ANNUAL REPORT 2012-2013 Copies of this annual report are available on QIMR’s website at www.qimr.edu.au/annualreport and by contacting QIMR on (07) 3362 0222, freecall 1800 993 000 or by emailing [email protected]. Queensland Institute of Medical Research 300 Herston Road, Herston, Queensland Australia 4006 T: +61 7 3362 0222 F: +61 7 3362 0102 W: www.qimr.edu.au QIMR is committed to providing accessible services to people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. If you have difficulty in understanding the annual report, you can contact us on (07) 3362 0222 and the Institute will arrange an interpreter to communicate the report to you. ISSN 1839 – 1877 © Queensland Institute of Medical Research 2013 ANNUAL REPORT 2012-13 CONTENTS Letter of compliance ................ 3 Our performance ................... 28 Highlights ................................. 4 Our research achievements .... 43 Awards and achievements ....... 5 Supporting our research ........ 64 .............. QIMR at a glance ..................... 6 Financial statements 66 ......... Message from Patron ............... 9 Supporting information 102 Awards ................................ 102 .................. Chairman’s report 10 Lectures .............................. 104 Patents ................................ 112 Director’s report ..................... 11 Grants and funding .............. 114 Our organisation .................... 12 QIMR Fellows ...................... 116 Publications ......................... 117 Our governance ..................... 18 Compliance checklist ........... 148 Our management ................... 25 Glossary/Acronyms .............. 150 Page 2 QIMR Annual Report 2012–2013 LETTER OF COMPLIANCE 30 August 2013 The Honourable Lawrence Springborg MP Minister of Health Parliament House BRISBANE QLD 4000 Dear Minister I am pleased to present the Annual Report 2012–2013 and financial statements for the Council of the Queensland Institute of Medical Research. I certify that this Annual Report complies with: • the prescribed requirements of the Financial Accountability Act 2009 and the Financial and Performance Management Standard 2009, and • the detailed requirements set out in the Annual report requirements for Queensland Government agencies. A checklist outlining annual reporting requirements can be found on the final pages of this Annual Report or accessed at our website: http://www.qimr.edu.au/annualreport Yours sincerely THE HON PAUL de JERSEY AC Chair QIMR Council 300 Herston Road, Herston Q 4006 Australia | QIMR Locked Bag 2000, Royal Brisbane Hospital Q 4029 T (617) 3362 0222 F (617) 3362 0111 W www.qimr.edu.au Page 3 RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS CANCER Developed EphA3-targeted therapeutics for clinical Published for the first time an association between trials in leukaemia. human papilloma viral load and risk of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Showed that the prevalence of weekend sunburn is still high in Queensland especially in young male adults. Identified 49 genetic polymorphisms associated with risk of breast cancer. Published evidence from a randomised trial that sunscreen can slow the prevention of skin photoaging Identified nine new ovarian cancer risk loci. changes. Developed novel tissue-based biomarkers for Developed models to predict the incidence of lymphoma. oesophageal adenocarcinoma in the Australian Completed the largest and most comprehensive population. genetic analysis of melanomas of unknown primary (MUP), revealing insights into the origin of this rare subset of tumours. INFECTIOUS DISEASES Developed new diagnostics for parasitic diseases, Completed preclinical studies on the prophylactic including malaria, scabies and helminths. vaccine for human cytomegalovirus to prevent birth defects. Used experimental human blood stage malaria challenge system for developing new drugs and Successfully completed clinical testing of a new vaccines for malaria. diagnostic test to predict cytomegalovirus-associated complications in transplant patients. Developed a novel protein inhibitor of HIV called nullbasic which provides excellent protection from infection in human cells in vitro. Completed a five-year longitudinal study of schistosomiasis transmission in an endemic area in Schuan Province, China. Carried out the first release of Wolbachia for dengue control in Vietnam. Page 4 QIMR Annual Report 2012–2013 MENTAL HEALTH / COMPLEX DISORDERS Created an imaging test for major depression. Led advances in understanding genes contributing to risk for endometriosis by finding novel genomic regions Detected biomarker for risk of bipolar disorder. associated with risk, demonstrating that the genetic Identified 10 loci influencing allergic sensitisation. factors underlying disease are similar in European and Japanese populations. Identified an additional regulatory variant in the IL6R gene that associates with asthma risk. Reported five novel risk loci for migraine. Demonstrated a role for diabetes as a risk Identified a genetic variant in the obesity gene FTO factor for severe hepatic fibrosis in patients with which confers risk of melanoma. haemochromatosis. Developed a new diagnostic test for cerebral palsy. AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS QIMR Senior Scientist and head of the Institute’s Cancer and Population Studies Group, Professor Adele Green AC was awarded Queensland Australian of the Year. Awarded $2.4 million for a NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence for Oesophageal Cancer. Dr Motoko Koyama was awarded the Research Australia Discovery Award for her work into the role of dendritic cells in Graft-versus-host disease. Officially opening QIMR’s new research facility after two years of construction, in December 2012. QIMR was ranked the highest medical research institute in Australia, according to the Nature Publishing Index 2012 Asia-Pacific. Page 5 AT A GLANCE RESEARCH AGREEMENTS Research service agreements Clinical trial agreements Intellectual property agreements Others PATENT PORTFOLIO New treatment patents Vaccine patents Delivery platforms patents Diagnostic patents Drug target patents Medical device patents Page 6 QIMR Annual Report 2012–20132010–2011 20 NHMRC GRANTS 15 AWARDED ($ MILLIONS) 10 $MILLIONS * NHMRC grants and fellowships were announced 5 in late 2012 for funding commencing in 2013 0 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 YEAR Grants 700 SCIENTIFIC 600 PUBLICATIONS 500 400 300 PUBLICATIONS 200 100 0 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 YEAR Articles High Impact (publications in journals with impact factors of 10 or more) 700 STAFF NUMBERS 600 500 400 STAFF 300 200 100 0 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 YEAR Staff Students Page 7 MESSAGE FROM OUR PATRON QIMR Director and CEO Professor Frank Gannon, Governor of Queensland, Her Excellency Ms Penelope Wensley AC, water memory artist Judy Watson and Queensland Minister for Health The Honourable Lawrence Springborg MP. Page 8 QIMR Annual Report 2012–20132010–2011 QIMR 2012-2013 Annual Report; Patron’s Message Every day, thousands of people drive or walk past QIMR’s buildings in Herston, near the centre of Brisbane, unaware that they are passing a distinguised and internationally - acclaimed research institution that is a major part of Queensland’s ever-growing knowledge infrastructure. Within QIMR’s walls and behind its anonymous windows, there is research and translational activity underway that has the potential to change lives and communities for the better through discoveries that improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of diseases. The following pages report with quiet pride on the crucial work that QIMR has been pursuing in the past twelve months in pursuit of that admirable goal. This Annual Report, of necessity, uses highly technical language to describe in detail the many and varied research sectors in which QIMR is active, and the organisation’s achievements in these areas. However, any lay person perusing its pages will quickly understand the relevance of QIMR’s work because many of the diseases it targets are regularly subjects of discussion with family, friends and colleagues, and in the media. Ovarian, breast and oesophageal cancers, HIV, asthma, anorexia and dementia constitute but a few of the conditions that were the focus of QIMR’s endeavours in 2012- 2013. This work is carried out with the support of QIMR’s partnerships, connections and networks with hospitals and other medical institutions in Queensland, and with health research professionals from all over Australia and internationally. This network is an invisible and invaluable asset for QIMR and for Queensland. It is the key to QIMR’s influence on the national and global level and also an important source of knowledge and ideas that, ultimately, will benefit our State. QIMR is now supported in its work by new, state-of-the-art facilities at Herston, opened in December 2012 by the philanthropist Mr Chuck Feeney, whose generosity played a major role in making the new building possible. I take this opportunity to thank Mr Feeney and all those who supported the construction of this wonderful new asset for QIMR. I was pleased, in April this year, to unveil yet another kind of asset for QIMR – Judy Watson’s striking art work water memory in the foyer of the new building, which provides a powerful reminder to passers-by of the power and legacy of knowledge, both traditional and new, in that place. I thank the Council and the CEO of QIMR, Professor Frank Gannon, other members of the senior executive, scientists, support staff and research students for their untiring efforts in 2012-2013, on behalf of the Queensland community.