Category: <span>Company News</span>
We are delighted to share that Bellberry won the National Telstra Best of Business award in the Championing Health category in Melbourne last night, recognising our impact in the medical research sector.
Initially 22,000 businesses were nominated, with seven chosen as national winners in their categories. We’re thrilled to be one of those seven.
Bellberry CEO Kylie Sproston reflected on the significance of this milestone:
This is great recognition, but it is also about the incredible quality of work that is undertaken more broadly in the Australian research sector. The sector has grown continuously over the last 20 years and was valued at $1.6 billion dollars in 2022.
Bellberry has oversight of more than 40% of Australia’s clinical trials with two thirds of those trials coming from overseas. This is due to the calibre of our clinicians and the reputation of our research ecosystem.
We have achieved this win thanks to the support of all our partners and collaborators.
The medical breakthroughs of the future are only possible because of the volunteers participating in clinical trials today. We couldn’t do our work without them.
Bellberry exists to protect the welfare of research participants and in accepting this award I want to pay tribute to their contribution.
This is the 20th year that Bellberry has been operating, making this award and the recognition of our role in advancing health innovation globally, even more remarkable.
In her acceptance speech last night Kylie celebrated “the strength and reputation of the Australian medical sector and the amazing Bellberry community including our staff, HREC members, and our Board who are passionate about making a difference”.
| Meeting Date | Submission Date |
| Weds 11 December | Weds 27 November |
| Weds 18 December | Weds 4 December |
| Bellberry office closure: COB Tuesday 24 December to Thursday 2 January 2025 | |
| Thurs 2 January | Weds 11 December |
| Weds 8 January | Weds 18 December |
| Weds 15 January | Tues 31 December |
| Weds 22 January | Weds 8 January |
HREC meetings are held every Wednesday for the duration of 2025.
Bellberry CEO Kylie Sproston and Communications Manager Alison Rogers, are on their way to Melbourne today in preparation for their final pitch in the Telstra Best of Business Awards!
Bellberry are delighted to have made the Finals in the Championing Health category of the awards.
Congratulations to all the other businesses in the finals and many thanks to Telstra for providing us with this opportunity.
In ‘The Balancing Act’ we meet Professor Andrew Wilson AO, the recently retired Chair of the PBAC.
Andrew is a former Chief Medical Officer of Victoria and has spent his career trying to get the best possible outcomes in public health through our state and federal governments.
For someone focused on evidence based research, engaging in the political system can be a huge challenge.
The Operations Update for October contains useful information including some important updates to the eProtocol HREC application form and the Amendment form. Please read the update for further information:
| Meeting Date | Submission Date |
| Weds 11 December | Weds 27 November |
| Weds 18 December | Weds 4 December |
| Bellberry office closure: COB Tuesday 24 December to Thursday 2 January 2025 | |
| Thurs 2 January | Weds 11 December |
| Weds 8 January | Weds 18 December |
| Weds 15 January | Tues 31 December |
| Weds 22 January | Weds 8 January |
HREC meetings are held every Wednesday for the duration of 2025.
We’re delighted to announce that Dr Marcel Doerflinger of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI), was announced as the 2024 Bellberry-Viertel Fellow at the Viertel Symposium last week.
The Bellberry-Viertel Fellowship supports a Senior Medical Research Fellow to receive $1.375 million over five years to support their research. Dr Doerflinger’s work focuses on revolutionising treatment for lung disease, in particular Tuberculosis (TB). TB remains the deadliest infectious disease worldwide, killing one person every 20 seconds, with drug-resistant strains posing a significant public health threat.
Current TB vaccines offer incomplete protection, and the lengthy, toxic antibiotic treatments required often lead to lead to poor compliance, further fuelling the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Without new, innovative treatments, millions of people could die each year from AMR-related infections. Marcel’s research seeks to address this challenge by developing RNA-based therapies that manipulate the body’s own defence mechanisms—specifically, a process known as programmed cell death. Rather than directly targeting bacteria with antibiotics, which can lead to resistance, these therapies focus on enhancing the body’s immune response. Marcel has recently been appointed as a Lab Head at WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research) overseeing the PC3 facility within the Infectious Diseases and Immune Defence Division. His aim is to leverage and expand his foundational work towards novel therapies for high impact infectious diseases.
Congratulations to the two Viertel Senior Medical Research fellowship winners Dr Rhea Longley of WEHI and Dr Luke Isbel of the University of Adelaide and thanks to the Viertel Foundation’s Medical Advisory Board, the Viertel Trustees and Equity Trustees.
Read the Equity Trustees Press Release
Bellberry is committed to being a global leader in research ethics reviews and enhancing health and wellbeing. We’re looking for a Quality Associate to support our mission of delivering excellence in scientific and ethical review services.
In this role, you’ll work closely with the Quality Manager to oversee our Quality Management System (QMS), ensure compliance, and maintain exceptional standards in research ethics.
Ready to make a meaningful impact? Apply today and be part of our team!
Click here for the Position Description or on SEEK below to apply.
We’re absolutely thrilled to announce that Bellberry has been named the South Australian winner in the Championing Health category for the 2025 Telstra Best of Business Awards!
Over the past 20 years, Bellberry has been dedicated to continuously improving our services as a Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) provider. This award is a testament to the countless individuals who have contributed to our journey, including our exceptional team, our HREC members, and our outstanding Board.
We would like to thank everyone who has partnered with us in our mission to put research participants at the heart of everything we do, enhancing the quality, efficiency, and impact of research.
A big thank you to Telstra for the thorough awards process, and congratulations to all the finalists and winners – we’re honoured to be in such great company!
Telstra Best of Business Award Winners for SA
| Meeting Date | Submission Date |
| Weds 11 December | Weds 27 November |
| Weds 18 December | Weds 4 December |
| Bellberry office closure: COB Tuesday 24 December to Thursday 2 January 2025 | |
| Thurs 2 January | Weds 11 December |
| Weds 8 January | Weds 18 December |
| Weds 15 January | Tues 31 December |
| Weds 22 January | Weds 8 January |
HREC meetings are held every Wednesday for the duration of 2024
Bellberry consists of a team of highly professional, innovative and dedicated people who are committed to making a difference within the research community.
Our culture is built on shared values:
- Making a difference
- Working together with integrity and respect
- Professional and Responsive
- Future looking and forward-thinking.
That combination helps our professionals make a difference each day both individually and collectively.
Due to our continued growth we have a number of current vacancies:
- Data Analyst
- Project Manager
- Human Research Ethics Committees Officer
Please visit the SEEK website for further information about any of these roles.
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)
| Meeting Date | Submission Date |
| Weds 11 December | Weds 27 November |
| Weds 18 December | Weds 4 December |
| Bellberry office closure: COB Tuesday 24 December to Thursday 2 January 2025 | |
| Thurs 2 January | Weds 11 December |
| Weds 8 January | Weds 18 December |
| Weds 15 January | Tues 31 December |
| Weds 22 January | Weds 8 January |
HREC meetings are held every Wednesday for the duration of 2024
We have made updates to several documents under Bellberry Applications (BA) and Monitoring of Approved Research (MAR). These changes aim to improve clarity, ensure compliance with current regulations, and enhance the efficiency of our processes. Please review the modified documents to stay informed about the latest updates: BA F5.1.1 Public Photographic & videographic release content We have reviewed and updated the document to clarify that consent is required whenever images are identifiable, not just when they are being published. We’ve expanded the consent statements and rewritten that section for clarity. [select-faq faq_id=’16035′] BA G9 Advertising and social media We have updated the document to improve wording and provide further clarity, without changing our position. Since this update focuses on wording and clarity, we encourage users to read the document in its entirety instead of relying on small excerpts. Advertising: We now include detailed explanations of the difference between generic and study-specific advertising and guidelines on which types require HREC review. We’ve also added practical examples to help sites make these determinations. Media Coverage: We have added a new section to guide sites on when HREC review is necessary for media coverage and what should be included in a submission. Overall Improvements: We have revised the document to eliminate redundant information and reorganised it for greater clarity. BA G12 Version control and document naming conventions Previously, BA G12 did not address the practice of distinguishing between Clean and Track change documents. The update to the guidance has introduced a standard notation system—using CL for Clean documents and TK/TC for Track Change documents—which could provide significant benefits:- Clarity: Immediately identifies the type of document, reducing confusion.
- Version Control: Helps in tracking revisions and updates accurately.
- 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.