Tackling health priorities
by Kelly Stone
The University of South Australia’s flagship health and biomedical research institute will tackle key health issues identified as priorities both in SA and nationally.
The vision for the new Sansom Institute for Health Research was recently showcased at an event held at UniSA’s City East campus, attended by SA Health Minister John Hill and National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) CEO Professor Warwick Anderson AM (pictured).
Institute Director Professor Kerin O’Dea said the new vision for the Sansom unites UniSA’s internationally-recognised research strengths in molecular medicine, pharmaceutical science and quality use of medicines, health economics, population health, Indigenous health, nutrition and physical activity.
"We have an overarching goal of building capacity across the ‘four pillars’ identified by the NHMRC as essential for Australia – biomedical, clinical, population health, and health services and policy research," Prof O’Dea said.
"The Sansom will also provide an excellent model for the new South Australian Institute for Health and Medical Research, which it is anticipated to bring together and amplify the health and medical research capacities and outputs from all three universities, the hospitals and the associated institutes.
"The future is both challenging and exciting. We want to build the Sansom into a flagship institute which is addressing health issues identified as priorities in South Australia and nationally, and to build our recognition and influence internationally."
The Sansom Institute was originally founded in 2004 and named after eminent Australian pharmacist Emeritus Professor Lloyd Sansom AO.