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Snow Medical to revolutionise immunology research globally with $100 million gift

• Emphasis of funding is the long-term support for scientists to undertake bold research.
• Debilitating autoimmune disorders collectively affect up to 10% of the population.
• Centre to open in 2024 and will look at immune health from a whole-of-person perspective.

In one of the largest and longest-running philanthropic partnerships in Australian history, the Snow Medical Research Foundation (Snow Medical) announced this week that it will work with the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute to establish one of the world’s leading immunology research centres with an initial commitment of $100 million over 10 years. It will be called the Snow Centre for Immune Health, and the emphasis of the funding is to create the long-term capacity to allow scientists to pursue bold research programs. Ongoing investments are expected beyond 10 years.

Snow Medical says the gift will help move away from incremental science in a bid to solve the grand challenges of immunology. The partnership is people-focused and will support some of Australia’s best scientists and their teams to pursue their visionary and high-risk, high-reward work that is expected to fundamentally change how immunological diseases are treated.

Snow Medical Chair Tom Snow said: “We searched the country to find the best teams with the brightest ideas, and we chose to home this project at WEHI as we are confident it will help transform the lives of so many Australians with immunological disease.

“We empower bold, transformative research across Australia by backing the best and brightest researchers – and resourcing them with the tools they need to be world-class.”

The $100 million commitment more than doubles Snow Medical’s investment in medical research from $100 million in the four years since 2019 to more than $200 million.

“This is about our family’s commitment to long-term sustainable positive impact for the community, and it builds on the legacy of the Snow Fellowship program, research funding and other community-based philanthropy. We could not be more proud.”

Terry Snow, Canberra businessman, philanthropist and Snow Medical founder, said: “Australia has some of the best researchers in the world. We want to get them out of short-term funding cycles and give them freedom to experiment and take risks – we’re here to back them.

“ WEHI researchers have always been known for their outstanding commitment to excellence. They presented us with a bold and ambitious vision for Australian research – they’re going to change the lives of millions of Australians living with immune health issues,” he said.

Debilitating autoimmune disorders such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis collectively affect up to 10% of the population and account for some of our most significant chronic health problems. Treatments for immunological diseases are limited – many people are treated with blanket approaches and in some cases treatments don’t exist.

Most research globally to-date has focused on a disease by disease, project by project approach, and has frustratingly led to few new treatments. For the first time globally at scale, the centre will look at immune health from a whole-of-system, whole-of-person perspective, to deliver transformational real and measurable impacts for patients living with these debilitating diseases. The Centre will translate discoveries made in the lab to benefits for patients at unprecedented scale and speed.

As well as funding the next generation of exceptional young talented researchers, the Snow Medical partnership will also fund Snow Research Clinics. Initially with founding partner, the Royal Melbourne Hospital and then progressively across Victoria. The Snow Research Clinics will allow patients to join immune system trials, while also concurrently treating those most at-need with the best and latest research treatments. It will leapfrog Victoria forward to be one of the best places globally to treat immune diseases with the best treatments, says Snow Medical.

WEHI acting director Professor Alan Cowman said the Snow Centre for Immune Health will completely change the way we view the immune system, with the ambitious aim of revolutionising healthcare delivery to be about proactively predicting and preventing, instead of reacting to and treating, immune illness and disorders.

“The Centre will rapidly accelerate this growing field of research and do it at a scale not seen anywhere else in the world. We are deeply grateful to the Snow Medical Research Foundation and the Snow family for their vision, boldness and generosity, in backing this talented team and their revolutionary approach to how we understand and treat immune disease.”

The Centre will commence operation in early 2024, and is expected to employ more than 50 scientists, clinicians and staff within the first five years. Snow Medical said it chose to partner with WEHI to lead this initiative with national and international collaborators because of WEHI’s leadership and culture, which encourages scientific curiosity, develops young researchers and empowers high-performing teams. Built from strong philanthropic beginnings, WEHI has an outstanding track record in science and medical research, advancing equity and equality, institutional leadership and successful commercial development.

Jack Heath, CEO of Philanthropy Australia, said: “This is a stunning gift from the Snow Medical Research Foundation with the potential to benefit literally millions of people. Importantly, it stretches over a 10-year period, which gives the WEHI and Royal Melbourne Hospital teams the ability to plan for the long-term and maximise impact.” 

Professor Jo Douglass from the Royal Melbourne Hospital, who will co-lead the Centre, said that the long-term vision and funding from the Snow Medical Research Foundation would ensure her team could move beyond the short-term thinking that currently slows down major research discoveries from being translated.

The aim is for an efficient translation of research from bench to bedside, and the program will target rapid development of new diagnostics and therapies. “The integrated design of the Snow Centre for Immune Health will ensure the best treatments are immediately available to patients in the clinic. This signals a new era of partnership and reflects our shared purpose of building highly impactful and multidisciplinary research, together,” she said.

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University of Sydney researcher wins coveted $8 million Snow Fellowship

Image: Professor Ju’s micro-device is being developed to help monitor blood for dangerous changes and potential clots. Credit: University of Sydney

The Fellowship will support the development of a micro-device that monitors and alerts people at risk of a heart attack or stroke to dangerous changes in the blood and possible clots.

Associate Professor Ju is the first engineer and University of Sydney recipient of the Fellowship. This year, he is one of only two emerging medical researchers, including Dr Michelle Boyle from the Burnet Institute in Melbourne, who will receive a million dollars a year for eight years, creating an unprecedented level of long-term support for their work. The Snow Fellowships are provided by the Snow Family, through Snow Medical, in recognition of the exceptional, visionary work the Fellows, and their teams, are doing in their chosen biomedical field.

“The impact of this Fellowship cannot be overstated. I congratulate Associate Professor Ju and his team on this powerful endorsement of their research which has the potential to save the lives of countless people both in Australia and around the world. I applaud Snow Medical Research Foundation (Snow Medical) for their generosity and commitment to the future of medicine and to accelerating the possibilities of this research,” said Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Mark Scott AO.

“We are proud and grateful to work with Snow Medical in mutually pursuing the ambitious goal of undertaking world-class research to solve global challenges.”

Professor Ju and his team. Credit: University of Sydney

Associate Professor Ju is an award-winning biomedical engineer who applies engineering principles to understand the cardiovascular system at molecular and cellular scales, leading the development of microtechnologies to monitor changes in the blood.

Associate Professor Ju said: "I'm incredibly honoured to have been awarded the Snow Fellowship and I would like to express my sincere gratitude for their trust and support in our work.

"The road from research and development to the deployment of new medical devices is often challenging. The Fellowship, which provides unparalleled and sustained funding for eight years, will give us the necessary support to navigate this journey.”

University of Sydney Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Emma Johnston congratulated Associate Professor Ju and thanked Snow Medical and the Snow family for their support: “We are immensely proud of Arnold – the University’s first Snow Fellow. Arnold is an exciting young engineer and physicist whose multidisciplinary work is set to revolutionise cardiovascular health in Australia and globally.

"The remarkable generosity of the Snow family and the Snow Medical Research Foundation in funding these 8-year fellowships is truly transformational. Their vision is accelerating the ambitious research of extraordinary talents like Arnold."

The Snow Fellowship will support Dr Ju and his team to investigate cardiovascular mechanobiology at a cellular and biomolecular level, allowing them to gain insight into how sticky blood clots are triggered. This knowledge will be the foundation for the development of cutting-edge biomechanical nanotools and analysis that will form the basis of a clinical grade micro-device to predict blood clot tendency.

"Heart attacks are the leading cause of death globally. With Snow Medical's generous support, we’re hopeful we can make significant progress towards developing a finger prick test and device that can detect early signs of blood clots and alert individuals before a heart attack or stroke happens,” said Associate Professor Ju who heads the University’s Mechanobiology and Biomechanics Laboratory (MBL).

Associate Professor Ju is motivated by his family's experience with heart disease and his desire to make a difference to the lives of those at risk of heart attacks and strokes.

“The motivation for my research is personal,” he said. “My father had a heart attack when he was just 54 years old, inspiring my personal quest to build a simple test to notify people at risk of developing a deadly blood clot.”

Associate Professor Hu's research inspiration is his father, Li Hu. Credit: Associate Professor Lining (Arnold) Ju.

The additional $16 million investment for these two new Fellowships brings Snow Medical’s commitment to the medical research sector to over $100 million since its establishment in 2020.

"Michelle Boyle and Lining Ju are amongst the best biomedical researchers globally. They join nine other truly outstanding Snow Fellows across Australia. Our Snow Fellows have the passion, dedication, and vision to make a real difference in the world, and we are excited to see how they will push the boundaries for science," said Snow Medical Chair Tom Snow.

"Snow Medical wants the best minds in the country focused on solving the world’s big problems instead of being wasted chasing funding. The existing system of short-term funding cycles creates a rut for our brilliant researchers, cutting back their ability to make a difference. We wanted to change that. Our 11 Snow Fellows, and their teams, are changing the face of healthcare in Australia and globally.

“Our family recognised that short term funding cycles were creating a rut for many of our brilliant and highly advanced researchers, with these research teams and their institutions, spending too much time securing capital, cutting back their ability to make a difference. We wanted to change that."

Micro-device designed to monitor the blood for dangerous changes

Snow Medical Founder Terry Snow added: “I want this funding to change the status quo, I don’t want our Snow Fellows wasting time applying for short term funding. I want them to take this opportunity, use it to do what they do best, and get on with the business of research; to push the boundaries of what's possible."

"Without investing in the people who will drive innovation and take risks, we're missing the point. By supporting Australia’s brightest minds to lead the way, they’ll find solutions that will make a real difference in people's lives."

The Snow Fellowship Announcement comes on the back of a recent announcement by Snow Medical of a new Gender Equality Benchmark that assesses gender equality in education institutions, across thirty-two gender equality measures in three key areas: women’s inclusion in senior leadership, recognition of women through awards such as honorary doctorates, and the promotion and recruitment of women in scientific staff. Results of the benchmarking will determine eligibility for future Snow Medical funding.

The making of the micro-device

About Associate Professor Arnold Ju

Associate Professor Ju received his PhD in Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, before working at the Australian Centre for Blood Diseases and the Heart Research Institute. He has received numerous awards, including the Royal Society of NSW Edgeworth David Medal, and was recognised as an Innovator Under 35 by MIT Technology Review in 2021 and a Young Tall Poppy Science Award Winner in 2020. He is a member of Sydney Nano and the Charles Perkins Centre. 

About Snow Medical Research Foundation The Snow Medical Research Foundation (Snow Medical) is the creation of Canberra’s Snow family and is a vision of businessman and philanthropist, Terry Snow. Snow Medical’s pivotal program, the Snow Fellowships, targets emerging global research leaders that show the potential to drive, manage and influence the next generation of health and medical innovation.

The eight-year Snow Fellowship, funded at up to $1 million per year, provides outstanding biomedical researchers the independence to focus on building ambitious multidisciplinary research programs and teams capable of changing the face of healthcare in Australia and globally.

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Snow family launches new medical foundation to foster world's best researchers

Terry and Tom Snow at the launch of Snow Medical, which they see as a game changer for medical research in Australia. Photo: Supplied.

Canberra’s first family of philanthropy, the Snows, have a launched an Australia-first charitable foundation dedicated to funding the brightest and best medical researchers from across the nation and from around the world.

The Snow Medical Research Foundation ( Snow Medical ) is looking to fuel a new wave of medical innovation by providing generous, long-term funding and leadership support to outstanding researchers and their teams, no matter where they come from or what area of medicine they are working in.

The foundation will fund two researchers a year for eight years, offering the kind of long-term support and certainty that is unavailable in many universities and institutions. They would receive 1 million a year.

Fellowship funding will be available to set up and operate a research laboratory and pay salaries for the Snow Fellow and post-doctoral researchers, provide PhD student scholarship top-ups, technical and laboratory management support, project funds and leadership development.

The goal is to develop the next generation of exceptional, visionary biomedical research leaders.

Snow Medical is the vision of family patriarch Terry Snow, who says the well-established Snow Foundation charity already offers some medical research funding but the family, which owns and operates Canberra Airport and are prominent property developers in the ACT, thought it was time to take a different approach.

“We will specifically target bright young people all over the world to come to Australia to work and study, build a team and stay for the long term,” he said.

“There are plenty of examples where money has gone into equipment and real estate facilities but not a lot of money has gone into the intellectual capital of research.

“We want to make sure we have the best people in the world available to work with us here in Australia.”

He says the high quality of Australia’s biomedical research is recognised globally but long-term sustainable funding is needed to keep the nation globally competitive.

“We cannot let great researchers go elsewhere or have their work fail because there’s just not enough investment,” he said.

The fellowships will be open to early and mid-career researchers who will be able to work with whichever university or research institution they choose, such as the John Curtin School of Medical Research at the ANU, the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute in Melbourne or the Garvan Institute in Sydney.

The family has already consulted with Australian institutions with which fellows will partner, and a pilot round is under way, from which one or two researchers will be selected in April 2020, when the first official round will also be launched.

Snow Medical will award two fellowships a year, so at any one time there will eventually be 16 researchers working concurrently.

Tom Snow said a lack of certainty within the university system was hampering researchers.

“You can’t get security of tenure. You end up with people with only one or two years of funding but they can’t actually plan a proper bold visionary research program,” he said.

He said the foundation also wanted to encourage a more entrepreneurial approach so fellows can feel free to take risks.

Snow Fellows and their teams will also have access to training in leadership, management and policy, entrepreneurship and engagement support.

“Success in business comes from seeing opportunities, and working hard to achieve new ideas and innovation,” Terry Snow said.

“We are looking for researchers who have that spirit and the drive in their respective fields. We want to support people who are making significant discoveries and big contributions to health across society.”

Tom Snow said he expects that some will bring or build cross-disciplinary teams.

“The really big breakthroughs are where you have engineers, and chemists and data scientists all working together with a medical researcher.”

He said the foundation also wanted to encourage the best female researchers to apply, as they are under-represented in medical research.

The Snows hope others will follow their example so home-grown researchers need not leave their country to pursue their work but also to attract the world’s best to help drive the Australian economy.

Snow Medical is working through a very significant range of networks overseas to attract applicants.

“We’re sure the whole world will beat a path to our door,” Terry Snow said.

For more information go to https://snowmedical.org.au/

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This is a far better way to nurture the community than giving one private school a million dollars! Spreading the support across the entire community that supports the Snow family’s business and their success.

This is a terrific initiative.

Damian Freney love this

Wow, thank you Snow family! Medical researchers have such unstable lives compared to if they’d taken a career in other sectors. Bright, dedicated and poorly looked after.

Thank you for your generous gift

What generous gift.

Thank you for your generosity.

Could someone put up capital to fund commercialisation of the research to keep industry in Australia.

The Snows being generous yet again! Thank you for always contributing to the nurturing of a better society and future.

WOW WOW WOW!

Great stuff!! Good folk, always thinking ahead, and of others!

Great news.

Good to see some philanthropy!

👏👏I truly hope that the funding goes to the real intellectuals and not be blindsided by pharma companies and biotech companies who will try to infiltrate. Another thought…who will eventually own intellectual property?

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$8M from Snow Medical Research Foundation to improve outcomes for breast cancer patients

A physician scientist whose research focuses on an important but overlooked problem in cancer biology has been awarded one of three $8 million Snow Fellowships.

Announced today by the Snow Medical Research Foundation, the Fellowships are awarded to young, outstanding biomedical research leaders.

Dr Shom Goel is based at both the University of Melbourne and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and has an ambitious research plan to study therapy-induced senescence. His work as a breast cancer specialist has given him insight into where treatments are currently failing patients.

“Unfortunately, some cancer cells don’t die in response to common treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Rather, they enter a state known as senescence and these senescent cells can fuel a cancer’s growth over time, ultimately threatening a patient’s life,” Dr Goel said.

“This very generous Fellowship will give me the time and resources to explore some of the most critical open questions about senescence in cancer. What makes one senescent cancer cell different from another? Do senescent cells explain why some cancers relapse years after we thought they were cured?”

Dr Goel and his team will build a suite of cutting-edge laboratory models and screening tools that take time to create, and which conventional funding mechanisms are not designed to support.

The Snow Fellowship funding supports researchers as they set up and operate a research laboratory and provides salaries for the Snow Fellow and post-doctoral researchers, PhD student scholarship top-ups, technical and laboratory management support, project funds and leadership development.

“The level of funding provided by the Snow Fellowship is unprecedented for Australian scientists. It will give me the time and security needed to ask big questions, ultimately reaping greater rewards,” Dr Goel said.

“The Fellowship will also attract a diverse, world-class team to my lab and within eight years, I am confident we will have discovered some of the first ‘senotherapies’ – medicines that specifically target senescent cells. We will also be very well positioned to drive the clinical development of those therapies here in Australia.”

Professor James McCluskey, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) said that science is all about testing ideas.

“Scientists need a runway and need time to take risks and to experience failure and success. This Fellowship gives early career researchers like Dr Shom Goel time to test ideas and help solve complex problems,” he said.

“The University of Melbourne congratulates Dr Goel on this significant Fellowship and we look forward to witnessing his remarkable research that will lead to new therapies to improve clinical care. Such generosity from the Snow Medical Foundation is providing once in a lifetime opportunities for academic and personal growth.”

Dr Goel also congratulates Snow Fellows, Dr Melanie Eckersley-Maslin from the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, and Associate Professor Marina Pajic from the Garvan institute of Medical Research, Sydney.

“This Snow Fellowship will allow each of us to mentor the next generation of Australian researchers and support us as we strive to make long-lasting contributions to science and health, leadership and community.”

More about  Snow Medical Research Foundation

18 Oct 2021

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Anu researcher awarded $8m to develop next-generation life-saving medical therapies.

A chemist from The Australian National University (ANU) has been awarded a prestigious $8 million fellowship to help tackle some of the globe’s most pressing health challenges, including antimicrobial resistance and cancer, and advance new life-saving medical therapies. 

Professor Lara Malins from the ANU Research School of Chemistry is one of two new Snow Medical Research Fellows for 2024.  

Her goal is to fine-tune naturally occurring chemical compounds and re-deploy them as powerful new therapies for human illnesses.  

Alongside her ANU team, Professor Malins hopes to unleash the therapeutic capacity of peptides, or short chains of amino-acids, a “largely untapped reservoir” when it comes to medicinal chemistry. 

“As structural relatives of proteins, peptides are biological powerhouses, but while our understanding of them is growing, clinical progression has been limited due to the challenges in synthesising and optimising them in the lab,” Professor Malins said. 

“The specific compounds we’ll be looking at have considerable potential as next-generation medicines — including peptide-based cancer therapies. This investment from the Snow Medical Research Foundation will help fuel the drug discovery pipeline and ultimately, enhance our ability to treat human disease.”  

Professor Malins will also use her fellowship to continue her work on new antimalarials and antibiotics. 

“Nearly 100 years after the discovery of penicillin, we’re on the brink of a ‘post-antibiotic’ era, with rising levels of bacteria resistant to even our last resort antibiotics,” she said. 

“Studies suggest that global antimicrobial resistance will lead to approximately 10 million deaths and an economic cost of $US100 trillion per year by 2050. To avoid repeating the cycle of antibiotic development and resistance, we need to look at new avenues.”  

ANU Vice-Chancellor and President Genevieve Bell congratulated Professor Malins on her Snow Medical Research Fellowship.    “I am delighted that Lara has been recognised with the Snow Medical Research Fellowship. Her research is cutting edge, using biological and chemical tools to develop therapies that will help us treat malaria and cancer, as well as create next-generation antibiotics,” she said.  

“Her research is going to have real and meaningful impact for people across Australia and the world – and that’s an extraordinary achievement and medical legacy.  

“I also thank Snow Medical for supporting research to ensure our academics can address some of the most pressing challenges of the 21st century.” 

Chair of Snow Medical, Tom Snow, added: ”We are delighted to support Lara’s important work. She is a true example of Snow Medical’s aim to support researchers who will shape the next generation of health and medical innovation.”  

“In Lara’s case, she will focus on harnessing the power of peptides to develop new therapies, ultimately enhancing our ability to treat human disease. 

“We’re also delighted to see a chemist awarded a Snow Fellowship for the first time. The proposed work of Lara and her team will have cross-cutting impacts in chemistry, biology and medicine.” 

The second 2024 Snow Fellow is Associate Professor Loic Yengo from The University of Queensland. 

About Snow Medical Research Foundation  

The Snow Medical Research Foundation (Snow Medical) is at the forefront of philanthropic efforts to advance biomedical research in Australia.

With a commitment now totalling $224 million, Snow Medical supports the development of outstanding biomedical research leaders and their teams, driving innovation and excellence in healthcare solutions for the future.  

Top image: Professor Lara Malins. Photo: Jamie Kidston/ANU

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$8M Snow Fellowship for finding new cancer treatments

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WEHI’s Dr Stephin Vervoort has received a prestigious fellowship from the Snow Medical Research Foundation in Australia to investigate new treatment options for cancers such as leukaemia.

Dr Vervoort is one of three Snow Fellows recognised as this year’s emerging biomedical research leaders, each receiving $8 million to further their projects.

His research aims to understand how cells in the body send vital messages to the correct place, at the right time. Known as ‘transcription’, this process is driven by the enzyme RNA Polymerase II (RNAPII). While RNAPII’s control of these messages is necessary for everyday function, diseases such as  cancer can occur when this control is lost. Dr Vervoort’s ultimate goal is to create drugs that prevent these important cellular processes from malfunctioning. This could lead to new drug treatments for hard-to-treat cancers including acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) .

Now in their third year, the Snow Fellowships are the biggest philanthropic investment in Australia fostering upcoming and talented biomedical researchers. The initiative is also used to develop world-leading teams based in Australia’s pioneering research institutions.

At a glance

• Dr Stephin Vervoort has been named as one of Australia’s three Snow Fellows in recognition of research to discover new treatment options for cancers with poor survival rates, including AML.
• He will use the $8M of funding granted to explore how malfunctions in the enzyme RNAPII fuel aggressive cancer growth in order to prevent RNAPII from going rogue.
• The Snow Fellowships are a significant investment in emerging biomedical research leaders, representing a long-term vision of backing Australia’s brightest young researchers.

Decoding the ‘messenger factory’

Dr Vervoort – who has spent more than a decade studying the enzyme RNAPII – said his aim was to understand how RNAPII controls cellular messaging, and how the disruption of this process contributes to cancer.

“Imagine sending text messages that continually go to the wrong person, or don’t arrive on time, and how much havoc that would create. “It’s like that in cancer – cells malfunction when the messages they are meant to receive arrive too late or when the wrong message is sent. The havoc this creates in our bodies’ cells can fuel aggressive disease.

“My research aims to understand how the so-called ‘messenger factory’ driven by RNAPII works in a cancer setting and what we can do to stop the messages from going awry. My goal is to create novel drugs that target the malfunctioning RNAPII machinery in order to improve patient outcomes.”

Philanthropic endeavours

Since the initiative began three years ago, the Snow Medical Research Foundation’s Snow Fellowships have contributed $70 million in funding to support early-to-mid-career scientists with their research endeavours.

WEHI director Professor Doug Hilton AO said the Snow Fellowship program was one of the most competitive in the world and that it would allow Dr Vervoort to accelerate his efforts to make fundamental discoveries in cancer research.

“We are excited to have Stephin join WEHI as a lab head this year and continue his ambitious and important pursuit of finding enhanced treatment options for cancers that are incredibly difficult to treat,” Professor Hilton said.

“The Snow Fellowship will enable Stephin to pursue his research with the confidence and security needed to create meaningful outcomes. The path from exploring an idea to having real-life implications for people takes years of research, patience and sustained effort. Fellowships like this give researchers the opportunity to make significant scientific discoveries to improve health outcomes for people in Australia and around the world. That is the power of philanthropy.”

Fostering international talent

Dr Vervoort hopes to use the Snow Fellowship to fast-track transformative discoveries and create a lab that attracts talented scientists from around the world to Australia.

“When I came to Australia six years ago, I had nothing but a PhD in my pocket,” Dr Vervoort said.

“This country has a great scientific landscape, with world-class institutions and experts in all fields, which has helped me thrive in my career. I endeavour to give back to the community by creating a lab that brings together the brightest minds from across the globe to pursue their scientific dreams in Australia. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity provided by the Snow Fellowship and for the support shown by the Snow Medical Research Foundation and Snow Family.”

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5 September 2024

Since 2011, we have been dedicated to improving health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Yet, they still experience some of the highest rates of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) globally. We recently shared our renewed RHD Strategy, designed to support and empower a First Nations-led response. For the PDF of the strategy: RHD Strategy Statement of Intent Summary .

Statement of Intent – Snow Foundation Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) Strategy 1. Background Since 2011, The Snow Foundation has worked towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health outcomes and recognises the urgent need to address rheumatic heart disease (RHD) in Australia. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities continue to record some of the highest rates of RHD in the world [1], with prevalence found to be greater amongst women and children [2].

2. Key Learnings We have been privileged to learn from communities and individuals who have generously shared their lived experiences. This has reinforced our commitment to support meaningful and lasting impact against Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD), including adequate resourcing for Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCHOs). This impact can only be achieved with:

• First Nations’ leadership and empowerment [3]. • Effective and culturally appropriate health services [4]. • Structural improvements necessary to eliminate RHD in Australia [5].

3. Consultation Process We have conducted an extensive consultation process with Australian and global stakeholders, to drive learnings and identify areas for expanded investment. Our three core streams of focus included: • Public Health Responses: Healthy environments and practices through community-based programs. • Clinical Interventions: Early diagnosis and treatment to prevent the progression of Strep A to RHD. • Vaccine Development: A safe and effective vaccine and its adoption through community readiness.

4. Our Principles We have developed the following principles through our consultation process and in response to priorities outlined across the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, the RHD Endgame Strategy, NACCHO’s Strategic Direction 2023-25, and Principles of the Deadly Heart Trek.

5. Our Strategy

From 2024 to 2028, we will pursue a two-phased strategy to support a First Nations-led response to RHD in Australia.

The Snow Foundation Board has approved the following:

• Partnership with NACCHO : Collaboration with the peak national body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership and communities in addressing RHD.
• Community-Based Programs: Increased long-term investment in our existing community-focused programs ( Deadly Heart Trek , Champions4Change , Orange Sky Laundry, culturally appropriate education and awareness, and RHD advocacy ).

We continue to evaluate clinical and public health interventions through a broader framework aligned with the National Agreement on Closing the Gap and its four priority reforms. We are committed to supporting community-based and First Nations-designed programs that tackle the root social and environmental causes of RHD.

• Educational programs that foster future Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders, empowered to enact change for their communities.
• Clinical intervention programs that pursue sustainable healthcare approaches for the effective diagnosis and treatment of RHD within First Nations communities.
• Community vaccine readiness programs that share knowledge to ensure informed and self-determined participation in clinical trials and vaccine adoption amongst First Nations communities.
• Public health programs that improve conditions and practices that address the social and environmental determinants of RHD.

Successful implementation of our RHD Strategy will require a combination of First Nations leadership, whole-of-sector collaboration and action, and a significant increase in investment. Snow aims to partner with government and other funding bodies to realise this and welcomes further input from stakeholders as it looks towards a future where RHD is eliminated in Australia.

References:

• Roberts, K. et al. (2015) Rheumatic heart disease in Indigenous children in northern Australia: differences in prevalence and the challenges of screening. The Medical journal of Australia ,  203 (5). [ Link ]
• Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2024) Acute Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Heart Disease in Australia, 2022. Canberra. [ Link ]
• Carapetis, J. and Brown, A. (2020) Community leadership and empowerment are essential for eliminating rheumatic heart disease. The Medical Journal of Australia, 213(3). [ Link ]
• Kerrigan, V. et al. (2021) A community-based program to reduce acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in northern Australia. BMC Health Services Research, 21(1). [ Link ]
• Wyber, R. et al. (2020) Ending rheumatic heart disease in Australia: the evidence for a new approach. The Medical Journal of Australia, 213(10). [ Link ]

Useful Links:

The RHD Endgame Strategy – the blueprint to end rheumatic heart disease in Australia by 2031

NACCHO: Acute Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Heart Disease resources

Australian Institute for Health and Welfare Acute Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Heart Disease data 2022

Take Heart: Deadly Heart film-led advocacy campaign (including video library )

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Donor dumps Melbourne Uni over honorary degrees for 6 white men

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Australia’s largest medical philanthropic foundation, which has donated $16 million to the University of Melbourne in two years, has banned the institution from receiving any more funds in protest over what it sees as unacceptable gender and diversity myopia.

The Snow Medical Research Foundation suspended the university from its prestigious Snow Fellowship program after it handed out six honorary doctorates to white men last week.

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Pirogov Medical University

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Founded in 1906 in the city of Moscow, Pirogov Medical University—officially known as Russian National Research Medical University named after N. I. Pirogov— is one of the oldest medical universities in Russia.  The first lecture took place on September 26, 1906, with 206 students, and the first graduation ceremony was celebrated in 1912. The University claims to be the first university in Russia that started offering medical education to women in the Russian Federation.It independently carries out various research projects in medicine and has received the status of National Research University in 2010.The Library of Pirogov Medical University has a collection of more than 7,50,000 books. For world-class clinical training and diverse practical exposure, the University collaborates with more 120 hospitals across the city of Moscow. Pirogov Medical University started accepting international students in 1959. Presently, more than 8,000 students are studying medicine at the University, out of which about 700 are international students.  The University has a strong team of about 2,000 faculty members. Pirogov Medical University is approved by the Medical Council of India (MCI) and offers a 6-Year Program for MBBS in Russia. Students in India, who have qualified NEET, can apply for direct admission to the MBBS Program of Pirogov Medical University.

Ministry of Science and Higher Education, Russia

World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS)

Medical Council of India (MCI)

Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER)

To get admission to the MBBS Program of Pirogov Medical University, the student must qualify NEET-UG (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test-Undergraduate). 

Besides NEET-UG, there is no requirement to go through any additional entrance examination.

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• Pirogov Medical University was founded in 1906 in the Moscow city of Russia.
• In 1930, Pirogov Medical University organized the World’s first pediatric faculty.
• In 1963, Pirogov Medical University organized the World’s first biomedical faculty.
• In 2010, Pirogov Medical University received the status of National Research University.
• Presently, more than 8,000 students are studying at Pirogov Medical University, out of which about 700 are international students.

University Address

Mbbs program, admission & support, medical licensing examination support, student life.

Founded in 1906 in the city of Moscow, Pirogov Medical University—officially known as Russian National Research Medical University named after N. I. Pirogov— is one of the oldest medical universities in Russia.  The first lecture took place on September 26, 1906, with 206 students, and the first graduation ceremony was celebrated in 1912. 

Focused on constantly improving the quality of education, the University entered the list of Times Higher Education World University Rankings and QS World University Rankings in 2019. 

The University claims to be the first university in Russia that started offering medical education to women in the Russian Federation. Among all milestones achieved by the University, two most celebrated achievements are that Pirogov Medical University created the world’s first pediatric faculty in 1930 and the world’s first biomedical faculty in 1963.

To provide students and visitors a glimpse into the decades of the glorious history of the University, Museum of the History of Pirogov Medical University was established in 1981, which continues to capture astonishing achievements of the University, its students, and members.

The University maintains a leading position in Russia by actively participating in activities of medical research and healthcare and delivering excellence in medical education and care. 

The University independently carries out various research projects in medicine and has received the status of National Research University in 2010. Conducting pre-clinical as well as clinical studies for a better understanding of human diseases, new medicines, and medical devices have been the center of research at Pirogov Medical University.  

To keep the students and healthcare professionals updated on the latest research and innovations in medicine, the University publishes its own scientific journal with articles on biomedical sciences and clinical medicine.

The Library of Pirogov Medical University has a collection of more than 7,50,000 books. Students can also access scientific journals and eBooks through the electronic library system. In collaboration with other universities, academic mobility and exchange programs are also arranged for students to help them get experience in other institutions and build new connections.

For the healthcare of locals, the University operates clinical centers in Moscow. Students are provided hands-on clinical training in these University-operated clinics and also involved in various clinical studies. For world-class training and diverse practical exposure, the University collaborates with more 120 hospitals across the city of Moscow.

Pirogov Medical University started accepting international students in 1959. Until now, the University has trained more than 80,000 doctors. Presently, more than 8,000 students are studying medicine at the University, out of which about 700 are international students.  The University has a strong team of about 2,000 faculty members.

Pirogov Medical University is listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS) and certified by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG), United States of America. Pirogov Medical University is also approved by the Medical Council of Canada (MCC) and the Medical Council of India (MCI). The University offers a 6-Year Program for MBBS in Russia for local as well as international medical aspirants. Students in India, who have qualified NEET, can apply for direct admission to the MBBS Program of Pirogov Medical University.

Pirogov Medical University Faculty of Medicine 1 Ostrovityanov Str Moscow, 117997 Russian Federation

Pirogov Medical University offers a 6-Year MBBS Program in the Russian language. For international students, classes for initial years may be organized in English medium.

The Program for MBBS in Russia is focused on building a strong academic base with a pragmatic approach to education and medical research. To provide hands-on clinical experience, the students studying MBBS in Russia are involved in clinical training from the second year of MBBS. While education in classrooms and laboratories helps the students develop academic skills and sound theoretical understanding, clinical training in University-affiliated hospitals help them apply their knowledge into practice.

To get admission to the MBBS Program of Pirogov Medical University, you can apply online at Rus Education website.

Rus Education is duly authorized by the Russian Centre for Science and Culture (Cultural Department of The Embassy of the Russian Federation in India) to promote Russian Education among Indian Citizens. Rus Education is also an authorized associate of Pirogov Medical University. We facilitate one-window admission to the MBBS Program of Pirogov Medical University with no requirement of any donation or capitation and without any entrance examination.

Pirogov Medical University offers a healthy student life and an opportunity to experience life in Moscow, the capital city of Russia, and also the most vibrant and exciting location in the largest country in the world! 

For affordable accommodation of students and make their living experience safe and better, the University maintains a comfortable dormitory. Every room is shared by two or three students, and each floor has a shared kitchen where students can cook their food. Members of the dormitory help the newcomers to settle in their new homes. For the safety of the students, the University’s security team maintains 24-hour surveillance and is capable of providing emergency response, if required.

To help students adjust to life at university, it has a dedicated Student Support System in place. Every group of new students is assigned to two professors who guide the students not only about studying but about living as well, helping students adjust to the new environment and feel comfortable.

To keep students fit and active, Sports Center on the campus is equipped with facilities to play various sports, including badminton, basketball, volleyball, table tennis, swimming, football, hockey, chess, etc. Student can unleash their creativity by indulging in extracurricular adventures offered by Student Organizations and Societies. On the campus, there are ample opportunities for self-improvement and taking part in music, dance, sports competitions, and theater. 

For peer support, the University has a Student Council in place which offers support in academic as well as non-academic matters making student life stress free.

For the social upliftment and help students connect with the society and local people, they are involved in community and welfare organized by the University, including medical outreach, health awareness programs, and blood donation camps.  The University Volunteer Center organizes a number of volunteer activities to help students contribute to social causes.

Living in Moscow, students can explore its cultural heritage, museums, historic buildings, the world-famous Alexander Garden, and much more. For traveling in Moscow, students don’t face any problems, thanks to its convenient and cheap transportation system, especially the Moscow Metro.

With the charm of Moscow and all the student facilities and support services offered by the University, student life at Pirogov Medical University is a delight.

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Our Committee

Scientific review and advisory committee.

Professor Suzanne Cory AC PhD FAA FRS

Chair Scientific Review and Advisory Committee

Professor Suzanne Cory is one of Australia’s most distinguished molecular biologists. After graduating in biochemistry from The University of Melbourne, she undertook her PhD in Cambridge and postdoctoral studies in Geneva before returning to Melbourne in 1971, to a research position at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research. She was Director of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute and Professor of Medical Biology of the University of Melbourne from 1996 to 2009. She is currently Honorary Distinguished Professorial Fellow in the Division of Molecular Genetics of Cancer of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute. Professor Cory was President of the Australian Academy of Science from 2010 to 2014. Professor Cory’s research has had a major impact in the fields of immunology and cancer and her scientific achievements have attracted numerous honours and awards. She is an elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science and the Royal Society and a Foreign Member of the US National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the French Academy of Sciences, the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and the Japan Academy. In 1999 she was appointed Companion in the General Division of the Order of Australia and in 2009 was awarded the French decoration of Chevalier de I’Ordre de Ia Legion d’Honneur.

Chair Snow Medical Research Foundation

Tom Snow is Chair of the Snow Medical board and was a founder and Co-Chair of the Equality Campaign, which led and won the successful YES postal plebiscite on marriage equality. He is a Rhodes Scholar, with a Masters in Economics, Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Economics (Actuarial Studies).

He is a founder of Whitehelm Capital, one of the world’s largest independent infrastructure managers with $6 billion in assets under management.  As a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, he has had roles including director of Perth Airport, Canberra Airport, Bankstown Airport, Port of Adelaide / Flinders Ports, Etihad Stadium, Peninsula Link, International Parking Group and Whitehelm Capital. Tom Snow was born and raised in Canberra and has served as chair of the Canberra Convention Bureau, chair of Equality Australia, director of the Australian Science Festival and director of the Rhodes Scholarships in Australia. He is also a proud father of three kids.

Ginette Snow

Ginette Snow is a driving force behind the establishment of Snow Medical, and is on the Scientific Review and Advisory Committee. A former pharmacist, Ginette worked at Canberra Hospital for 11 years during which time she completed a Bachelor of Science at the Australian National University. She is also director of The Snow Foundation and an accomplished photographer and author of three books which include many of her own photos: Where did we come from? A Family History: Condon, Snow and Byron; Canberra Airport: A Pictorial History; and Two Dads, written for her 14 grandchildren as a memento of how the babies of son Tom Snow and his husband Brooke ‘were made’. Ginette is a keen campaigner for gay and lesbian rights and marriage equality.

Ginette has had photographic exhibitions in Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane. As official photographer of Canberra Airport, Ginette has documented the transformation of the airport since 1998 when the Snow family acquired it from the Commonwealth. Ginette divides her time between Canberra, Sydney and their property at Willinga Park on the NSW South Coast. She and Terry have been married for more than 40 years.

Professor Stephen Simpson AC FAA FRS

Academic Director, Charles Perkins Centre

Professor, School of Life and Environmental Sciences

Professor Stephen Simpson AC is Academic Director of the Charles Perkins Centre, and a Professor in the School of Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Sydney, and Executive Director of Obesity Australia.

Stephen was born in Melbourne. After completing his undergraduate degree at the University of Queensland, he undertook his PhD at the University of London. He spent 22 years at the University of Oxford, first in Experimental Psychology, then in the Department of Zoology and the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, before returning to Australia in 2005 as an ARC Federation Fellow.

In 2013 Stephen was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of London as “one of the world’s foremost entomologists and nutritional biologists”, and in 2015 he was made a Companion of the Order of Australia “for eminent service to biological and biomedical science.”

Professor Christopher Goodnow FAA FRS

Head – Immunogenomics Lab

Professor Goodnow holds The Bill and Patricia Ritchie Foundation Chair as Head of the Immunogenomics laboratory, a NHMRC Senior Principal Research Fellow, and is Professor and Director of the Cellular Genomics Futures Institute at UNSW Sydney, and previously Executive Director of The Garvan Institute.

With an American father and Australian mother, Professor Goodnow grew up in Washington DC before moving to Sydney as a teenager. He trained in veterinary medicine and surgery, immunochemistry and immunology at the University of Sydney and in DNA technology at Stanford University. After doctoral studies begun at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute in Melbourne and performed at Sydney University, he joined the faculty of Stanford University Medical School and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in 1990. There he established the concept of multiple immune tolerance checkpoints, a framework now widely used in cancer treatment with “checkpoint inhibitors”, and revealed the function of key genes in these checkpoints including FAS, CD86, PTPN6/SHP1, and later AIRE.

Beyond his research endeavours, Professor Goodnow enjoys spending time with his family and surfing at Sydney’s Manly Beach and on the NSW South Coast. Surfing has been a passion since Professor Goodnow’s school days, and he is well known in surfing circles for leading a 1980 expedition discovering the now-famous breaks in Indonesia’s remote Mentawai Islands.

Professor Gordon Wallace AO FAA FTSE

Director of Intelligent Polymer Research Institute, University of Wollongong

Executive Research Director – ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials

Distinguished Professor Gordon Wallace, an esteemed innovator and educator is a scientist at the forefront of health technologies, where medical devices complement the body’s own systems to treat disease and repair injuries. An example of this is the ‘Biopen’, used by surgeons to directly print healing cells into a patient’s body during procedures, like knee surgery. With research interests in organic conductors, nanomaterials and electrochemical probe methods of analysis in intelligent polymer systems, his extensive scientific contributions have broken new ground in every aspect of electromaterials research; academic performance and outcomes, training the next generation of researchers, and facilities development.

These contributions to the enhancement of Australian materials research has led to a number of high accolades for Gordon including being awarded an ARC Laureate Fellowship (2011) and the Eureka prize for leadership in Innovation and Science (2016), being named NSW Scientist of the Year (2017), and appointed an Officer in the General Division of the Order of Australia (2017). Professor Wallace is Director of UOW’s Intelligent Polymer Research Institute; Director of the Australian National Fabrication Facility – Materials Node and Director of the Translational Research Initiative for Cellular Engineering and Printing.

Dr Derek Van Dyk

Director Strategy, Snow Medical

Derek Van Dyk is Director, Strategy at Snow Medical. Since 2019 Derek and the Snow Medical Team have worked with Tom Snow and the Snow family to establish the initial strategy and direction of the Snow Medical Research Foundation. Derek has a commercial research background in biotechnology coupled with science and innovation policy experience in Government and university sectors. He completed his PhD at UNSW in biopharmaceutical production and proteomics.

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