On the 27th of March 2017, the Malaria Vaccine Project was launched by the then Governor General, His Excellency, General the Honorable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK AC (Mil) MC (Retd) DUniv as a fundraising partnership between Rotary District 9640 and Griffith University to support further development of a promising malaria vaccine candidate that had been created by Professor Michael Good AO and his team at Griffith University's Institute for Glycomics.

 

On Wednesday 23 March 2022, Sir Peter and Lady Cosgrove returned to Griffith University to join in the Fifth Anniversary Celebrations. Sir Peter addressed the gathering along with Griffith University Vice Chancellor and President Professor Carolyn Evans, Professor Michael Good  and Malaria Vaccine Project Committee Chair PDG Professor Graham Jones. 

 

Broadbeach was one of the initial sponsor clubs (together with Griffith Gold Coast, Hope Island & Southport) and Neil Jones has represented us on the project committee from the outset. To date the Malaria Vaccine Project has raised over $1,340,000 but the job is not yet done and a further $350,000 is needed to fund the evaluation of the vaccine in clinical trials later this year.

Successful completion of this phase will enable the vaccine to then be trialed in an endemic country. We are well on the way to meeting this 2022 funding challenge with well over $50,000 pledged at today's celebratory function.

 

 

  Michael Good, Graham Jones & Sir Peter Cosgrove cutting the Celebratory Cake