through timely and appropriate treatment. By acting locally, building nationally and linking globally, Kathryn’s leadership is delivering significant benefits for Australians.
Chancellor’s Prize for Excellence in PhD Thesis & the Dean’s Prize for Excellence in the PhD Thesis from the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences
Emma was awarded one of only two Veski Inspiring Women Fellowships. Emma is a clinical psychologist and early career researcher whose research focuses on children with ADHD.
Congratulations to Andrew Steer on his promotion to Professor by The University of Melbourne. This caps off an amazing couple of years for Andrew, having been recognised by numerous awards including the Frank Fenner Award, the Eureka Prize, Heart Foundation Future Fellowship and was the recipient of a NHMRC Research Excellence Award as the top ranked Career Development Fellowship applicant in Population Health. This promotion is worthy recognition of Andrew’s outstanding research accomplishments and his leadership in global health.
32 | Murdoch Children’s Research Institute Annual Report
Inspiring Women Fellowship
Associate Professor Mark Mackay, a clinician researcher and neurologist, was awarded both the University of Melbourne Chancellor’s Prize for Excellence in PhD Thesis and the Dean’s Prize for Excellence in the PhD Thesis from the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences. Mark’s thesis was entitled 'Rapid Diagnosis of Childhood Stroke: Time is brain'. Mark is also leading the development of Paediatric Stroke Guidelines – there are currently no Australian guidelines for the assessment and management of childhood stroke.
Annual Report Murdoch Children’s Research Institute | 33
How you can help create possible Every donation, no matter how big or small has the potential to save a child’s life. Help MCRI find solutions for serious child health issues. With your support, our researchers can continue to discover cures and preventions for conditions such as allergies, diabetes, cancer, obesity and genetic conditions.
To donate today, call 1300 766 439 or visit mcri.edu.au
34 | Murdoch Children’s Research Institute Annual Report
Annual Report Murdoch Children’s Research Institute | 35
Year at a glance
PEER REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS
0I
RESEARCH AND GOVERNMENT GRANTS
$69.19m RESEARCH PROJECTS
450
VCGS
$26.70m
TOTAL REVENUE
$137.38m
983
5.6%
CLINICAL TRIALS
247
DONATIONS, FUNDRAISING & BEQUESTS
$17.21m MEDIA MENTIONS
2,452
CONTRACT RESEARCH, TRIALS & OTHER
$24.28m PEOPLE
1,222 13 | Murdoch Children’s Research Institute Annual Report 36
Annual Report Murdoch Children’s Research Institute | 37 14
Statement of Comprehensive Income
Revenue & Expenditure
for the year ended 31 December 2017
Consolidated 2017 Revenue
2016
$ (Mil)
%
$ (Mil)
%
Government and other research grants
69.19
51%
67.46
52%
Revenue from research & clinical activities
Clinical services
26.70
19%
25.66
20%
Depreciation & amortisation
Donations, fundraising and bequests
17.21
13%
16.06
12%
Finance income
2.76
2%
3.30
3%
Contract research and clinical trials
8.80
6%
8.38
12.72
9%
137.38
100%
Other research income Total Revenue
2016
$
$
$
$ 85,174,016
(7,160,495)
(6,997,696)
(5,961,596)
(5,717,205)
Other expenses for research & clinical activities
(127,947,691)
(120,308,207)
(101,965,359)
(96,130,015)
6%
Surplus/(Deficit) from research & clinical activities
(17,701,661)
(16,570,556)
(17,039,400)
(16,673,204)
9.24
7%
Donation, Estates & Bequest & Fundraising income
17,213,612
16,061,142
17,213,612
16,061,142
130.10
100%
Fundraising expense
(1,584,446)
(1,669,579)
(1,584,446)
(1,669,579)
15,629,166
14,391,563
15,629,166
14,391,563
2,759,490
3,296,470
2,578,941
3,202,595
686,995
1,117,477
1,168,707
920,953
Net change in available for sale financial assets
1,601,771
610,687
1,601,771
610,687
Total comprehensive surplus for the period
2,288,766
1,728,164
2,770,478
1,531,640
$ (Mil)
%
Research expenditure
81.45
60%
78.40
61%
Clinical Services
27.18
20%
25.46
20%
1.58
1%
1.67
1%
Administration
12.88
9%
11.37
9%
Facility, technical and scientific services
13.60
10%
12.08
9%
136.69
100%
128.98
100%
38 | Murdoch Children’s Research Institute Annual Report
2017
90,887,555
%
Total Expenditure
2016
110,735,347
$ (Mil)
Fundraising
2017
117,406,525
Net surplus obtained from Fundraising Activities Expenditure
The Company
Net Finance income / (expense) Operating surplus for the period
Other comprehensive income: Items that may subsequently be reclassified to profit or loss:
Annual Report Murdoch Children’s Research Institute | 39
Statement of Financial Position
Statements of Cash Flows
as at 31 December 2017
for the year ended 31 December 2017
Consolidated
The Company
Consolidated
2017
2016
2017
2016
2017
2016
2017
2016
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
Current assets
Cash flows from operating activities
Cash and cash equivalents
21,322,232
22,669,583
15,375,897
17,281,364
Trade receivables and other assets
11,518,809
8,266,841
8,690,976
6,231,801
Other investments
30,545,586
29,717,440
24,965,642
24,139,369
63,386,627
60,653,864
49,032,515
47,652,534
Total current assets
Trade receivables and other assets
57,682,817
59,024,277
57,682,817
59,024,277
Other investments
50,589,521
46,601,994
50,589,521
46,601,994
Property, plant & equipment
14,173,469
13,847,057
12,809,602
11,884,264
822,801
1,234,202
-
-
Total non-current assets
123,268,608
120,707,530
121,081,940
117,510,535
Total assets
186,655,235
181,361,394
170,114,455
165,163,069
Current liabilities Trade and other payables
31,670,575
29,662,759
28,595,557
27,066,384
Employee benefits
13,920,847
13,076,339
9,353,326
8,858,100
45,591,422
42,739,098
37,948,883
35,924,484
Total current liabilities Non-current liabilities Employee benefits Total non-current liabilities Total liabilities Net assets
Patient fees received
22,360,571
22,784,084
-
-
Government and other grants received
75,167,393
70,521,791
68,621,547
64,410,098
Donations received
17,214,086
15,537,404
17,213,612
15,532,544
464,879
782,586
464,879
564,516
23,256,874
18,788,764
23,256,874
20,232,139
-
-
(90,137)
31,788
(133,157,820)
(122,634,929)
(104,728,801)
(97,272,151)
5,305,983
5,779,700
4,737,974
3,498,934
2,294,611
2,513,884
2,114,062
2,638,079
Acquisition of property, plant and equipment
(5,734,044)
(3,632,521)
(5,545,475)
(2,381,657)
Acquisition of investments
(2,555,090)
(10,395,261)
(2,553,217)
(5,384,098)
(5,994,523)
(11,513,898)
(5,984,630)
(5,127,676)
Net increase/ (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
(688,540)
(5,734,198)
(1,246,656)
(1,628,742)
Cash and cash equivalents at 1 January
22,669,583
28,337,576
17,281,364
18,843,901
(658,811)
66,205
(658,811)
66,205
21,322,232
22,669,583
15,375,897
17,281,364
Interest received Other receipts
Non-current assets
Intangibles
The Company
2,210,747
2,057,996
1,832,876
1,676,371
2,210,747
2,057,996
1,832,876
1,676,371
47,802,169
44,797,094
39,781,759
37,600,855
138,853,066
136,564,300
130,332,696
127,562,214
134,717,389
134,030,394
126,236,564
125,067,853
4,096,132
2,494,361
4,096,132
2,494,361
39,545
39,545
-
-
138,853,066
136,564,300
130,332,696
127,562,214
Advances to (from) related parties Cash paid to suppliers and employees Net cash provided from/ (used in) operating activities
Cash flows from investing activities Investment income received
Net cash (used in)/ from Investing activities
Effect of foreign exchange on opening cash balances Cash and cash equivalents at 31 December
Members’ funds Accumulated funds Fair value reserve Translational research fund Total members’ funds
40 | Murdoch Children’s Research Institute Annual Report
Annual Report Murdoch Children’s Research Institute | 41
Our beliefs Every child deserves a healthy start to life. The relentless pursuit of excellence through passion, innovation, integrity & efficiency. A culture of curiosity & scientific rigour which leads to discovery. Our job doesn’t end until we make a difference. We will find a cure. Research provides hope. Children are at our heart. Every child deserves a chance at childhood. Cooperative team work makes us great.
Our values Support the individual To achieve their best and develop their skills. Perseverance Pursue answers and embrace challenges with tenacity and resilience. Generosity of spirit Delight in the success of others. Creativity & innovation Curious, imaginative and open to discover new knowledge. Scientific integrity Honest and open in our work and how we deal with others. Relationships & collaboration With partners, community, patients, families and teams – everyone has a part to play. Courage To be honest and seek the truth no matter what. To be leaders and first adopters, to think outside the box.
42 | Murdoch Children’s Research Institute Annual Report
MURDOCH CHILDREN’S RESEARCH INSTITUTE Royal Children’s Hospital Flemington Road, Parkville Victoria 3052 Australia P +61 (3) 8341 6200 F +61 (3) 8341 6212 FREE CALL 1300 766 439 E mcri@mcri.edu.au W mcri.edu.au Donate to Murdoch Children’s Research Institute mcri.edu.au/donate