The University of News South Wales (UNSW) has received a donation of $50 million for endometriosis research, marking the contribution as the largest known sum donated to the cause globally.
The donation by the Ainsworth family will establish the national Ainsworth Endometriosis Research Institute (AERI) over the course of 10 years at UNSW.
AERI plans to adopt a “global consortia-based approach” to the research, by bringing together top scientists, clinicians, and philanthropists worldwide to work towards “breakthroughs in diagnosis” and create “precision-based treatments.”
The partnership will “position Australia as a global leader in women’s health.” It is also the largest philanthropic donation made to the university.
Endometriosis is a chronic condition where the tissue similar to the lining of the uterus is found growing outside of the uterus. It can cause severe pain, inflammation, scarring, fatigue, and in some cases, infertility.
An estimated one in seven Australian women will experience endometriosis, however research remains limited, underfunded, and underdeveloped. Treatment options are also limited and poorly understood.
Professor Jason Abbott, clinician and researcher at UNSW who’s career is dedicated to researching and advocating for better endometriosis diagnosis and treatment called AERI “the most significant commitment to endometriosis research” he has seen.
“Each person’s endometriosis is unique and for the best results, treatment needs to be personalised,” says Abbott.
“This substantial investment will allow researchers for the first time to build a solid understanding of endometriosis biology and pathogenesis that will lead to improved detection, management, and treatment.”
This donation was made possible due to the experiences of two members of the Ainsworth family: Lily Ainsworth, and her mother, Anna Ainsworth, both of whom have dealt with the chronic pain and uncertainty which comes with the disease.
Lily Ainsworth states, “The Ainsworth Endometriosis Research Institute is more than an exceptional research institute; it is hope. Hope for those living with endometriosis now and in the future, that they will be able to live full, happy and healthy lives.”
The Ainsworth family, the donors, established their fortune from poker machines, with Patriarch Len Ainsworth founding Aristocrat in 1953, the second largest gaming company in the world.
