| Vice-Chancellor Professor Gerard Sutton speaking at the Illawarra Hea... Vice-Chancellor Professor Gerard Sutton speaking at the Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute sponsorship announcement at Corban Peugeot, as Michael Corban (centre) and Professor Don Iverson look on | 
| Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences Executive Dean Professor D... Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences Executive Dean Professor Don Iverson outlines his vision for the Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute at the Corban Peugeot sponsorship announcement, as Michael Corban looks on |
MEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE GETS CORPORATE SUPPORT
4 Apr 2008 | Nick Hartgerink
Wollongong businessman Michael Corban today (4 April) made a financial commitment to the Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute being established at the University of Wollongong, and challenged other local businesses to follow his lead.
Mr Corban backed his call with a $10,000 up-front donation to the Institute from his Corban Peugeot car dealership – while pledging an additional $100 for every new Peugeot he sells for the rest of 2008.
The University is establishing the Institute in a joint initiative with the South Eastern Sydney and Illawarra Area Health Service. It will focus on research into the key areas of cancer causes and treatment, age-related diseases, metabolic disorders (heart, diabetes and obesity), mental health and anti-infective diseases.
“The Institute is destined to become a major national medical research centre, and is the kind of positive story that Wollongong needs right now,” Mr Corban said. “So we jumped at the chance to be the first local business to support it.
“We hope that this will inspire other Wollongong businesses to also get behind the Institute. In fact, I’m issuing a challenge to other businesses to do just that.”
Mr Corban was speaking at a function at Corban Peugeot, attended by Minister for the Illawarra and Police Minister David Campbell, UOW Vice-Chancellor Professor Sutton and Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences Executive Dean Professor Don Iverson.
Mr Corban said the $10,000 was a down-payment, and he looked forward to inviting UOW representatives back at the end of the year to present a cheque for an even larger amount.
Professor Sutton thanked Mr Corban for his support and for being the first local business to get behind the Institute. He said he hoped it would encourage other organisations in the region to support it as well.
Professor Iverson was the guest speaker at the function, outlining his vision for the Institute which he predicted would become a world-class research facility engaged in ground-breaking clinical trials involving the Illawarra community.
Professor Iverson said he was delighted that a local business had decided to support the Institute.
“The Institute is destined to have a major impact on the health and well-being of the Illawarra community,” he said. “We’ll be conducting our clinical trials in this community, and we need to spread the word about what we are doing.
“So it is very encouraging that a prominent local business has come on board in the early stages to help us raise the Institute’s profile.
“We hope this example will encourage other organisations to support the work we will be doing to improve the health of this community through the generation and application of research advances.”
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