Record donation to boost Australia's pandemic preparedness

A new global pandemic therapeutics centre is to be established in Melbourne, financed by a record donation from an international businessman.

Geoffrey Cumming and his wife Anna at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity in Melbourne. Credit: AAP

Key Points

• Canadian and New Zealand philanthropist Geoffrey Cumming has pledged hundreds of millions of dollars to ensure next time there’s a pandemic, the world is better prepared.
• Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics aims to develop what they call platform therapeutics; drugs that can rapidly be altered to treat any widescale emerging viruses.
• With enhanced computing technology the centre will be able to make effective treatments within months, instead of years.

LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW

Scientists, politicians and one very well-off international philanthropist announce they’re joining forces to 'future-proof' humanity.

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