Our Past
In the late 1980s, the Menzies Foundation supported the establishment of an epidemiology research centre at the University of Tasmania in Hobart, to be named the Menzies Centre for Population Health Research.
The Foundation provided annual funding to the Institute and was successful in obtaining matching funds from the Tasmanian Government. The Menzies Centre for Population Health Research was formed in 1988 and became the Menzies Research Institute in 2004.
From modest beginnings, the Menzies Research Institute quickly gained a reputation for its ground-breaking work into the link between babies’ sleeping position and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Menzies developed into an established centre for population health research, with a global reputation in epidemiology.
Some notable successes include:
- Highlighting the importance of vitamin D in the development of bones in children and adults
- Showing evidence of the link between early life sun exposure and susceptibility to multiple sclerosis
- Discovering the link between babies' sleeping position and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
- Discovering platelets found in the blood kill the malaria parasite during the early stages of a malarial infection
Today
At the Menzies Research Institute our aspiration is to contribute significantly to human health and wellbeing, with particular emphasis upon research that takes advantage of Tasmania’s unique population resource and other competitive advantages.
Our research efforts focus on preventing a range of diseases including cancer, multiple sclerosis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic lung disease, osteoporosis, epilepsy and dementia.
We are undertaking nationwide studies and collaborating with interstate and international researchers. Menzies’ work continues to extend throughout Australia and the Western Pacific and Southeast Asian regions, in particular Vietnam.
Vision for the Future
Menzies has a clear vision for the future. We plan to continue expanding our research to cover more disease areas, start new projects that are highly innovative, attract more world-class scientists to our shores, and increase our collaborative links throughout Australia and internationally.
Our forward thinking will bring us one step closer to our vision of preventing or curing disease and saving lives.
