If you could help improve global health outcomes by participating in research to prevent, treat and find cures for disease, would you do it? It is a question The George Institute for Global Health is asking millions of Australians to consider, as part of the Join Us program. 

The George Institute, an independent global medical research centre with scientists based in over 50 cities worldwide, including Sydney, has partnered with universities and research centres to set up the Join Us register. The register connects researchers to a database of people who are interested in taking part in medical research opportunities relevant to their own health.

Kiama Downs researcher Professor Maree Hackett has worked at the George Institute for almost two decades. Born in New Zealand, Prof Hackett was offered a job at the Institute while in her final year of a PhD at Auckland University. She has lived here ever since and earlier this month officially became an Australian citizen. 

Prof Hackett says research is critical to better health outcomes, but finding participants to get involved in research can be difficult. 

“The Join Us register is an easy way for millions of Australians to find out about and participate in life-saving health and medical research,” says Prof Hackett. “It is a secure register that matches participants with research studies not only at The George Institute but also being run by other medical and public health bodies, addressing Australia’s biggest health challenges.”

These challenges include reducing risk factors for any major illness.

“People can lower their risk factors by eating well, reducing alcohol consumption, keeping weight down, exercising and not smoking,” says Prof Hackett. “But for people who do have health challenges, we rely on research to improve their outcomes.”

The Head of the Student and Fellows Program at The George Institute was always interested in working in medical research or in a hospital. 

“Members of my family have various health conditions, so I spent a fair amount of time visiting them in the hospital growing up,” says Prof Hackett. “I always thought things could be better, so I went into research.”

But it almost didn’t happen when, at one stage, Prof Hackett thought that university was not for her. “I ended up doing three degrees after swearing that going to university was a complete waste of time,” laughs Prof Hackett, who completed a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and English, a Masters in Psychology, and a PhD in Medicine. 

Fast forward two decades and many years of research, Prof Hackett now oversees students doing their doctoral degrees, along with their supervisors, as they transition into their early career. Her goal is to ensure students get the best research opportunities possible while developing groundbreaking methods to improve people's health. 

Prof Hackett says the research landscape has changed significantly since she started in the field, where she focused on developing simple, cost-effective strategies to prevent depression and improve outcomes for people with depression and other chronic diseases.

“It’s very hard to go into research now and have a high chance of funding success, but researchers at The George Institute are doing cutting edge, amazing work to help improve global health outcomes,” she says. 

Breakthroughs in improving people’s health would not be possible if not for community participation in medical research opportunities. 

“One of the most difficult things about conducting research is finding the right participants,” says Prof Hackett. “Programs like Join Us give people in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven, who might not be attending a big teaching hospital where they’re asked to take part in clinical trials, an opportunity to be a part of breakthroughs in health research.”

The Join Us register was established in 2020 by The George Institute and its affiliate partner, UNSW Sydney. More than 40 organisations are now part of the program including the Australian Stroke and Heart Research Accelerator, a centre improving research into cardiovascular disease.

“You don’t have to take part in a clinical trial if you get contacted through the national register,” says Prof Hackett. “The database is similar to any routinely collected, secure data, just like when you register with an electricity provider, it allows a company to contact you to let you know about a power outage and when it might be restored. Join Us is a really easy way to find out about potential research that you or your family might benefit from. Most people are quite altruistic given the chance,so it gives them the opportunity to potentially help others by increasing medical knowledge.”

For more information about the Join Us program go to https://www.georgeinstitute.org.au/join-us-register