By mid 2001 we will have a magnificent building to greatly expand our capability to undertake clinical trials to test new drugs and vaccines for the treatment and prevention of many diseases including melanoma, lymphomas, leukaemia, prostate cancer, rheumatic heart disease and glandular fever, amongst others. One floor of the new building will be dedicated to the manufacture of new therapies and vaccines using the most sophisticated technology. In early August the Institute was thrilled to welcome Dr John Vierling as this year's Derrick-Mackerras Memorial Lecturer. Dr Vierling explained to a large audience the reasons why some organ grafts are rejected and the research that is now going into discovering new drugs to prevent organ rejection. The calibre of our visiting scientists and our own staff reflects the exhilarating nature of research today.
QIMR scientists work very hard to make a difference.
On behalf of them I ask you for your continued support. The Queensland Institute of Medical Research is your Institute. Human Trials A melanoma vaccine developed at QIMR has achieved complete remission in three patients with terminal disease. Three other patients have had partial disappearance of tumours and none of the patients has had any adverse reactions to the vaccine, which is made by extracting white blood cells from the patient and separating out dendritic cells. Scientists in Professor Kay Ellem's laboratory at QIMR culture the cells and grow them in large numbers before introducing them to a biopsy from the patient's tumour.