The Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) in Australia will receive a $5 million federal grant to launch a pioneering research team for children’s health. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the grant on Saturday night at MCRI’s 40th anniversary gala in Melbourne, attended by 300 medical experts, political leaders, philanthropists, and sports luminaries. The funds will directly support medical research aimed at preventing childhood conditions, including obesity, heart disease, mental health issues, and disabilities.
Also announced at the gala: a lead donation from Sarah and Lachlan Murdoch will launch the Horizon Fund, a permanent endowment for MCRI aimed at funding long-term children’s health research. The goal is to raise between $50 million and $100 million in its first year and reach $200 million within five years. The fund backs researchers’ immediate priorities while safeguarding long-term capital for future breakthroughs.
Co-founded in 1986 by Dame Elisabeth Murdoch and Professor David Danks, MCRI now comprises 1,800 scientists, researchers, and clinicians. Sarah Murdoch, global ambassador and board co-chair, said: "Behind every breakthrough is a child - a family desperate for answers." MCRI Director Kathryn North highlighted the Institute’s focus on therapies for previously incurable diseases, including stem cell technologies to grow heart patches and functional mini kidneys, aiming to develop regenerative therapies using a patient’s own stem cells. The next challenge: chronic conditions like asthma, obesity, allergies, and mental health conditions.