Children's Medical Research Institute
| Motto | Healthier kids, brighter futures |
|---|---|
| Established | 1958 |
| Research type | Medical research |
|
Field of research
|
Genetic research; Cancer; Epilepsy; Birth defects |
| Director | Professor Roger Reddel AO FAA |
| Address | 214 Hawkesbury Road, Westmead NSW 2145 |
| Location |
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 33°48′05″S 150°59′32″E / 33.80139°S 150.99222°ECoordinates: 33°48′05″S 150°59′32″E / 33.80139°S 150.99222°E |
| Campus | Westmead |
| Nickname | CMRI |
| Affiliations | |
| Website | cmri |
| Founder: Sir Lorimer Dods |
|
The Children's Medical Research Institute (CMRI) is an Australian-based independent medical research institute that conducts research into the fundamental causes of disease. As of 2014[update], current research is focused on the causes of cancer, epilepsy and birth defects. CMRI is the organiser of Australia's Jeans for Genes campaign.
The CMRI was founded in 1958 by paediatricians Sir Lorimer Dods, Dr John Fulton and Douglas Burrows, honorary treasurer and later president of the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children, to "perform scientific research with a commitment to better treat, and where possible, prevent childhood illness and disability so that all concerned have a better quality of life".
In 2009, the CMRI joined with the University of Newcastle to establish a Chemical Proteomics Centre for Kinomics (CFK) - a new discipline in Australia. This centre, a world-first, was supported by a $3.1 million grant awarded in 2009 by the Australian Cancer Research Foundation.
In 1995 researcher and current director of CMRI, Roger Reddel and his team discovered ALT (Alternative lengthening of telomeres), a method by which approximately 15% of human cancer cells achieve ‘immortality’ and keep dividing. This work is being pursued with a focus on understanding ALT and developing potential anti-cancer treatments and diagnostic tools.
Other achievements include:
In March 2007, Scott Cohen and his team made a significant discovery in telomerase research by establishing that the enzyme consists of two molecules each of telomerase reverse transcriptase, telomerase RNA, and dyskerin.
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