The Federal Government has announced a $70m funding package to enable the development of the Garvan St Vincent’s Campus Cancer Centre (GSVCCC). The Centre will integrate the Garvan Institute’s internationally acclaimed cancer research with the best practice clinical care of St Vincents.
In jointly welcoming the funding announced in last night’s Federal budget, Professor John Shine AO, Executive Director of the Garvan Institute, and Steven Rubic, Chief Executive of St Vincents & Mater Health said this much needed support by the Commonwealth Government would enable construction of the new $100 million state-of-the-art facility to commence within the year.
“We are delighted that in these tough economic times the Government has exhibited the foresight to focus on increasing our capacity to better diagnose and treat this increasingly prevalent disease that devastates the lives of around one in three Australians,” said Professor Shine. “Coupled with the funds we have already raised from generous private donors and the Australian Cancer Research Foundation as well as the land that has been granted by the Trustees of St Vincent’s Hospital; this support will enable us to forge ahead to achieve better outcomes for people with cancer.”
Steven Rubic added that the Project would “build on the existing strengths and long history of collaboration between St Vincent’s and the Garvan, to ensure cancer research findings move quickly into clinical care and clinical challenges drive laboratory research.”
Housing over 350 researchers and clinicians within the St Vincent’s Research Precinct in Darlinghurst, the purpose-built Centre will have a major focus on translational research and the development of innovative, personalised medicine approaches to patient care. The GSVCCC will be complementary to other cancer initiatives being developed in Australia. By enabling researchers and clinicians to work side by side in an integrated and collaborative environment, the Centre will facilitate a multidisciplinary effort in the fight against cancer.
