The Herston Imaging Research Facility (HIRF) is an alliance between four of Queensland’s most influential research and clinical institutions: The University of Queensland (UQ), the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute (QIMR); Queensland University of Technology (QUT); and the Metro North Hospital and Health Service (MNHHS) through the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (RBWH). The leading healthcare company, Siemens Australia is the facility’s industry partner.
HIRF creates collaborative opportunities for all institutions using the latest imaging technologies to further research and improve patient outcomes.
The University of Queensland
The University of Queensland (UQ) is Queensland’s largest and oldest university. It is one of Australia’s leading research and teaching institutions, ranking within the 100 top universities worldwide. The institute strives for excellence through the creation, preservation, transfer and application of knowledge. For more than a century, UQ has educated and worked with outstanding people to deliver knowledge leadership for a better world.
UQ is a key partner in HIRF through the Faculties of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, and Health and Behavioural Sciences.
Queensland University of Technology
Queensland University of Technology (QUT) is a major Australian university with a truly global outlook. Home to nearly 50,000 students, QUT provides real-world infrastructure, learning and teaching, and graduate skills to the next generation of change-makers. QUT is a world-class university, being within the top 190 Universities in the world according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings of 2021. In 2020, QUT was ranked as Australia’s top university under 50 years old.
QUT is an ambitious and collaborative institution that seeks to equip their students and graduates with the skills they will need in an increasingly disrupted and challenged world.
Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital
The Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (RBWH) is Queensland’s largest hospital, with over 1000 beds, and provides a wide range of clinical services. RBWH employs more than 8,000 multidisciplinary staff that together provide more than one million episodes of life-saving treatment each year. It has extensive expertise in patient care, clinical trials, care pathways and advanced radiation therapy. Firmly established as a world-leading healthcare, research and innovation hub, RBWH has proud partnerships with more than 14 Queensland and national universities, three TAFE providers and boasts strong ties to the Australian Defence Force.
RBWH is also part of the Herston Health Precinct – one of Australia’s largest health and knowledge precincts.
QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute
The QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute is a world-leading translational research institute focused on cancer, infectious diseases, mental health and a range of complex disorders. QIMR Berghofer seeks to discover, diagnose and deliver better treatments for some of the world’s deadliest diseases. Every day, their team of 1000 scientists, support staff and students lives out the Institute’s mission to achieve better health through medical research.
Translating discoveries from bench to bedside and progressing research from hopeful theory to daily reality, their focus is on saving lives.
Siemens Australia
Siemens Australia have supplied the cutting-edge imaging equipment for the HIRF including the world’s first fully integrated, whole-body MRI scanner, the PET/MRI.
The company has contributed superior engineering applications and technical expertise to ensure high-quality scanner performance and strong clinical outcomes for patients.
Siemens Australia shares the HIRF vision of a world-class imaging facility and has also provided training for the production of imaging biomarkers and funded a medical fellow.
Siemens Australia scanners will play a vital role in assisting the HIRF to identify and develop new diagnosis and treatment pathways.
Contributors
HIRF’s establishment was funded by the contributions from the HIRF partners and the from the Queensland Government, Commonwealth Government, Australian Cancer Research Foundation and the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital Private Practice Trust Fund.
HIRF would like to take this opportunity to highlight the importance of those who have contributed to the facility and would also like to express a great appreciation for their generosity and continued support.