Conducted pivotal experimental studies that paved the way for open heart surgery at The Alfred Hospital.
In 1957, The Alfred Hospital performed one of the first open heart operations in Australia. It was a milestone moment — and the Baker Institute was central to making it happen.
The heart-lung machine that kept patients alive during surgery was assembled and rigorously tested in our laboratories before it was deemed safe enough for human use. In a remarkable demonstration of ingenuity under pressure, the components were sourced from Melbourne food and beverage manufacturers and the machine was built in just 10 days. Our researchers left nothing to chance.
The relationship between the Baker Institute and The Alfred Hospital runs deep. Earlier chest surgery performed there in 1934 was made possible by years of laboratory development at the Baker Institute. And the establishment of one of Australia's pioneer cardiac surgery centres at The Alfred was underpinned throughout by the experimental work carried out across the corridor — a collaboration that continues to save lives today.
