Discovery Fund: Creating research excellence

As a Discovery Fund member, you become part of a remarkable community advancing the very best of medical research.

Members make a tax-deductible gift of $10,000 pledged annually for five years. This extraordinary commitment is recognised by special status at SVI. Discovery Fund members are invited ‘behind the scenes’ to see our work first-hand and meet our researchers. You’ll enjoy opportunities to catch up with old friends and make new ones at exclusive events, including the annual Discovery Fund Member luncheon.

Many members renew their support for a further five years after completing their initial pledge to the Discovery Fund. Or simply continue to donate $10,000 annually.

One-off gifts of all sizes are also gratefully appreciated.

If you are interested in joining the Discovery Fund or would like further information, contact SVI Foundation: [email protected] or (03) 9231 2480.

Funding Discovery

When SVI supporter Christine Tarascio AM envisaged SVI’s Discovery Fund in 2007, her aim was to build an endowed fund of at least $5 million to provide support for innovative research at SVI.

The aim became a reality in 2020 with the Fund’s first major disbursement supporting the recruitment of a new Lab Head, Associate Professor Elaine Sanij, in a high-need disease area.

Elaine, now Head of SVI’s DNA Damage and Cancer Therapy Laboratory, uses pioneering approaches to selectively cause high stress levels inside cancer cells, with the aim of discovering new therapies for ovarian cancer.

Elaine’s research is squarely aimed at overcoming the cancer’s ability to develop drug resistance – and so prevent or delay the relapsing disease that results in the deaths of more than 1,000 Australia women each year.

“Elaine is an incredibly inspiring mid-career researcher with a vision for change. I’ve witnessed the huge ongoing challenge researchers face in gaining sustainable support, and I wanted to do something about that. So, I set about convincing my contacts to pledge $10,000 a year for five years” say’s Christine.