QIMR changes its name

Queensland businessman Clive Berghofer will give $50.1 million to the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR), making him one of Australia’s most generous philanthropists.

As a sign of gratitude, and in recognition of Berghofer’s long history of support, QIMR will now be known as the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute.

Berghofer has previously donated more than $10 million to QIMR, which named its Cancer Research Centre in his honour in 2001.

QIMR Director Professor Frank Gannon said this new donation made Berghofer one of Australia’s biggest individual contributors to medical research.

“Simply put, Clive Berghofer is a truly great Australian. He has single-handedly transformed medical research in Australia and we will all benefit from his generosity,” Professor Gannon said. “Our research can only go from strength to strength with financial backing on this scale.

Berghofer is a Toowoomba-based property developer and philanthropist. In 2006 he was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his service to the community through philanthropic support of medical research, sporting and educational organisations.

He has also made sizeable contributions to Careflight, Red Cross, St Vincent’s Hospital, Toowoomba Hospice and the University of Southern Queensland.