Welcome

The Scott Kirkbride Melanoma Research Centre, based within the Western Australian Institute for Medical Research (WAIMR), is dedicated to investigating the causes of melanoma.

The SKMRC was established in memory of young Perth golfer, Scott Kirkbride, who lost his battle with melanoma in 2004 at the age of 27. The SKMRC has been made possible through ongoing fundraising efforts by Scott's family and friends, as well as a generous commitment by the University of Western Australia (UWA) to match the funding dollar for dollar over five years.

The SKMRC aims to establish Western Australia (WA) as a world leader in melanoma research by providing crucial breakthroughs for improved diagnosis and treatment of the deadly skin cancer.

One of the promising projects being undertaken at the Centre is to ask all newly-diagnosed skin cancer patients in WA to volunteer their health information, as well as give a blood sample. The study will be one of the most comprehensive initiatives of its type anywhere in the world and could aid the creation of new tools, such as a blood test, to diagnose melanoma.

Australia has one of the world's highest rates of melanoma and, despite awareness programs educating people about the dangers of spending too much time in the sun, the skin cancer is becoming more prevalent, with more than 1,000 new cases diagnosed each year in WA.