It was the Minister’s first visit to a research facility since her appointment to the federal cabinet last November. Ms Roxon visited several of the WMI laboratories before officially opening the ‘Patrick and Jane Wilde Research Laboratory’.

The laboratory which is part of the Centre for Transplant and Renal Research, a unit of WMI, was named in honour of two long term supporters and benefactors of renal research at Westmead.

Minister Roxon said she was delighted to be able open the laboratory and acknowledged the community’s contribution to medical research.

"Our government recognises the selfless support of individuals like Patrick and Jane Wilde. Their support enables groundbreaking research to be conducted in facilities like the one we are here to open today."

"Research plays an integral part in ensuring the excellence of clinical care and we are committed to ensuring that Australia’s best and brightest researchers have sufficient support and financial assistance to continue to work at the forefront of their fields" she said.

Ms Roxon said she would work closely with her NSW counterparts to ensure that Western Sydney and its growing research infrastructure needs were recognised.

The Centre for Transplant and Renal Research which has grown exponentially now consists of 48 researchers.

"We needed a more user friendly work space which would foster our collaborative approach to research work” said Associate Professor Philip O’Connell, Director of the Centre for Transplant and Renal Research.

"This was the first enhancement of our laboratories since their construction three decades ago and it will enable our work to be more cohesive."

Research in the new laboratory will continue to explore novel sources of insulin producing tissue from humans and genetically modified species and ways to prevent and cure Type 1 diabetes. More than 150,000 Australians have Type 1 diabetes (also known as juvenile or insulin-dependent diabetes). These patients are at risk of developing serious complications including kidney failure.

The Patrick and Jane Wilde research laboratory provides accommodation not only for the rapidly growing Centre for Transplant and Renal Research but also space for scientists working at the recently established Australian Centre for Pancreatic Islet Transplantation.

Mr Wilde said the research work conducted at Westmead had quite literally given life back to his wife Jane and himself following a kidney pancreas transplant conducted in the mid 1990’s.

He added that their contribution to research at Westmead was in recognition of the gratitude they felt. He concluded by saying he was proud to be associated with a Centre which has gained an international reputation for its investigations into causes, treatments and cures for progressive renal disease and transplantation.