Our company
Bellberry is an independent Australian not-for-profit dedicated to improving the welfare of research participants and supporting the highest ethical standards in human research — governed and structured to ensure integrity, transparency and independence at every level.
How we started
Bellberry was founded in 2004 to solve an immediate problem — South Australia’s growing volume of health and medical research needed independent, high-quality ethics review that wasn’t tied to any institution or commercial interest.
Starting with a single committee in Adelaide, we pioneered a not-for-profit model in which any surplus revenue is reinvested back into the research sector rather than distributed to shareholders or owners.
That non-profit model remains at the heart of everything we do.
Bellberry is now the single largest reviewer of clinical research in Australia
We provide specialist Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) oversight to almost 40% of Australia’s clinical trials registered annually under the Clinical Trials Notification (CTN) scheme. More than half of all new therapies approved by the FDA have been seen by a Bellberry committee at some stage in their development.
We are also the first organisation in Australia to achieve international accreditation for excellence and ethically sound processes in running HRECs by the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP).
Bellberry has reviewed over 11,000 studies since our beginnings in 2004. Our broad research portfolio now includes both clinical research and behavioural and social sciences projects spanning private, public, academic and government sectors.
Learn more about our services for researchers.
Our purpose
Bellberry Limited exists for two key purposes:
- To promote and improve the welfare of research participants, and
- To improve the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of research.
We achieve our purpose by:
- Operating independent Human Research Ethics Committees (HRECs) that review research proposals across Australia.
- Providing robust governance and oversight in accordance with the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2025).
- Supporting researchers, institutions and sponsors to achieve timely, high-quality outcomes without compromising participant safety.
- Reinvesting all surpluses into initiatives that advance research ethics, education, and the broader research community.
Our governance structure
Bellberry is governed by a board of non-executive directors, who are responsible for the strategic direction and appropriate management of the company.
The Board discharges these responsibilities through regular meetings, engagement with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), approval of annual operating budgets, and oversight of governance structures and company policies.
Independence from committee decisions
Bellberry has carefully and deliberately structured its operations to ensure the company has no influence on the decision-making of its Human Research Ethics Committees.
Fees are determined by the Board and CEO, and managed entirely separately from the committees. Committee members have no visibility of the company’s financial statements and no involvement in fee decisions.
Additionally, fees charged are for the review of a study, regardless of the outcome — fees remain payable even in cases where a study is not approved by the HREC.
This structure and separation ensure that fees have no influence on committee decision-making and that every review remains impartial and guided solely by ethical principles.
Meet our team
Board of Non-Executive Directors
Kobi Leins
Imelda Lynch
Professor Andrew Wilson AO
Professor Ingrid Scheffer AO
Hon John Hill
Mark Allen
Fraser Bell (Chair)
Executive Team
Senior Leadership Team
Reconciliation Action Plan
Bellberry’s Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) was officially endorsed by Reconciliation Australia in May 2026 and launched during National Reconciliation Week 2026.
Reconciliation is about building respectful relationships and creating an Australia where First Nations peoples participate equally in all aspects of life. While progress continues to be made, significant disparities remain between First Nations Australians and non-Indigenous Australians across healthcare, education and employment.
Our company recognises our unique position to help shape a more inclusive, respectful and culturally safe Australian research environment.
Through our Reflect RAP, we are committed to strengthening relationships, increasing understanding and supporting meaningful engagement with First Nations peoples and communities.
“This RAP formalises our commitment to learning with humility and acting with purpose. We are investing in cultural awareness and reconciliation education across our staff, HREC members and leadership. We are embedding reconciliation into our organisational strategy and operations. We are supporting philanthropic activities that can shine a spotlight on First Nations researchers. And we are continuing to listen — to the voices of communities, to the lived experience of First Nations peoples, and to the wisdom that comes from tens of thousands of years of connection to Country.”
— Kylie Sproston, Bellberry CEO
Our RAP commitments
Our Reconciliation Action Plan commitments span cultural awareness, research ethics support and active partnerships, including:
- Sponsoring the AAHMS Outstanding First Nations Researcher Medal
- Supporting the South Australian Aboriginal HREC Secretariat
- Engaging with bodies such as AIATSIS and the Lowitja Institute to strengthen First Nations-led ethics review across Australia.
Download the Bellberry Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).
Commitment to privacy
Bellberry complies with the National Privacy Principles (NPPs).
We are committed to providing a high-quality service that protects the privacy of everyone whose personal information we collect and hold — including HREC members, researchers and their research projects, and our staff.
We consider respect for the privacy of research participants to be a critical ethical issue.
Read our Privacy Policy for more information.