ANU receives transformative $4.5 million gift to advance personalised medicine
- The CPM
- Jul 2
- 2 min read
The Australian National University (ANU) has received a landmark $4.5 million commitment from The McCusker Charitable Foundation to support the ANU Centre for Personalised Medicine and improve how complex autoimmune diseases are diagnosed and treated across Australia.
The donation will provide flexible funding to expand clinical programs, increase research capability and accelerate the translation of discoveries into patient care under the leadership of Centre Director, Associate Professor Simon Jiang.
The ANU Centre for Personalised Medicine uses cutting-edge science to identify the genetic and cellular basis of complex autoimmune diseases, helping doctors make more accurate diagnoses and treat the underlying cause. Based within the ANU John Curtin School of Medical Research (JCSMR), the Centre is a partnership between ANU and Canberra Health Services, and is Canberra Health Services' first quaternary referral service.
“This support allows us to build a different model of care, where we attempt to identify the root cause of disease in each patient and use that knowledge to find the best treatment options. For many patients, this means moving away from trial and error and towards care that is more targeted and more effective. Our ambition is to connect patients, clinicians and researchers across Australia so more people can benefit from this approach, no matter where they live. We are deeply grateful to The McCusker Charitable Foundation for their confidence in our vision and for their commitment to supporting research with real-world patient impact.” - Associate Professor Simon Jiang
ANU and the Centre for Personalised Medicine hope to leverage the Foundation’s support to attract further investment and partnerships.
“We began supporting Associate Professor Simon Jiang and the Centre in 2023 because we saw both exceptional scientific capability and a clear commitment to improving the lives of patients. The progress achieved in a relatively short period has been remarkable. This next phase of support reflects our confidence in the team, their vision for personalised medicine, and their ability to translate research into real-world outcomes. We’re proud to be part of the journey, and we hope others, across philanthropy and government, will join in helping the Centre reach its full potential.” - Tonya McCusker AM
Formed through a partnership between the ANU John Curtin School of Medical Research and Canberra Health Services, the ANU Centre for Personalised Medicine integrates innovative scientific discovery with frontline clinical care to deliver tailored treatments for individuals living with complex and chronic immune conditions.
The Centre brings together experts in genetics, immunology, protein biology and clinical medicine to drive breakthroughs in personalised care. Working with patients facing some of the most complex immune conditions - including inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatological disorders and chronic kidney disease - the Centre pinpoints the genetic and cellular drivers of illness and transforms these insights into targeted, more effective treatments with fewer side effects.
While based in Canberra, the Centre receives referrals from across Australia, supporting a national network that brings pioneering science directly into patient care.
