Our journey started 60 years ago with a vision for world-class independent medical research here in Wellington, New Zealand.
The concept of a Wellington-based, independent medical research institute was first proposed in the early 1960s. At that time, relatively little medical research was carried out in New Zealand due to a lack of facilities and support by hospital boards.
In 1966 a group of far-sighted New Zealanders set our course, with a joint committee of the Wellington division of the Cancer Society and the Wellington Medical Research Foundation formed to explore a collaboration between the two bodies to sponsor research.
Seeded with an extraordinary gift from Len and Ann Malaghan – a donation of 100,000 General Foods Corporation (NZ) Limited shares to ‘provide income for medical research, with preference as far as possible to diseases of the blood – the Wellington Cancer Medical Research Institute Trust was registered as a charitable trust, with the goal of establishing a new research institute to meet both organisation’s objectives.
The Wellington Cancer and Medical Research Institute was opened on 26 July 1979, in rented premises in the Wellington School of Medicine. In 1986, its name was changed to the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research in recognition of the early and generous support of Len and Ann Malaghan and the importance of philanthropy.
The arrival of Graham Le Gros and his wife Franca Ronchese in 1994 brought a fresh new focus on immunology and how we can harness that knowledge to develop new ways to prevent, treat and cure disease.
In 2004, the institute relocated to a purpose-built facility on Victoria University of Wellington’s campus in Kelburn.
Today, bringing together world-class immunological research with clinical expertise, the Malaghan Institute is uniquely positioned to translate new discoveries into new therapies to prevent, treat and cure disease.
Len and Ann Malaghan
Len Malaghan was born in 1906 and had a keen eye for business. As a young man, he was a cheese and butter maker at the Tapanui Co-Operative Dairy Factory and qualified to be a manager at age 20. Considered too young at the time, he was given the opportunity to train under a visiting ice cream manufacturer from the United States.
This opportunity led to a passion for ice cream and in 1936 Len and his business partner opened a milk bar in Wellington specialising in ice cream and milkshakes. That humble enterprise took Wellington by storm and expanded to what we know today as Tip Top Ice Cream.
Len was joint managing director when the Auckland and Wellington branches of the company merged to become General Foods Corporation and was listed on the New Zealand Stock exchange. He was also on the board of J Watties Canneries.
At the peak of his career Len was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma, a cancer originating from white blood cells called lymphocytes. During his treatment Len recognised the value of medical research, so he and Ann established a medical research trust by gifting shares in their company to the Wellington Medical Research Foundation.
While Len passed away on Christmas Day 1967 at the age of 61, Ann went on to make further generous donations to the institute.
Their children and grandchildren continue their legacy with both their son Graham, who served as Chairman for thirty years, and grandson Matthew, who served as a member of the Board of Trustees for more than a decade. Other family members have played an important role in various fundraising initiatives for the institute.
On 18 July 2007 Len Malaghan was inducted into the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame.