September 5, 2019 Print
The Westmead Institute for Medical Research (WIMR) was delighted to welcome The Honorary Gabrielle Upton MP, Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier and Member for Vaucluse this week.
Ms Upton visited WIMR as part of a wider tour of the Westmead Research Hub, to learn more about the remarkable research being carried out across the Hub, as well as the unprecedented collaboration and cooperation among its members.
Ms Upton was welcomed to WIMR by its Executive Director, Professor Tony Cunningham AO, Professor Stephen Leeder AO, Director of the Research and Education Network, Western Sydney Local Health District, Professor Chris Cowell, Director of Research at Sydney Children’s Hospital Network and members of the Westmead Research Hub Executive.
Over lunch, the group spoke at length about the Hub, how the individual research organisations work together to collaborate on ground breaking projects and pool funding for research and technology. The group also discussed future opportunities for research across the Westmead precinct and its potential impact on Western Sydney and beyond.
Ms Upton met with Dr Dinny Graham from the Centre for CAncer Research.
Ms Upton then met with WIMR’s Dr Dinny Graham and heard about her research that is discovering new ways to ensure breast cancer patients receive the most appropriate treatment for their individual tumour. Not only will this help deliver the best treatment, it will also potentially help patients avoid gruelling treatment that may not be effective.
Associate Professor Eddy Kizana, Co-Director of WIMR’s Centre for Heart Research and Cardiologist at Westmead Hospital, spoke to Ms Upton about his work using a technology called Gene Therapy. Associate
Ms Upton with Associate Professor Eddy Kizana.
Professor Kizana and his team use Gene Therapy to influence a process called ‘gene expression’ in the heart, with the aim of treating certain cardiac disorders. The ultimate goal of this research is to replace the need for cardiac devices, like pacemakers or defibrillators.
WIMR Executive Director, Professor Tony Cunningham AO said, “We were thrilled to welcome Ms Upton to WIMR, to learn more about our work and the collaboration across the Westmead Research Hub. Ms Upton was truly engaged with our work and goals, and we are very grateful that she took the time to learn more about the remarkable, world-class research being undertaken at Westmead.”