Building on our legacy advancing health research

For close to a decade, we’ve transformed healthcare with our rigorous research and innovative and sustainable solutions. We’ve created a world-leading institute boasting state-of-the-art laboratories, highly sought-after research and clinical facilities, and hundreds of members dedicated to addressing the most pressing health and medical challenges of our times.

Our current research

Most of our researchers continue their pioneering work under Griffith Health, while our biomedical teams are also aligned to the Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics.

Our mission continues to focus on innovation through rigorous, cross-disciplinary research and impactful global collaborations to create a brighter future for all.

Our history

The former Menzies Health Institute of Queensland was established on the Gold Coast in 2015, following an agreement between Griffith University and the Menzies Foundation to rename the Griffith Health Institute.

Professor Sheena Reilly served as the foundation director, restructuring the leadership team in the early years to focus on the increasing complexity of patient care and the need for technological innovations to capture and efficiently analyse healthcare data.

Professor Suzanne Chambers became director from 2016, following her role as the inaugural Menzies Foundation Professor of Allied Health Research. Professor Chambers built upon our strong foundation of allied health research, developing partnerships and leading projects aimed at improving health and community care.

Professor Paul Scuffham was appointed next as director in 2018 and led a refreshed strategy to translate innovative research into better health outcomes for all, focused around three programs: disability and rehabilitation, healthcare practice and survivorship, and infectious diseases and immunology.

In 2024—after many discoveries and positive impacts—the partnership between Griffith and Menzies Foundation came to an end. Most of the former institute’s researchers continue their groundbreaking work within Griffith Health’s expansive research groups. Many of our biomedical health teams have aligned with the newly formed Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics.

Our impact

Throughout its lifespan, the former Menzies Health Institute of Queensland helped drive innovation in medical research and technology from spinal cord injury breakthroughs to discovering new antiviral therapies.

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