In 2000, the Tasmanian Government named Menzies a "Tasmanian Icon" in recognition of its scientific achievements, status and place in the Tasmanian community. This brought considerable prestige for Menzies and was a turning point, as icon status brought infrastructure funding that allowed Menzies to continue to expand its research programs.
In 2004, Menzies underwent significant governance and structural changes, including a name change to the Menzies Research Institute and the appointment of an independent Board.
Professor Simon Foote became the Director of Menzies Research Institute in 2005 and implemented a significant growth strategy that saw Menzies undergo a dynamic transformation into Tasmania's premier medical research facility. Menzies' research programs were expanded to focus on both clinical and basic science to ensure the depth and quality of our research was enhanced and strengthened.
With Menzies' continued growth and expanded research program in recent years, we have been able to attract new high-quality researchers to Tasmania with a diverse range of skills that has enabled us to establish new links within the national and international research community.
Complementing the strategy for growth is a $58 million investment towards Stage One of the UTAS Medical Sciences building, with state of the art laboratories and research equipment not previously seen in Tasmania. The building will house the Menzies Research Institute, the School of Medicine and the Executive of the Faculty of Health Science and is due for completion late November 2009. Staff will be able to move in from December 2009.
A $90 million complex, known as Stage Two, will be developed next to the new UTAS Medical Sciences Building (Stage One), at the corner of Liverpool and Campbell streets. The Stage Two building will house Menzies and the Royal Hobart Hospital's clinical research. Development of the Stage Two project is to commence immediately and is due for completion in 2012.
Menzies has developed excellent relationships with the Tasmanian community, the Tasmanian and Australian governments, local community groups, external funding bodies and philanthropic organisations. We have strong collaborative links with other medical researchers throughout the world.
Significant research at Menzies
Researchers at Menzies have made world first discoveries in a diverse range of conditions: from identifying a link between early life sun exposure and susceptibility to multiple sclerosis; discovering the link between babies' sleeping position and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS); to recently discovering that platelets found in the blood kill the malaria parasite during the early stages of a malarial infection.
