QIMR Berghofer scientist appointed to world-class committee

QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute senior scientist, Professor Geoff Hill, has been appointed to a key scientific committee of the Australian Cancer Research Foundation (ACRF).

Professor Hill will sit on the ACRF’s Medical Research Advisory Committee (MRAC) for the next three years.

MRAC members are world leaders in cancer research who assess applications for the ACRF’s multi-million dollar grants.

Professor Hill heads the Bone Marrow Transplantation Laboratory at QIMR Berghofer and is a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Australia Fellow.

Professor Hill said he was honoured to serve on behalf of ACRF, which had made such an enormous contribution to the improvement in research outcomes within Australia.

“The increasing worldwide burden of cancer ‐ with 14.1 million newly diagnosed cases in 2012 – demands an even great focus on collaborative, cutting‐edge research,” Professor Hill said.

“Investigation into the basic genetic triggers and behaviours of cancer is now driving research priorities towards preventing and defeating this disease.”

The committee, chaired by Professor Ian Frazer AC, recommends the very best Australian research for funding, ensuring maximum impact and innovation in cancer prevention, diagnosis and cure.

To date, the MRAC has advised on the most effective use of $95 million in donations to the ACRF.

Other new committee members include Professor Angel Lopez from the Centre for Cancer Biology in South Australia and – for the first time – two international researchers:
Professor of Oncology at the University of Wisconsin, Paul Lambert, and Associate Professor Connie Trimble from the John Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore.

Chairman of the Australian Cancer Research Foundation Board of Trustees, Mr Tom Dery, said: “We’re thrilled to have such distinguished scientists join our fight to fund world‐class cancer research right here in Australia.”