AGRF Annual Report FY2022-23 is out!

We are so pleased to share our Annual Report for Financial Year 2022-23. You can view and download a copy of the report by clicking on the image.

“At AGRF, we believe that genomics has the power to transform primary industries and clinical genomics while driving innovation and contributing to valuable research in emerging fields such as single cell and spatial genomics. We are committed to continuing our work in these areas and collaborating with our partners to achieve shared goals for a healthier, more sustainable planet.” - Professor Simon Foote (Chairman).

With over 25 years of delivering exceptional genomic services to Australia and beyond, we are excited to share the stories from the past year with you.

Many thanks to all who have contributed to this report. The stories inside showcase the outstanding work being done by our staff, clients and partners and we are thrilled to share them with you here.

“By working together with our partners, we leverage our collective expertise and resources to achieve shared goals and drive innovation in genomics research and development.” - Joe Baini (Chief Executive Officer).

Click on the image to start reading or download here.

If you wish to receive a hard copy of the Annual Report, please email Louise.Hockham@agrf.org.au with your current mailing address and we will send one out to you. 

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our clients, partners, and staff for their ongoing support and we look forward to working with you in 2024. 

AGRF Appoints Joe Baini as New CEO

MR JOE BAINI, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, AGRF

On behalf of the AGRF Board and AGRF staff, we are pleased to announce the appointment of Joe Baini as Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Genome Research Facility.

AGRF Board Chairman, Emeritus Professor Simon Foote says, “On behalf of the AGRF Board, I am pleased to announce that Mr Joe Baini has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer at AGRF. Joe has immense experience in leading technology-focused companies. He has been interim CEO of AGRF for the past few months and the board has been impressed with his performance. We look forward to accompanying Joe Baini, the executive team and all of AGRF on our voyage over the next few years.”

Mr Baini says, “I am honoured to be joining AGRF, our national, pre-eminent genomics organisation.  Our team members across the country have proven themselves to be high performing and focused on delivering exceptional service to clients. We aim to continue serving the Australian genomics research community and our clinical and commercial partners with the reliability they have come to know. We are additionally excited to support our partners in their efforts to develop real world innovations.”

Mr Baini has more than three decades of experience holding senior management positions in large-scale biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. With skills in strategic and market development, he has achieved success as the CEO of multinational, ASX-listed organisations since 2011.

Previously Mr Baini led the establishment of Gilead Sciences across Asia Pacific and built the fledgling organisation into a significant player in the pharmaceutical sphere. Prior to joining AGRF as Interim CEO earlier this year, Mr Baini worked as CEO of Immuron and PresSura Neuro and has been Principal of Exec Factor since 2008. He has also served on the board of both ASX-listed and privately held pharmaceutical and biotechnology sector companies for ten years.  In addition, he held a guest lecturer position for several years in the Masters of Biotechnology at the University of Melbourne, specialising in commercialisation of new technologies, and brings his background and experience of executive coaching and business mentoring to his new role at AGRF.

Please join us in officially welcoming Joe Baini to the role of CEO. We look forward to 2022 and beyond, and we wish Joe every success.

MEDIA CONTACT
Desley Pitcher
Sales & Marketing Manager
Email: Desley.Pitcher@agrf.org.au
Phone: 0407 395 291

Children’s Cancer Institute Partners with AGRF to Expand the Zero Childhood Cancer Program

Exciting news this week for AGRF, as we sign an agreement with Children’s Cancer Institute to deliver rapid, high-quality, multi-omics sequencing data to support the Zero Childhood Cancer Program and its partner network in the growing number of sequencing-centric research projects. 

To further evaluate the effectiveness of a comprehensive, multi-faceted molecular approach to paediatric precision medicine, the Zero Childhood Cancer Program will be expanded to include all children and young adults diagnosed with cancer in Australia over the next few years, irrespective of cancer type, risk and stage. Their initial aim is to undertake whole genome sequencing, whole transcriptome sequencing and array-based methylation profiling of more than 10,000 children with cancer. In addition, Children’s Cancer Institute will be launching new population-scale sub studies to further investigate paediatric cancer risk. Over the next five years, patient samples will undergo comprehensive genomic profiling to identify molecular signatures and actionable targets to improve their health outcomes.

Vanessa Tyrrell, Program Leader of ZERO at Children’s Cancer Institute said, “Today, we have over 500 children and young people enrolled on ZERO. As we prepare to expand ZERO to one day give every child diagnosed with cancer the very best chance of survival, we’re excited to partner with AGRF to make this happen. Together, we will strive for a future where all children have the best chance of living their best lives.”

And AGRF’s CEO, Dr Kirby Siemering, said, “At AGRF, we are extremely proud to contribute our technology platforms and expertise in genomics to this incredible project. Working together with the talented team at Children’s Cancer Institute and ZERO partners, we aim to make a meaningful impact on the lives of children living with cancer”.

Led in partnership by Children’s Cancer Institute and Kids Cancer Centre at Sydney Children’s Hospital (Randwick), Zero Childhood Cancer brings together all major Australian clinical and research centres working in childhood cancer, as well as international collaborators.