Boosting Bioinformatics in South Australia: Recognising the Ongoing Commitment of the JDRF

For more than a decade, JDRF has been a driving force behind the expansion of advanced data analytics at SAHMRI and the South Australian Genomics Centre (SAGC). Beginning with an early investment in SAHMRI’s bioinformatics program, their support seeded the establishment of the SAGC in 2020 and has since enabled advanced data analysis for hundreds of researchers and projects - contributing to dozens of peer-reviewed publications and major research outcomes.  

Read more from SAHMRI about JDRF’s legacy of support

Central to this legacy is the JDRF Bioinformatics Fellowship. Fellows supported through the program have enabled advanced analysis across cancer genomics, single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, infectious disease surveillance and more—work that continues to drive precision medicine and accelerate scientific discovery in South Australia. The Fellowship has further amplified the support for bioinformatics across the state by delivering various hands-on workshops and training initiatives.

This year, the JDRF and SAGC are proud to be co-sponsoring ABACBS 2025. The support will be directed primarily toward subsidising HDR student registrations and workshop fees, reducing the financial barriers for emerging researchers and enabling greater participation in workshops, learning and networking opportunities that may help shape future careers in computational biology.

Dr John Salamon appointed the JDRF Bioinformatics Fellow
The SAGC is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr John Salamon as the newest JDRF Bioinformatics Fellow. This recognition reflects John’s outstanding leadership, technical expertise and significant contributions to strengthening SAGC’s bioinformatics capability. Since joining the Centre, John has led key initiatives to enhance infrastructure, cybersecurity and data-management systems, in addition to supporting a wide range of research projects and delivering training to build capacity across the sector.

John recently spoke with SAHMRI about the importance of the Fellowship and the impact of the JDRF’s support on the broader bioinformatics community in South Australia.
Watch the interview

The generosity and vision of James and Diana Ramsay have left a lasting imprint across the South Australian bioinformatics community. As we welcome researchers from across Australia to Adelaide for ABACBS 2025, and celebrate the amazing achievements of our bioinformatics community, we also want to recognise the impact the JDRF has had through this enduring philanthropic partnership.