QIMR Berghofer joins global talks

QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute will join international discussions on improving world health during the Brisbane Global Cafe program ahead of the G20 Leaders’ Summit.

QIMR Berghofer Director, Professor Frank Gannon, will co-chair sessions on the theme “Improving human life” at Brisbane City Hall today (Wednesday 12 November).

“We’ll have experts from around the world coming together to discuss important health issues that may previously have been on the periphery,” Professor Gannon said.

“We’re going to talk about things like emerging diseases, quality of life and mental health.

“At the same time we’ll be exploring some of the challenges – an ageing population, poor health habits, and inequality in health care standards.”

Professor Gannon said it was fitting for QIMR Berghofer to be involved in the Global Cafe program.

“Our Institute enjoys an outstanding reputation for research with international impact,” Professor Gannon said.

“QIMR Berghofer is a global community in itself, with researchers from more than 24 countries working on projects at our laboratories at Herston in Brisbane’s inner northern suburbs.

“They are collaborating with researchers around the world in our key areas of cancer, infectious diseases, mental health and complex disorders.”

Professor James McCarthy who coordinates QIMR Berghofer’s Infectious Diseases program, will join a Global Cafe panel discussion on the impact of tropical diseases and climate change on global health.

Professor McCarthy’s research includes a “human challenge model” to accelerate the development of new malaria medicines.

The G20 Leaders Summit brings together the heads of The Group of 20 – made up of 19 countries and the European Union.

The Summit will be held at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 November.

Brisbane Marketing is coordinating the Brisbane Global Cafe, which will focus on five key themes: Cities of the Future; Improving Human Life; Powering Future Economies – Energy; The Digital Age – Innovation and Entrepreneurship; and Tourism’s New Frontiers.

For more information about the Brisbane Global Cafe, visit globalcafe.com.au