Australia's Victorian Government has announced a significant milestone in the development of the Aikenhead Centre for Medical Discovery (ACMD) in Fitzroy, Melbourne.
On 5 August, Victoria’s Medical Research Minister Ben Carroll visited the centre to mark the structural completion.
The new centre, which is being developed with an A$60m ($38.6m) investment, is expected to support the future of biomedical engineering research and translation.
Carroll said: “The ACMD is a game-changer and I can’t wait to see the collaborations that will deliver world-leading discoveries and breakthroughs to save lives and improve health outcomes in Victoria and abroad.”
Located at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, the ACMD is set to be a nexus for collaboration among scientists, clinicians and engineers from various hospitals, research institutes, and universities.
The centre aims to deliver life-saving scientific breakthroughs and is expected to create more than 300 new jobs.
ACMD will address major health challenges and chronic diseases such as cancer, epilepsy, and osteoarthritis by utilising new treatments and technologies, including AI, regenerative medicine and implantable digital devices.
The facility will feature 3D printing and clinical simulation labs, engineering workshops for medical device prototyping, robotics, insulated rooms for sensitive hearing and vision technology development, and an education centre for training healthcare professionals.
Set to open its doors in 2025, the ACMD will concentrate on early intervention and prevention strategies to save and improve lives not only in Victoria but also globally.
The centre has garnered support from St Vincent’s Health Australia, the Commonwealth government, and various philanthropic and research partners.
Since 2015, the government has channelled over A$1bn into Victoria's medical research sector, supporting 18 independent medical research institutes and as many as 6,000 employees.
Victoria Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said: “The new ACMD is a major leap forward for Victoria’s medical research, enabling groundbreaking discoveries and reinforcing our status as a world-class health and medical research hub.”
