Earlier diagnosis of a number of diseases including prostate cancer, cardiac disease and the complications of diabetes will be possible once a new medical imaging facility is built at the Royal Brisbane Hospital precinct at Herston.
QUT Executive Dean of Health, Professor Ross Young, said the $22 million Herston Imaging Research Facility (HIRF) was expected to be completed by the end of the year.
QUT, the University of Queensland (UQ), Metro North Hospital and Health Service through the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital and the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR) are partners in the project.
He said the new facility would house world's-best imaging equipment that would enhance doctors' and researchers' understanding of a range of diseases and therefore enable better treatments to be developed.
He said, for example, equipment housed at the new facility would be able to detect the location of and provide valuable information on the function of tumours.
"HIRF will be housed on the largest hospital campus in Queensland and will enhance our capacity to make a real difference to patients as well as to advance research," Professor Young said.
"Medical imaging and radiation sciences training programs at QUT will benefit from the facility as it will lead to new imaging techniques that result in earlier diagnosis and improved treatment of a number of diseases.
"It will build on world leading research at QUT in areas such as prostate cancer, wound healing and mental illness and will build on QUT's expertise in medical physics, IT and diagnostics."
Professor Young said the new improved imaging resources would also advance research techniques in the neuroscience of addictions as well as Parkinson's disease.
QUT Vice-Chancellor, Professor Peter Coaldrake, today (Wednesday 15 May) signed the HIRF agreement along with representatives of the three other partner organisations. Minster for Health, Lawrence Springborg, witnessed the signing at UQ's Centre for Clinical Research where the new facility will be housed.
Media contact: Rose Trapnell, QUT media officer, 07 3138 2361 or 0407 585 901 rose.trapnell@qut.edu.au
