QIMR Berghofer’s Professor Geoff Hill has been awarded the inaugural TRI National Prize for Translational Research for his research on the immune system and how it triggers the rejection response after stem cell transplant.
 
Professor Hill’s research has been translated into multiple strategies that have reduced the development of graft versus host disease (GVHD) and allowed transplantation to be used in increasingly aged patients.
 
The TRI National Prize for Translational Research was established to acknowledge world-leading Australian research that is translating into patient care.
 
As the winner of the inaugural TRI National Prize, Professor Hill received $25,000 and had the opportunity to present to leading researchers and clinicians at the TRI Awards Symposium to be held last Friday.  
 
To encourage increasing participation in translational research by its partner institutes, TRI also established four awards for its researchers.  These awards recognise the fact that translational research is a journey that begins with access to world-class scientific knowledge, clinical experience and emerging technologies that foster medical breakthroughs and innovations.  These discoveries ultimately result in improved diagnostic tools, screening methods and treatments for people worldwide.
 
The winners of the inaugural TRI Awards were:

• New Collaborative Team - Professor Erik Thompson for expanding the research interests and capability of Circulating Tumour Cell (CTC) investigators at TRI 
• Breakthrough - Dr Fiona Simpson for a series of discoveries culminating in clinical trials to improve the effectiveness of a drug that kills tumour cells
• Innovation - Dr Tarl Prow for developing two technologies that will help to revolutionise the diagnosis of skin cancer and the delivery of topical skin cancer treatments
• Translational Research – Professor Ranjeny Thomas for the development of a vaccine for autoimmune diseases such as Rheumatoid Arthritis.

View more photos from the event on the TRI Facebook page