Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research

What Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research does

The Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research is an independent, non-profit adult medical research institute headquartered in Perth, Western Australia, established in 1998 (originally as the Western Australian Institute for Medical Research, renamed in October 2013 to honour inaugural Chairman Harry Perkins AO). The institute operates two main campuses co-located with major teaching hospitals: an eight-storey facility at the QEII Medical Centre in Nedlands (housing laboratories, clinical space, the Lotterywest BioDiscovery Centre, and co-tenants including the Institute for Respiratory Health and Lions Eye Institute) and Perkins South at the Fiona Stanley Hospital campus in Murdoch, with additional presence at Royal Perth Hospital. It employs more than 450 research, clinical and support staff organised into three core research programs: the Cancer Program (poor-prognosis cancers including women's, liver, pancreatic, melanoma, head and neck), the Cardiovascular Science and Diabetes Program, and the Genome Biology and Genetic Diseases Program, supplemented by a Translational Renal Research group, the Centre for Clinical Research in Emergency Medicine, BRITElab, APEXHeart Lab, T3mPLATE (3D printing tissue engineering), and the Biota Research Pipeline (WA-native flora and fauna drug discovery).

The institute's core research technology platform spans discovery research, translational research, and early phase clinical trials. Its wholly-owned subsidiary Linear Clinical Research Ltd, established in 2010, operates WA's only dedicated and Australia's most advanced early phase clinical trials facility, providing bench-to-bedside translation. The institute is currently developing the Perkins WA Comprehensive Cancer Centre, a planned integrated cancer facility with 90 multi-day beds, 40 same-day beds/chairs and 36 specialist clinics, backed by $375 million in Federal Government funding allocated in 2022.

As a registered Deductible Gift Recipient charity (DGR CC20761), the institute is funded through a mix of approximately two-thirds community-sourced income (individual donations, the Spark monthly giving program, bequests, corporate partnerships with Wesfarmers, MACA, MinRes, HBF, Woodside, Lotterywest and Telethon7, and event fundraising including the Cancer 200 Ride and Walk for Women's Cancer) and approximately one-third government grants from NHMRC and the Medical Research Future Fund. It also generates ancillary commercial income through the Lotterywest BioDiscovery Centre's education programs ($295 per teacher, $50 per student) and venue hire. Beneficiary segments are West Australian patients and families affected by cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and rare genetic diseases, alongside a global research collaborator network spanning 97 cities across 29 countries.

Name

Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research

Legal name

Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research

Website

https://perkins.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research is a Perth-based, non-profit adult medical research institute operating two hospital-co-located campuses with 450+ staff, focused on cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and rare genetic diseases, and funded by donations, corporate sponsors, and government grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Medical Research Services

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-Medical Laboratories (8071)

akta.pro primary industry

Biomedical Sciences & Medical Research Institutes (University-Based) (EDAHAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Health & Biomedical Research Universities (Academic Medical Center–Affiliated) (EDAHABAC)

Keywords

• Medical research
• Clinical trials
• Cancer research
• Cardiovascular research
• Genetic disease research

Headquarters

HQ city

Nedlands

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individual supporters, including one-time gifts, monthly giving program (The Spark), and bequest gifts in Wills. All donations $2 and over are tax-deductible in Australia.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate giving including event sponsorship, partner programs, research lifeboat grants supporting student careers, and workplace giving programs.
3. Government Grants: Two-thirds of research projects funded by community; remaining portion from government grants including NHMRC Ideas Grant rounds and Medical Research Future Fund.
4. Event Fundraising: Major fundraising events including MACA Cancer 200 Ride for Research, New Town Toyota Walk for Women's Cancer, Perkins Plunge powered by MinRes, City2Surf, and Sydney Marathon.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research is Western Australia's leading adult medical research institute, conducting laboratory and clinical research across cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and genome biology and genetic diseases. It operates Linear Clinical Research, a dedicated early-phase clinical trials facility, and the Lotterywest BioDiscovery Centre, a school-focused science education facility, translating bench discoveries into clinical applications.

Product overview

The Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research is a single unified medical research institution offering multiple integrated programs and facilities. Core offerings include: Linear Clinical Research (WA's most advanced early phase clinical trials facility), the Lotterywest BioDiscovery Centre (educational outreach), the planned Perkins WA Comprehensive Cancer Centre, and the Biota Research Pipeline. Research is organized into three main programs: Cancer Research, Cardiovascular Science and Diabetes, and Genome Biology and Genetic Diseases. Supporting services include The Spark monthly giving program, community/tour programs, venue hire, and clinical trial participation opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Linear Clinical Research: Early phase clinical trials facility - WA's only dedicated and Australia's most advanced early phase clinical trials facility established in 2010.
• Perkins WA Comprehensive Cancer Centre

Products and services

• Linear Clinical Research Linear Clinical Research is a dedicated early-phase clinical trials facility operating as part of the Harry Perkins Institute, providing clinical trial infrastructure for the Institute's research programs and industry partners. It serves patients, researchers, and pharmaceutical/biotech collaborators seeking to conduct early-phase clinical research in Western Australia.
• Lotterywest BioDiscovery Centre The Lotterywest BioDiscovery Centre is a science education facility offering hands-on laboratory-based programs for Western Australian school students and teachers. It provides curriculum-aligned STEM education experiences and teacher training programs.
• Cancer Research Program The Cancer Research Program is one of the Institute's three core research programs, conducting laboratory and translational research into cancer biology, treatment, and therapeutics. It serves researchers, clinicians, and patients through research outputs and clinical trial translation.
• Cardiovascular Science and Diabetes Research Program The Cardiovascular Science and Diabetes Research Program is one of the Institute's three core research programs, conducting research into cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and related metabolic disorders. It produces research outputs for the scientific, clinical, and patient communities.
• Genome Biology and Genetic Diseases Research Program The Genome Biology and Genetic Diseases Research Program is one of the Institute's three core research programs, conducting research into genomics, epigenetics, and genetic diseases. It delivers research outputs for the scientific and clinical communities.
• Biota Research Pipeline The Biota Research Pipeline is a specialized research program that identifies and develops novel therapeutic compounds from Western Australian flora and fauna on a not-for-profit basis. It supports biodiversity-based drug discovery for the broader medical research community.
• The Spark The Spark is the Institute's monthly recurring giving program, allowing individuals to provide ongoing financial support to medical research through automated monthly donations. It is a donor acquisition and retention offering for individual community supporters.

Quantifiable outcome

• 190 discoveries made in 2025 in prevention, diagnosis and treatment
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• The University of Western Australia (UWA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Joint appointment of Prof Gina Ravenscroft as Dr Patricia Kailis Chair in Rare Diseases through Rare Care Comprehensive Centre partnership.
• University of Western Australia (UWA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1998Founding partner since establishment in 1998. UWA researchers work alongside Perkins staff across both campuses. Prof Peter Leedman serves as Director and CEO while maintaining academic connections.
• Cancer Council Western AustraliamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating on cancer research and awareness initiatives in Western Australia.
• Royal Perth HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner from 1998 establishment. CCREM conducts research at Royal Perth Hospital Emergency Department.
• Sir Charles Gairdner HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner from 1998 establishment. Co-located research activities at QEII Medical Centre campus.
• Fiona Stanley HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoined as partner in July 2003. Perkins South campus co-located at Fiona Stanley Hospital campus in Murdoch.
• Western Australian Department of HealthmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment health partner supporting research integration with healthcare system.
• Linear Clinical Research LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished by Perkins in 2010 as WA's only dedicated early phase clinical trials facility. Most advanced in Australia, translating discoveries from bench to bedside.
• Stanford Biodesign / Perth BiodesignmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through Global Faculty in Training program. Supported development of EarFlo device for treating glue ear in children.
• Tidal MoonmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndigenous-owned aquaculture operation working with Prof Kevin Pfleger on Shark Bay sea cucumber research for drug discovery. Establishes unique WA biotechnology.
• University of AdelaidemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in stem cell therapies mission grant for rare childhood brain disorders.
• WA Health Translation NetworkmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-located at Perkins Nedlands building working on health translation initiatives.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute: Australia's largest independent medical research institute based in Queensland, focused on cancer, infectious disease, and mental health. Closest comparable peer in mission, scale (450+ staff), and nonprofit medical research institute structure.
• Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health: Melbourne-based neuroscience and mental health research institute. Overlaps with Perkins' Genome Biology and rare neurological disease research programs.
• South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI): Adelaide-based independent medical research institute focused on cancer, heart health, and nutrition. Comparable in state-affiliated funding model and biomedical research focus.
• Telethon Kids Institute: Perth-based paediatric medical research institute, sharing Western Australia geography and overlapping community fundraising model, including Telethon7 support referenced in Perkins' partner list.
• Garvan Institute of Medical Research: Sydney-based medical research institute affiliated with St Vincent's Hospital, focused on cancer, genomics, immunology, and metabolic disease. Comparable in academic hospital co-location model, biomedical research programs, and translational focus.
• Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute: Melbourne-based medical research institute focused on cardiovascular and metabolic disease. Strong overlap with Perkins' Cardiovascular Science and Diabetes Program.
• Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre: Australia's only public hospital dedicated to cancer treatment and research, with significant translational research programs. Direct overlap with Perkins' cancer research program and Linear Clinical Research trials capability.
• Centenary Institute: Sydney-based independent medical research institute focused on cancer, inflammation, and cardiovascular disease. Comparable in size, structure, and nonprofit biomedical research mission.
• Murdoch Children's Research Institute: Largest child health research institute in Australia based in Melbourne. Comparable scale and institute model, though focused on paediatric research.
• Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute: Sydney-based heart and cardiovascular research institute. Overlaps specifically with Perkins' Cardiovascular Science and Diabetes Program and biomedical engineering focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PerkinsComms
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCdFSYOfruGDTDdEIAlyqDmA
• Facebookfacebook.com/harryperkinsinstitute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/harry-perkins-institute-of-medical-research
• Instagraminstagram.com/harryperkinsinst

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research