What we do
The Institute of Precision Medicine & Bioinformatics serves to enhance and strengthen the relationships between many disciplines and a wide range of health professionals across Sydney Local Health District and partner organisations.
The Institute promotes collaboration and cooperation to:
- develop strategies for genome DNA sequencing in patient care
- progress bioinformatics expertise and infrastructure
- consolidate research activities leading to greater competitiveness for research funding in genomics.
Our objectives
To deliver innovative health care and research:
- aligning more effectively the expertise found at RPA and Concord Hospitals
- maintaining the multidisciplinary mix that encourages novel research discoveries and their rapid translation into clinical care
- utilising precision medicine strategies to improve clinical outcomes
- developing more innovative models of care
- expanding options for genomics-based therapies
- educating health professionals, students and trainees in genomics
- facilitating more competitive research grant applications.
Our Executive Leadership Team
| Director | Professor Ron Trent |
| Deputy Director & Head of Research | Professor Marina Kennerson |
| Deputy Director | Professor Clement Loy |
| Operations Manager | Cindy Wong |
| Consumer Representative | Dr Alan McPhail |
Strategic Advisory Council
The Institute of Precision Medicine & Bioinformatics Strategic Advisory Council meets four times a year with a primary focus on the provision of strategic advice on directions and the identification of key initiatives. In addition to our Executive Leadership Team, the Council comprises representatives from:
| Bioinformatics, Institute of Precision Medicine & Bioinformatics | Providing bioinformatics support to the Departments of Medical Genomics, Microbiology and Haematology at RPA Hospital. |
| Clinical Genetics Service, Institute of Precision Medicine & Bioinformatics | Providing services in genetic assessment, counselling and genomic testing for prenatal, neonatal, paediatric and adult patients. |
| Collaborative Centre for Cardiometabolic Health in Psychosis | An integrated service for screening, detection, management, and follow up of metabolic disorders among patients with severe mental illness. |
| Department of Cell and Molecular Therapies, RPA Hospital | Providing services to academic and industry partners for the development, manufacture, clinical evaluation and implementation of cell and gene therapies. |
| Department of Chemical Pathology, RPA Hospital | At the forefront of innovations in personalised medicine including clinical trials and strategies to address common, potentially fatal genetic disorders, eg familial hypercholesterolaemia. |
| Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, RPA Hospital | Providing integrated care for diagnosis and management of infections, contact tracing and the rapid response to outbreaks. |
| Department of Medical Genomics, RPA Hospital | Providing DNA testing for a range of genetic disorders (eg, thalassaemia, haemochromatosis, Huntington disease, familial hypercholesterolemia, porphyria) and DNA testing of tumour tissue mutations (in melanoma, lung and colon cancer) to guide personalised therapy options. |
| Department of Molecular Medicine, Concord Hospital | Providing a broad range of genetic testing for neurodegenerative disorders, including Charcot-Tooth-Marie neuropathy, motor neuron disease, spastic paraplegia, muscular dystrophy, Parkinson's disease and ataxia. |
| Department of Neurology, Concord Hospital | Providing comprehensive inpatient and outpatient care for people with neurological disorders, including a full range of neurophysiology tests. |
| Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, RPA Hospital | Providing specialist medical care for the assessment and management of respiratory and sleep disorders. |
| Institute of Haematology, RPA Hospital | Providing testing for a range of haematologic malignancies, facilitating diagnoses and monitoring of minimal residual disease to provide prognostic information and guide therapeutic choices. |
| NSW Health Pathology | Australia’s largest public pathology, forensic and analytical science service. |
| NSW Health Statewide Biobank | A state-of-the-art storage facility for tissue samples, tumour cells, DNA and blood samples used for research into population health, human illness and disease. |
| RPA Institute for Academic Medicine | Supporting research, innovation in medicine, and the professional development of RPA physicians. |
| Sydney Local Health District Research | Supporting high quality research and its translation as a central component of health service provision at Sydney Local Health District. |
Partners and collaborators
To strengthen relationships and collaborations between disciplines in the field of genomics, the Institute of Precision Medicine & Bioinformatics has partnered with the following organisations.
| Anzac Research Institute | A biomedical research institute with a focus on ageing and improving future health and medical care outcomes for the Australasian community. |
| Brain and Mind Centre | Transforming brain and mind health with world-leading research. |
| Centenary Institute | The latest medical research into our most complex health challenges across cancer, cardiovascular disease and inflammation. |
| Central Sydney Cardiology | An academic private cardiology consulting practice involved in heart disease research and teaching. |
| Institute for Musculoskeletal Health | A research partnership in musculoskeletal health and physical activity. |
| NSW Health Statewide Biobank | A state-of-the-art storage facility for tissue samples, tumour cells, DNA and blood samples used for vital research into population health, as well as human illness and disease. |
| Huntington's Disease Research, Westmead Hospital | An outreach service for people with Huntington's Disease across NSW and contributor to national and international research. |
| Prevention and Early Intervention in Mental Illness and Substance Use Centre of Research Excellence | A world first synergy of the leading prevention and early intervention research and translation programs in mental health and addiction across five Australian universities. |
| The University of Sydney School of Pharmacy | A leading centre for pharmacy education in Australia with an outstanding national and international reputation for research and innovation. |