Queensland Institute of Medical Research

What Queensland Institute of Medical Research does

QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute (formerly the Queensland Institute of Medical Research) is an Australian non-profit medical research institute headquartered at 300 Herston Road, Herston, Queensland, and founded in 1945. The institute employs over 1,000 scientists, staff, and students and organizes its work around four research programs: Cancer, Infection and Inflammation, Population Health, and Brain and Mental Health. Its output spans discovery science, translational research, and clinical studies including pharmacogenomics trials (ClozaGene, Genetics of Glaucoma, Genetics of Pharmacoresistant Epilepsy, MoST-LLy) and proprietary technology platforms in cellular immunotherapy, an AI-powered pathology screening tool, and an online Melanoma Risk Calculator. The institute maintains the world's largest genetic study of 'moliness' (melanoma mole count) and has produced internationally recognized findings, including a leading genetics researcher honored with an Australian Academy of Science award.

The institute's underlying technology stack combines wet-lab research infrastructure (core facilities, Q-Gen commercialization subsidiary) with digital tools (consumer-facing risk calculator, AI pathology screening). Its commercial translation is anchored by the Q-Gen subsidiary and recent strategic collaborations with CTMC (Cell Therapy Manufacturing Center) via the CTMC Global Network Alliance and TFBS Bioscience, alongside out-licensing of discovered drug candidates to external drug developers. The institute also operates the LifeLab science education program, the Clinician Researcher Academy, and partnerships under the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF), including an active project to expand its cellular immunotherapy technology into India.

QIMR Berghofer's business model is that of a registered charity (ABN 31 411 813 344) funded through four streams: Australian government research grants, philanthropic donations (monthly giving, major gifts, bequests, and corporate partnerships), commercial collaborations (contract research, technology licensing to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies), and bilateral research funding such as AISRF. The institute does not sell commercial products, does not charge participants in clinical trials, and prices services and access through grant-based and licensing arrangements rather than a standard pricing model. Customers are segmented into patients and research participants, pharmaceutical and biotechnology partners, individual donors, and corporate partners.

Name

Queensland Institute of Medical Research

Legal name

QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

Website

https://qimrberghofer.edu.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute is an Australian non-profit medical research institute founded in 1945 and based in Herston, Queensland, employing over 1,000 scientists, staff, and students. It conducts discovery and clinical research across cancer, infection and inflammation, population health, and brain and mental health, translating discoveries into drug candidates and digital health tools through its Q-Gen subsidiary and industry partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Medical Research

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLAGADAF

Molecular & Genetic Testing (PCR/NGS/qPCR)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Life Science Tools & Services (CRO/CDMO/Lab Services)/Laboratory Testing & Analytical Services

SECONDARYHLAAALAA

Molecular Diagnostics (PCR/qPCR, NGS-based assays)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Biotechnology & Biologics/Diagnostics (Biotech-related)

Keywords

• Medical research
• Cancer research
• Clinical trials
• Infectious diseases
• Translational research

Headquarters

HQ city

Brisbane

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Research Grants: Funding from Australian government bodies for medical research programs
2. Philanthropic Donations: Individual donations through monthly giving, major gifts, and bequests; corporate partnerships; community fundraising
3. Commercial Collaborations: Contract research services and technology licensing to pharmaceutical and biotech companies; MOU arrangements for cell and gene therapy development
4. Bilateral Research Funding: Australia-India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF) grants for collaborative international science projects

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute is a non-profit translational medical research institute that investigates cancer, infectious diseases, mental health, and chronic disorders across four research programs. It delivers its science through in-house core facilities, clinical trials, workforce training, public health tools (including the Melanoma Risk Calculator), and commercial collaboration through its Q-Gen cell-therapy manufacturing unit.

Product overview

QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute is a single-institution medical research organization offering a portfolio of research programs, clinical studies, and educational services. The core offering comprises four research programs (Infection and Inflammation, Population Health, Cancer, Brain and Mental Health), supported by Clinical Trials & Research Studies including pharmacogenomics studies (ClozaGene, Genetics of Glaucoma, Genetics of Epilepsy), the Q-Gen commercial collaboration unit, Core Facilities shared infrastructure, and educational outreach through LifeLab. A digital tool—the Melanoma Risk Calculator—provides population health screening access. The institute positions itself for translational impact through commercial partnerships and cell/gene therapy collaborations via CTMC Global Network Alliance and TFBS Bioscience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Clinical Trials & Research Studies An institute-run clinical trials and research studies program covering cancer, infectious diseases, mental health, and population health. Open to eligible patients and healthy volunteers who can enrol to participate in translational research.
• Melanoma Risk Calculator A free, publicly accessible online tool that assesses an individual's melanoma risk based on research-identified factors. Designed for the general public as a preventive-health resource.
• Core Facilities Shared in-house research infrastructure supporting histology, microscopy, imaging, genome sequencing, bioinformatics, biostatistics, animal facilities, and cell banking. Made available to institute research programs and collaborators.
• Q-Gen Cell-Therapy Collaboration Unit Commercial collaboration and manufacturing unit within the institute that supports cell-therapy development, including cellular immunotherapy projects, and licenses technology to external partners such as Indian research institutes.
• LifeLab Education and outreach program providing student work experience and school engagement activities connected to the institute's medical research.
• Clinician Researcher Academy Structured training program supporting clinicians to develop research skills and pursue careers as clinician-researchers, typically within or affiliated with the institute.

Quantifiable outcome

• Sun smart kids have 50 per cent fewer moles and a lower melanoma risk

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• CTMC (Cell Therapy Manufacturing Center)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2026QIMR Berghofer and CTMC announced strategic collaboration in cell and gene therapy through the CTMC Global Network Alliance. This partnership advances the development and manufacturing of cell and gene therapies for clinical application.
• TFBS BiosciencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerQIMR Berghofer and TFBS Bioscience signed an MOU to advance cell and gene therapies. The partnership aims to develop and commercialize cellular immunotherapy technologies discovered at the institute.
• Australian Universities and Indian Research InstitutionsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF), Australian universities partner with Indian research institutions on collaborative science projects including AI-driven agricultural research, e-waste recycling, anti-viral technology, and quantum machine learning. AISRF is Australia's largest bilateral science program supporting over 370 collaborative activities since 2006.
• India - Cellular Immunotherapy ExpansioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew project to expand pioneering cellular immunotherapy technology developed by QIMR Berghofer to India, enabling broader access to this cancer treatment technology.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI): Australia's oldest medical research institute, also based in Melbourne, conducting discovery research across cancer, immunology, and infectious diseases. Highly comparable as a fellow large-scale Australian non-profit biomedical research institute with similar funding models and translational research programs.
• Garvan Institute of Medical Research: Sydney-based medical research institute focused on genomics, cancer, metabolic diseases, and immunology. Directly comparable as another major Australian non-profit research institute with significant genomic and translational research capabilities and similar scale.
• Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre: Australia's largest cancer treatment and research centre, integrating clinical care with cancer research. Comparable as a major Australian cancer-focused institute with translational research programs, clinical trials, and biotech industry partnerships.
• Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research: Perth-based medical research institute specializing in cancer, cardiovascular disease, and genetic diseases. Comparable as an Australian non-profit research institute with a similar mix of discovery science, clinical translation, and commercialization programs.
• Centenary Institute: Sydney-based medical research institute focused on cancer, inflammation, and infectious diseases. Comparable as a fellow Australian non-profit biomedical research institute of similar profile and translational orientation.

Broad incumbents

• Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center: Major US-based non-profit research institute focused on cancer, infectious disease, and translational research with extensive biotech licensing and spin-out activity. Comparable as a globally recognized research institute with a similar non-profit, multi-disease-area operating model and stronger commercialization track record.
• Wellcome Sanger Institute: UK-based genomics and genetics research institute with large-scale population studies comparable to QIMR's 'moliness' genetic dataset. Highly comparable in running some of the world's largest genetic studies and operating as a non-profit with substantial research scale.
• Dana-Farber Cancer Institute: Leading US-based cancer research and treatment center with major immunotherapy, cell therapy, and translational research programs. Comparable as a globally leading non-profit with deep expertise in the same therapeutic areas (cancer immunotherapy, cell therapy) that QIMR is developing.
• Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI): US-based non-profit biomedical research organization supporting hundreds of investigators across major US universities. Comparable as a non-profit funding and operating model for high-impact biomedical research at massive scale, with strong translational and commercialization outcomes.
• Francis Crick Institute: UK-based biomedical discovery institute with over 1,500 scientists conducting research across cancer, infection, and neuroscience. Comparable as a large-scale non-profit discovery research institute with similar headcount profile, translational orientation, and international partnership approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/qimrberghofer
• Facebookfacebook.com/QIMRBerghofer

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Queensland Institute of Medical Research