It’s being described as the Hunter’s first “A-Z of medical research”.
A new web portal enables people to match medical conditions they may be suffering to details of cutting edge research in the Hunter, across Australia and around the world.
It also profiles the world-leading researchers from the University of Newcastle and Hunter New England Health who are tackling those diseases.
The A-Z search tool is a new feature of the Hunter Medical Research Institute website, which has undergone a complete makeover.
A global IT firm, Tata Consultancy Services, donated its time and know-how to the institute to develop a world-class web presence that helps patients and researchers around the world support, participate in, or learn more about its work.
The Hunter Medical Research Institute is the first Australian recipient of Tata’s Pro Bono Fund, which offers the company’s expert IT services free of charge to eligible not-for-profit organisations. The program draws inspiration from Tata’s pro bono work around the world, notably in the health sector.
HMRI Director Professor Michael Nilsson said:
“We are exceptionally grateful for the opportunity to work with Tata. The new-look website will enable us to builds links to the broader research community and help us foster international collaboration. But crucially it can also serve the needs of patients and people in our local region.
“Innovation is firmly on the national agenda to deliver a robust 21st century economy. Recently a major regional report titled Smart Specialisation Strategy for the Hunter Region acknowledged HMRI’s contribution to the medical technologies landscape. Our new website is another tangible manifestation of this strength.”
Karen Iles, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility for Tata Consulting Services, Australia and New Zealand, said:
“Technology is transforming lives and communities. We’re committed to using our IT expertise to help charities and non-profit organisations to take advantage of the benefits of technology. We’re proud of our work with the Hunter Medical Research Institute. It will stimulate a flow of information and technology between the laboratory, clinic and community and enable this important institution to continue to deliver world-leading research.”
Visit the portal at www.hmri.org.au