One of those researchers set to call the $255 million research hub home is Professor Raymond Chan, internationally renowned cancer nurse leader, researcher and inaugural director of the Flinders Caring Futures Institute (CFI).
Prof Chan, an NHMRC Investigator Fellow and Matthew Flinders Fellow, and his Cancer Survivorship Team will relocate to the purpose-built research facility once construction is completed in mid-2024.
"The HMRB is a functional hub that is going to bring researchers from a diverse range of healthcare disciplines together to solve the most challenging health problems of today and tomorrow," he says.
"This will enable cross college multi-disciplinary research endeavours that will enhance our research activities, outcomes, impact, and overall competitiveness."
The Cancer Survivorship Team will bring with them a suite of impressive projects aimed at extending and improving quality of live for survivors of cancer, a disease that will directly affect one in two Australians by the age of 85.
Prof Chan, who joined the Flinders Caring Futures Institute in August 2021 from Queensland University of Technology, says the opportunity to be in the state-of-the-art HMRB will provide his team with the opportunity to maximise engagement with clinicians and the community.
“The opportunity to be located in a state-of-the-art research building means that we will have access to the latest purpose-build research spaces,” he says.
“Having clinicians and other cancer researchers in the same location means that we can interact with them daily. The best research ideas often come from the most organic corridor conversations.
“Our cancer survivorship work also has many synergistic opportunities with many medical disciplines, and the public health teams across the University.
"For example, as part of our clinical trials, we also have a strong program of research to look at the genomic basis of distressing cancer symptoms and unwanted treatment toxicities."
South Adelaide Local Health Network (SALHN) will be a key partner to the HMRB, enabling seamless clinical academic partnerships.
