Neurons

Facts & figures

About us

  • 1958 Established
  • $5.6 million Distributed in 2017 to support research
  • $336k Distributed in 2017 for scholarships, prizes and awards
Funding_

Sydney Medical School Foundation

Support the Sydney Medical School
We are dedicated to improving the health of all Australians by investing in a program of world-class research and learning at the University of Sydney School of Medicine.

About us

Since our formation in 1958, we have grown to become one of Australia’s most significant privately funded medical research funding bodies, supporting a portfolio of internationally recognised research across diverse fields of medicine within the Sydney Medical School, clinical schools and associated institutes.

Through the generous support of our donors, we provide grants and scholarships to support research that will enhance understanding of the causes of disease, lead to improved treatment options and in many cases, prevent diseases that cause premature death or long-term disability.

We support research that is considered most likely to produce significant advances in the areas of research identified as priorities (major research themes) by the Sydney Medical School. 

Download our 2018 annual report (pdf, 4.6MB) to read about our current research projects.

Office bearers

  • Robin Low, President and Treasurer
  • Benjamin Chow AO BE, member
  • Professor Macdonald Christie, member
  • Paul Clitheroe AM, member
  • Geoff Thompson, member

Ex Officio members

  • Melissa Bonevska, Representative of the Vice-Principal (Advancement)
  • Mr Tim Dolan, Vice-Principal (Advancement)
  • Professor Arthur Conigrave, University Officer (Foundations)

Patron-in-Chief

  • The Honourable Dame Marie Bashir AD CVO

Patrons

  • M Helen Breekveldt
  • Peter I Burrows AO
  • B Paul Garrett
  • Robert Mostyn

Research funds

We have a number of funds which receive gifts for specific areas of research or education within the Sydney Medical School. You can make a donation to the Sydney Medical Foundation, or to a specific fund, through this online form

The Ageing and Alzheimer's Research Fund was established in 1995 and promotes research into the cause of geriatric medicine and gerontology, and specifically research into age associated brain disorders. The fund supports researchers with the Sydney Medical School and the clinical schools based at various hospitals across NSW.

The Bone and Joint Research Fund was established in 2006, and promotes research, education and scholarship in the fields of bone and joint research including diseases, disorders and treatments of the musculoskeletal system, arthritis and rheumatism.

The Cardiothoracic Surgery Research and Education Fund supports the new, less invasive, evidence-based treatments being pioneered at Royal North Shore Hospital. These treatments will help improve the recovery and survival rate of heart disease and cardiothoracic patients. 

We need donors to make a continued impact to cardiothoracic research to help improve the quality of life for patients and their carers. 

The Dermatology Research Fund is a leading supporter of skin disease research in Australia, particularly skin cancer research. We also support education and training for the next generation of dermatologists and medical researchers to ensure patients get the best treatment and care.

The Endocrinology and Diabetes Research Fund supports research in the field of diabetes complications, with the goal of preventing vision loss, kidney failure, heart disease and amputation resulting from this condition.

The Meniere's Research Fund supports research into methods of objectively diagnosing Meniere's disease and determining its underlying pathophysiology. It is hoped that this research will lead to the development of an effective treatment or cure for the debilitating disease, of which approximately 43,000 Australians currently suffer. 

As a result of the tireless fundraising efforts by the Meniere's Research Group of NSW, the Meniere’s Research Fund has received, and expended, more than $1.2 million in support of research into Meniere’s disease at Sydney Medical School.

The Nepean Medical Research Fund supports medical research and scholarship conducted by the doctors and research teams at Sydney Medical School Nepean, located at Nepean Hospital. The fund has contributed over $1.8 million for clinical research grants and research equipment at Nepean. The grants have helped:

  • research projects investigating the causes and treatment of diseases affecting the population that is served by Nepean Hospital and the greater community at large;
  • improvements in patient care and community health through new methods of preventing and treating diseases; and
  • expanded research activities at Sydney Medical School Nepean which lead to more local jobs and the advancement of the Nepean school campus and facilities. 

The Sydney Burns Fund supports research, education and scholarship in the field of burns medicine and reconstructive surgery at the Sydney Medical School. The main research objective is to assist researchers at Concord Hospital’s Burn Unit to develop a fully-functioning replacement skin for burn patients. We also support researchers at the burns units at the Children's Hospital at Westmead and the Royal North Shore Hospital.

The Timor-Leste Health Fund is also known as Fundu Isin-Di'ak, which means "Fund for Good Health" in Tetun. Our mission is to improve the health of the people of Timor-Leste through the education and training of Timorese health professionals and to assist the Timor-Leste Ministry of Health to implement large-scale public health programs.

Since we were established in 2011, we have forged strong relationships and has signed memoranda-of-understanding with the Timor-Leste MOH and with the Universidade Nacional Timor Lorosae (UNTL), with the aim of promoting health-related research, teaching and capacity building activities within the country.

Make a donation

A gift to the Sydney Medical School Foundation is an investment in better health for the future. All research supported by the foundation is made possible through gifts; we receive no government funding.

Donations to the Sydney Medical School Foundation are tax deductible. 

Make a donation online by selecting 'other areas of need' and searching 'Sydney Medical School Foundation'.

We also welcome planned or deferred gifts, which include bequests, annuities, and trusts. Visit our page on gifts in wills and bequests for more information.