Successful first meeting of the Australian Skin and Skin Cancer Research Centre

Leading researchers from The University of Queensland and the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute took a major step in creating a local Skin Science Hub with the first meeting for the Australian Skin and Skin Cancer Research Centre, at Victoria Park, Brisbane, on Friday 13 May, 2016.

Lead by Professor H. Peter Soyer, Professor David Whiteman and Associate Professor Kiarash Khosrotehrani, the meeting was a resounding success with over 60 researchers and clinicians with an interest in skin science in attendance.

Professor Melissa Brown, Deputy Executive Dean and Associate Dean (Research) of the Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, and Professor Frank Gannon, Director and CEO, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute were in attendance and reiterated their support for the formation of the Research Centre.

The Australian Skin & Skin Cancer Research Centre (ASSC), led jointly by UQ and QIMR Berghofer, will become an internationally competitive centre, combining strong basic and clinical research, and serve as the skin and cancer research hub for Australia.

ASSC will drive skin and cancer research and will provide a beacon for the attraction of talented skin and cancer researchers both nationally and internationally to UQ and QIMR Berghofer, enhancing critical mass and expertise housed within the centre.

The ASSC brings together over 40 research teams from The University of Queensland and QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute currently working on keratinocyte cancers, melanoma and skin research, giving the group an opportunity to attract competitive funding.

Four such research teams were on show with Associate Professor Nicholas Saunders (UQ), Professor H. Peter Soyer (UQ), Associate Professor Glen Boyle (QIMR Berghofer) and Dr Michele Teng (QIMR Berghofer), all presenting translational Research Showcases.

It was also announced there will be up to four seed grants of $50 000 available this year to foster collaborations involving both The University of Queensland and QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute with a strong focus on translational research.