South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute
The South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute is an independent health and medical research institute in Adelaide, South Australia. The institute is housed in a purpose-built eponymous building with its iconic "cheese-grater" design created by architects Woods Bagot, located in South Australia's health and biomedical precinct on North Terrace, just east of the Royal Adelaide Hospital.
The institute is composed of approximately 700 researchers, many of whom have links to, and work collaboratively with, other research institutes in Australia and overseas.
The institute was officially incorporated in December 2009, and opened in its current location on 29 November 2013. A second building is under construction as of August 2022, and will house the Australian Bragg Centre for Proton Therapy & Research after its completion, scheduled in late 2023.
Establishment
In 2007 the South Australian Government commissioned the Review of Health and Medical Research in South Australia. The review was conducted by Professor John Shine and Alan Young. In May 2008 the review recommended that the South Australian Government establish a new health and medical research institute, and a fund to finance the institute.The South Australian Government committed to establish the institute, and the Australian Government provided A$200 million to help build the institute's building. The institute was incorporated in December 2009.
Governance
SAHMRI is governed by a nine-person board which includes representatives of South Australia's three universities: Flinders University, the University of Adelaide and the University of South Australia. SAHMRI's inaugural executive director since 2011 is Professor Steve Wesselingh.The institute was officially incorporated in December 2009.
Researchers
The institute is composed of approximately 700 researchers, many of whom have links to, and work collaboratively with, other research institutes in Australia and overseas.Buildings
SAHMRI 1
After nearly four years of construction, the institute opened in its new building on 29 November 2013. Woods Bagot, architects of the first SAHMRI building, with its iconic "cheese-grater" style, won several awards in the 2014 South Australian Architecture Awards, awarded by the Australian Institute of Architects. The firm received the Keith Neighbour Award for Commercial Architecture, the Robert Dickson Award for Interior Architecture, the Jack McConnell Award for Public Architecture, the Derrick Kendrick Award for Sustainable Architecture, and the COLORBOND Award for Steel Architecture.The building was mainly funded by the federal government, with the state government putting in into the project, which would also go towards running costs.