About Us

Today’s research is tomorrow’s treatment

For almost 40 years RPH Research Foundation has been funding some of the greatest minds in Western Australia to unlock new discoveries and improve the quality of healthcare available to all Western Australians.

In the past, we have provided seed funding to Nobel Prize Laureates Dr Robin Warren AC and Professor Barry Marshall AC as they revolutionised the treatment of stomach ulcers, thereby transforming our understanding of ulcers and transforming the lives of millions around the world.

Our support has assisted Professor Fiona Wood AM in her world-leading burns research that helped save the lives of victims of the Bali bombing in 2002 and led to the development of spray-on-skin.

Medical advances simply would not be possible without research that underpins our health system, from disease prevention, to improving diagnoses and treatments including new procedures such as those to treat trauma. In recognition of this, the RPH Research Foundation was established with the aim of becoming a beacon of hope where extraordinary thinking delivers exceptional outcomes.

We are an independent, not-for-profit organisation that maintains a close association with Royal Perth Hospital (RPH) and the East Metropolitan Health Service (EMHS) to support the vital role of research in teaching hospitals, helping to ensure the best outcomes for patients, including some of the most disadvantaged members of our community.

With the support we receive from generous donations and Gifts in Wills, we distribute funds to eligible grant recipients to support world-class research happening here in Perth.

Some of our current research funding includes:

• Undertaking and assessing the impact of a physical activity program for older Noongar people of the Southwest of WA that is designed to reduce the incidence of falls and ensure healthy aging.
• Investigating sepsis comprehension in the context of Emergency Departments.
• A first-in-Australia study addressing hearing loss in older Aboriginal people to reduce the disparity in hearing loss between non-indigenous and Indigenous Australians.
• Supporting the Emerging Drugs Network of Australia: a coordinated toxico-surveillance system of illicit drug use in Australia to enable rapid detection and harm reduction responses via an Early Warning System.
• A world-first research project that is exploring how novel glucose-lowering drugs may prevent blindness and induce kidney health in people living with diabetes.

With clinical trials happening here at RPH Research Foundation, today’s research can be tomorrow’s treatment.