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WELCOME TO THE PERKINS

The Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research conducts innovative research into the diseases that most affect our families in the WA community and the world at large.

The Perkins was established in 1998 to unify Western Australian scientists in a collaborative research powerhouse. In the years since, we have grown to become one of the nation’s leading medical research centres, where a close knit team of more than 250 research and trial staff work together to defeat the major diseases that impact our community – diseases like cancer, heart disease, diabetes and rare genetic diseases.

Everyone at the Perkins is driven by a desire to keep families together for longer, but we cannot do it alone. It is thanks to support from people like you that we can continue our life-saving work. The Perkins is proof that when you put world class scientists, doctors and researchers together in state-of-the-art facilities with a culture of innovation, amazing things happen.

What we are
A leading research institute
A charity
An employer
A state-of-the-art facility and venue
A pioneer in world-class clinical trials

OUR VISION

Pioneering medical research with local focus and global impact.

OUR PURPOSE

To drive discoveries, provide answers and give hope.

When you donate to the Perkins, you're giving yourself and those you love the opportunity to live longer, healthier and better lives by supporting WA's best medical researchers to beat the world's toughest diseases.

OUR VALUES

Respect

Respect is at the core of our organisation. We treat everyone in our diverse community with honesty, integrity and respect.

Innovation

We are a talented group of like-minded individuals at the forefront of modern medical research, using our creativity and the latest technology in our relentless quest for medical breakthroughs.

Passion

We bring a passion and commitment to every aspect of our work.

Collaboration

We recognise the power of working closely with each other and our collaborators to achieve the outstanding results for which we strive.

OUR STORY

The Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research was born from an ambitious plan to unite researchers from different areas of investigation with a key focus on collaboration. A multi-site medical research institute was established and named the Western Australian Institute of Medical Research (WAIMR), with founding partners that included The University of Western Australia, Royal Perth Hospital and Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and in July 2003, Fremantle Hospital joined.

It was thanks in-part to the leadership of the institute’s inaugural Chairman, Mr Harry Perkins AO, that Wesfarmers became the founding sponsor. In October 2013, WAIMR was renamed the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research in honour of Harry, his pivotal role in the creation of the institute and his vision to improve the lives of Western Australians.

In 2010, the Harry Perkins Institute established Linear Clinical Research Ltd, WA’s only dedicated and Australia’s most advanced early phase clinical trials facility accelerating the translation of discoveries at the bench to the bedside.

In the more than 20 years since the Institute’s inception, the Perkins has made and continues to make groundbreaking discoveries that improve the global understanding of disease and helped tackle WA’s major health challenges.

The Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research was named in honour of our inaugural Chairman, the late Harry Perkins AO, who played a pivotal role in the creation of the Institute.

Harry’s vision and commitment to improving the lives of Western Australians led to the creation of the Western Australian Institute for Medical Research in 1998.

The respect in which he was held and his unrelenting drive to advance medical research in Western Australia were instrumental in bringing together multidisciplinary teams of the best and brightest minds in science and biomedical engineering, working together and collaborating across the world for you, your families and your loved ones.

A farmer in the Bruce Rock area, where he was born, Harry Perkins went on to a distinguished business career, culminating in 16 years as Chairman of Wesfarmers Limited. He died of cancer in 2002.

Harry was a pioneer, who identified a need in the WA medical research sector and then went out and did something about it.

The word in our logo is based on Harry Perkins’ actual signature.

The Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research is grateful for the support and involvement of our Patron The Honourable Chris Dawson APM, 34th Governor of Western Australia.

His Excellency the Honourable Chris Dawson APM Governor of Western Australia

1998 – 2014

Professor Peter Klinken AC

Professor Peter Klinken AC

Past Director & Chief Scientist of WA

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1998 – 2002

Harry Perkins AO

Harry Perkins AO

Inaugural Chairman

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2002 – 2009

2009 – 2018

Laurence Iffla

Laurence Iffla

Director & Past Chair

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WHY WE RAISE FUNDS

Improved medicines and a better understanding of disease is only possible with medical research. And medical research is only possible with support from people like you.

Two-thirds of research projects at the Perkins are funded by the community: from donations from generous members of the community, and gifts in Wills.

When you donate to the Perkins, you’re giving yourself and those you love the opportunity to live longer, healthier and better lives by supporting WA’s best medical researchers to beat the world’s toughest diseases.