In 1970, Dr Roger Dawkins returned to the University of Western Australia as a Raine Research Fellow after completing several years of clinical and fellowship training in Boston and London. In 1972, he was invited to found and direct what became the Centre for Molecular Immunology and Instrumentation (CMII) within the University of Western Australia’s Faculty of Medicine at Royal Perth Hospital and Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital (later the Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre). CMII grew from several members to over seventy and research and teaching together with clinical and laboratory services were integrated at both teaching hospitals. The Centre specialised in rheumatology as well as the relatively new fields of immunology, autoimmune diseases, renal and bone marrow transplantation matching and, after 1981, AIDS.

CMII’s innovative work culminated in new clinical and laboratory techniques, improved patient care and advanced collaborative studies and workshops with other researchers, including international groups involved in genetics and evolution. The group’s research was largely published in international medical and scientific journals, attracting interest from researchers and students from many countries. At least ten of Professor Dawkins colleagues, students and staff became professors in their own right at universities around the world, including Australia, Europe, America and China.

In 1983, encouraged by patients and supporters, Professor Dawkins and his colleagues founded the Immunogenetics Research Foundation to help support the Centre’s work.
In 1997, Professor Dawkins retired from clinical work to concentrate on research and postdoctoral supervision. In 1999, with continued support from research grants, patent and private funding, UWA and the Foundation, the research laboratory, scientists and students relocated to rural Piara Waters. By 2002, the science had evolved to include multidisciplinary projects with an emphasis on genetics in agriculture. This change of direction occasioned the renaming of the Foundation to the C Y O’Connor ERADE Village Foundation (CYOEVF).  State and federal government grants helped with the construction of academic and multipurpose incubator units next to the existing CYOEVF laboratories. It successfully facilitated research, education and small start-up businesses.  

By 2015, the Foundation’s research activities in agriculture made it practical to relocate to its supporting farms within the State Government’s proposed Peel Food Zone. In 2019, an extension of the CYOEVF campus facilities at 15 Del Park Road, North Dandalup was launched with support from the Australian Government’s Building Better Regions Fund. This first stage was completed in July 2021 and, with encouragement from the local government, the next stage is to construct much needed temporary accommodation for researchers, staff and for the community’s service providers.

Professor Dawkins proudly continues as CYOEVF’s Founding Research Director and Chairman of the Board.