Category: <span>Bellberry Community</span>

We’re delighted to be a state finalist in the Championing Health category of the Telstra Best of Business Awards! We’ve been designated this category for the impact that Bellberry is making in improving the health of Australians.

We are absolutely thrilled that our incredible team of staff and HREC members are getting this recognition for the extraordinary work they do protecting the welfare of the participant and improving the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of research, every day. Well done team!

Telstra Best of Business Awards Finalists (Championing Health)

HREC meetings are held every Wednesday for the duration of 2024

Without the patient or participant we would not have clinical trials. These are the people who, in some cases, are volunteering to have treatments that have never been tried on humans before.

In It’s All About the Participant we hear first-hand about what it’s like to be the participant and ask how could the experience be improved for others?

In Episode 9 of From Lab to Life we take a deep dive into the experience of those that have been on life-changing clinical trials.

1. Clarity: Immediately identifies the type of document, reducing confusion.
2. Version Control: Helps in tracking revisions and updates accurately.
3. Efficiency: Facilitates quicker reviews and approvals by clearly showing changes.

• The administrative closure will occur after the Principal Investigator (PI) and nominated contacts receive automated warnings from eProtocol 30, 14, and 7 days before the expiration date (which is also the progress report due date), followed by an email from Bellberry administration two days before expiry.
• If we do not receive the progress or final report within 30 days of the expiration date, we will inform the PI and nominated contact that we will administratively close the study 45 days after expiry.
• After the 45-day closure, Bellberry administration cannot reactivate the study. If the study is ongoing at your site, you must submit a new application, and new application fees may apply (please refer to BA G6 Application Fees).

Bellberry consists of a team of highly professional, innovative and dedicated people who are committed to making a difference within the research community.

We’re delighted to currently have the following opportunities available to join our team:

Executive Assistant

An exciting opportunity for an experienced Executive Assistant to support our Executive team has arisen. This role is perfect for someone who thrives in a dynamic environment and is eager to contribute to a progressive organisation.

Please click here for the Position Description and visit the SEEK website for further information and to apply.

Human Research Ethics Commitee (HREC) Officer

The HREC Officer will provide a high level of support to the Bellberry Human Research Ethics Committee and be responsible for the administration of human research applications utilising the online submission system.

Please click here for the Position Description and visit the SEEK website for further information and to apply.

• Making a difference
• Working together with integrity and respect
• Professional and Responsive
• Future looking and forward-thinking.

Have a question? Get in touch. Contact Athena Seltsikas, HR Business Partner on 08 8361 3222.

In ‘The Quiet Achiever’ we met someone who has made an extraordinary contribution to Australian health in a career spanning over six decades. Professor Emeritus Lloyd Sansom AO started his career as a pharmacist, going on to become Professor of Pharmacy as well as Head of the School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences at the University of South Australia.

In 2002 he was awarded an AO and in 2004 his contribution to the University was recognised with the naming of the Sansom Institute for Health Research. He was also Chair of the Australian Pharmaceutical Advisory Council from 1991-2000 and Chair for the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee from 2001-2012. Recently Lloyd retired as a member of Bellberry’s Board and in this episode he gives us insight into his life, work and lessons learnt.

The Founding Chair of Bellberry’s Board of Directors, Fraser Bell, has paid tribute to retiring Board member Professor Emeritus Lloyd Sansom AO for his 12 years on the Board.

“Once in a while a Board gets to work with a person of enormous integrity, wisdom, humility, humour and a capacity to roll up his sleeves and get things done,” said Mr Bell.

“Bellberry has had just that opportunity with Lloyd Sansom. Our company made huge strides forward due to Lloyd’s vision with our Thought Leadership Program in particular.

“While that is the obvious legacy, each of his fellow Board members and the executive team are better off for having shared the journey with Lloyd,” said Mr Bell.

Professor Sansom was Professor of Pharmacy as well as Head of the School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences at the University of South Australia. In 2004 his contribution to the University was recognised with the naming of the Sansom Institute for Health Research.

He was also the Chair of the Australian Pharmaceutical Advisory Council from 1991-2000 and Chair of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee from 2001 to 2012.

Professor Sansom said it’s been a privilege to watch Bellberry grow over the last 12 years.

“Bellberry is a company that provides a high-quality service, but it does more than that. It is contributing to the advancement of the discipline of clinical trial research in this country and beyond,” said Professor Sansom.

Professor Andrew Wilson AO, who has recently retired as chair of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee will be joining the Bellberry Board.

Board Chair Fraser Bell has welcomed Professor Wilson’ appointment, “Andrew’s expertise and insights are well known to us and we are looking forward to working with him”.

Bellberry is Australia’s largest reviewer of human research reviewing more than 40% of CTN Clinical Trials in Australia. It’s a national, independent, not-for-profit organsiation focused on improving the welfare of human research participants and the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of medical research through its HREC reviews and philanthropic activities.

For media queries contact alisonrogers@bellberry.com.au or call 0488 995 868

The ACTA Trial of the Year Awards were established in 2016 to highlight the outstanding Australian achievements that advance clinical practice and save or improve the lives of patients every year. This years awards were celebrated at the 2024 ACTA Trial of the Year Awards ceremony, held on International Clinical Trials Day, Monday 20 May 2024.

Among an outstanding national selection of collaborative, multicenter, investigator-driven trials, the winner of the ACTA Trial of the Year Award was:

ASAP (Australian Surgical Antibiotic Prophylaxis) Trial: Trial of Vancomycin and Cefazolin as Surgical Prophylaxis in Arthroplasty, Chief Investigator Prof Trisha Peel.

For further details on all the award winners please visit the ACTA website here.

Many congratulations to all the award winners.

Opportunities are currently available to join our ever growing HREC review panels. Please refer to the article below for further information and contact Cathy Stevens if you are interested.

Bellberry Limited, Australia’s largest reviewer of human research is celebrating its 20th year of operations. The company is an independent not-for-profit organisation providing research ethics services across Australia.

Bellberry is driven by two key objectives, to protect the welfare of research participants and to improve the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of research. It provides high-quality, time efficient and internationally accredited scientific and ethical review of research projects.

Bellberry provides specialist ethical oversight to almost 40% of clinical trials registered to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), which is the Australian equivalent of the FDA in the US or the EMA in Europe.

Starting with one Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) in 2004, 20 years later Bellberry has 12 HRECs operating with 150 members undertaking reviews across all phases of clinical and device trials as well as social and behavioural studies.

Bellberry is at the forefront of global drug development, and is 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 reinvests all its surplus funds back into the Australian medical research sector.

Bellberry’s Director of Operations, Jerneen Williams, and Director of Strategic Projects, Trina O’Donnell, will be attending BIO Korea.

For media inquiries please contact Alison Rogers alisonrogers@bellberry.com.au

In this episode of From Lab to Life, we hear the insights from some of the smartest researchers in the country about how they have succeeded in their careers.

In ‘Speaking From Experience’ we hear from Laureate Professor Ingrid Scheffer, Professor Doug Hilton, Emeritus Professor Ian Frazer, Professors Marnie Blewitt, Kim Jacobson and Di Yu about how they have navigated a successful path in the complex and demanding field of medical research.

Nominations are open for the Australian Clinical Trials Alliance (ACTA) Trial of the Year Awards. These awards celebrate the incredible Australians propelling our healthcare system forward through groundbreaking clinical trials.

Nominations close at midnight on Friday 29 March 2024. For more information see the ACTA website here

Bellberry’s award winning work is supported by a dedicated, talented and growing team. In this episode of From Lab to Life, we meet some of the members of the Bellberry team and find out why they do what they do. They give us an insight into the organisation, the work they do and what gets them out of bed every day.

Tune into this latest podcast episode, ‘All In A Day’s Work’ by clicking on the link below or search for ‘Bellberry’ in your favourite podcast platform.