Celebrating 60 years of research at TQEH
Photo L-R: Mr Paul Flynn, CEO THRF Group, Professor John Beltrame AM, Director of Research CALHN, Professor Richard Ruffin, Her Excellency the Honourable Frances Adamson AC, Mr Raymond Spencer, Chair CALHN, Dr Prue Cowled and Professor Guy Maddern, Director of Research BHI, TQEH. [taken by Andrew Beveridge, ASB Creative]
A gala dinner was held at the National Wine Centre on Wednesday 13 October 2021 to celebrate 60 years of life-changing research at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (TQEH) and the 30th anniversary of TQEH Research Expo.
As part of the 60th celebration a video was created that provides a glimpse of research undertaken at TQEH.
The Hospital was built in the mid-50’s to service Adelaide’s Western suburbs. It was the second general hospital for Adelaide. Soon after opening the hospital became home to The University of Adelaide departments of Surgery, Medicine, Psychiatry and Obstetrics and Gynaecology and quickly built a reputation for excellent, innovative medical research.
Today, research at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital is collectively known as the Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research, fondly known as the BHI, having been named after the renowned South Australian researcher Professor Basil Hetzel AC in 2001.
For almost 60 years, research at TQEH has been supported by TQEH Research Foundation, now known as The Hospital Research Foundation Group. The foundation was the major sponsor of the dinner.
At the celebration dinner, four inaugural Basil Hetzel Institute Awards were presented for exceptional contributions made to the BHI, TQEH. Professor Richard Ruffin and Dr Prue Cowled each received an award in recognition of their exceptional contribution to research, The Hospital Research Foundation Group and their CEO Mr Paul Flynn were recognised for their exceptional support of research. Finally, Professor Guy Maddern, Director of Research at the BHI, TQEH, was recognised for his excellence in research leadership over more than two decades.
The event was attended by the newly sworn in Governor of South Australia, Her Excellency the Honourable Frances Adamson AC together with supporters and researchers from The University of Adelaide, University of South Australia, the Central Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN) and The Hospital Research Foundation Group.
We thank our guest speakers 2021 Young Australian of the Year, Isobel Marshall and her business partner Eloise Hall who are Co-Founders of Taboo Period Products (tabooau.com) as well Professor Caroline McMillen, Chief Scientist of South Australia, for giving the closing remarks.
The dinner’s host, Professor Guy Maddern, summarised the night saying ““The 60/30 dinner and celebration was a great success, bringing together the old, the new and the future leaders in medical science. I have always been very proud of what the BHI has achieved, and after last night’s event I have no doubt about its future.”
Today, Thursday 14 October, the 30th TQEH Research Expo begins with research students and trainees presenting their research throughout the afternoon. The Expo continues all day on Friday 15 October, with the Plenary Lecture being given at 12pm by SA Chief Medical Officer, Dr Michael Cusack.
A full program and Zoom links for all sessions at the 30th TQEH Research Expo can be found on the BHI website. https://basilhetzelinstitute.com.au/research/information-for-researchers/bhi-activities/research-expo/
