Kolling Institute of Medical Research

The Kolling Institute of Medical Research is located on the grounds of the Royal North Shore Hospital in St Leonards, Sydney Australia. The institute, founded in 1920, is the oldest medical research institute in New South Wales.

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History

The Institute of Pathological Research was established in a cottage within the grounds of the Royal North Shore Hospital in 1920 with the appointment of a biochemist. Doctor W. Wilson Ingram was the first director, appointed in 1928. He remained director for almost 50 years. During his tenure he added significantly to knowledge of diabetes,opening the first clinic for its treatment in Australia. He also accompanied Sir Douglas Mawson on two Antarctic expeditions as Medical Officer and research scientist between 1929 and 1931.

A new two storey building was officially opened in 1931 and named the Kolling Institute.

Dr Max (Rudi) Lemberg held an appointment within the institute from 1935 to 1972, establishing a major research focus on porphyrins, structures within molecules which give the red colour to blood and the yellow colour to bile. Rudi Lemberg became a Fellow of the Royal Society and was one of the founders of biochemistry in Australia.

Bill Ingram was succeeded in 1974 by Dr David Nelson who directed the Institute until his untimely death in 1989. David Nelson's research focus was in immune responses and allergy, particularly the involvement of the blood coagulation system in these processes.

Professor Robert Baxter became the third director of the Kolling Institute in 1994. The existing endocrinology research group (led by Dr Bruce Robinson) expanded into insulin growth factors and IGF binding proteins.

In the last few years, the Kolling Institute has expanded to include other research groups from the Royal North Shore campus.