April 11, 2014

Prominent research and innovation advisor brings insights to the Illawarra

The Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, a joint initiative of the University of Wollongong (UOW) and Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District (ISLHD), is pleased to announce that one of Australia’s most respected research and innovation advisors, Professor Alan Pettigrew, has joined the IHMRI Board as Chair.

Formerly Vice-Chancellor of the University of New England and inaugural Chief Executive Officer of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), Professor Pettigrew currently advises the Chief Scientist of Australia, is an Adjunct Professor at the Australian National University and a Professorial Fellow of the L.H. Martin Institute at the University of Melbourne.

He will attend his first IHMRI board meeting on Thursday 10 April and begin working with other board members, including UOW Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paul Wellings, and ISLHD Director of Research Governance, Professor Margaret Rose, on growing the institute and its reputation for research that addresses today’s and tomorrow’s needs in health and medicine.

Professor Pettigrew’s 30-year contribution to various government committees, councils and boards, including the NHMRC, Australian Law Reform Commission, Queensland Institute of Medical Research and John Curtin Medical Research Foundation, will not only ensure IHMRI’s governance, management and operations are of the highest standard, but help the institute achieve its vision of, ‘Excellence, innovation and growth in health and medical research, supporting better health care, leading to a healthier Illawarra community’.

While IHMRI researchers are already using the institute’s state-of-the-art facilities on the UOW campus to study a wide range of health issues, including mental health, lifestyle-related chronic disease, dementia, cancer and other diseases, Professor Pettigrew believes the institute can also play a role in boosting the region’s prosperity by attracting and retaining talented researchers and creating new jobs.

“The establishment of IHMRI, as a partnership between the UOW and ISLHD, indicates that the nature of the Illawarra region is changing,” he said.

“We must capitalise on this opportunity by ensuring that the institute, and its research efforts, are complementary to those of potential partner organisations who would benefit from investing in the region. However, these developments require a clear strategy, take time and rely on both reputation and trust; factors that I hope to contribute to through the role of Chair.”

By building the institute's brand presence and providing infrastructure to facilitate the research, Professor Pettigrew believes regional researchers will also be better placed to secure philanthropic and government funding, which he said is “highly competitive and often short-term”.

“In today’s research environment, success in addressing these types of challenges requires a level of focus and identification of the major research questions to be addressed by the institute as a whole. It is very pleasing to see that IHMRI has an outstanding Scientific Advisory Committee to assist decision-making in these critical areas,” he said.

Professor Pettigrew, who has also served as a consultant to the World Bank and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development on research governance and management, is looking forward to bringing his professional insights and experiences to IHMRI and is keen to continue giving back to a sector “that has given me so much enjoyment and satisfaction throughout my adult life”.