Australia has the world's highest incidence of malignant mesothelioma per capita, with more than 700 new cases diagnosed each year, which is due to the widespread use of the known carcinogen, asbestos. It is estimated that the incidence of malignant mesothelioma will continue to increase for the next 10 to 20 years.

As a response to the increasing incidence of malignant mesothelioma, the Asbestos Diseases Research Institute (ADRI) located in the Bernie Banton Centre, was opened in January 2009 by the then Prime Minister, the Hon Kevin Rudd. The ADRI/ Bernie Banton Centre was established by the Asbestos Diseases Research Foundation (ADRF), a charitable, not-for-profit foundation dedicated to assist and support the research efforts of ADRI into asbestos-related diseases. 

Before his death in 2007, Bernie Banton campaigned vigorously for the rights of those who suffered, like himself, from asbestos-related diseases. This state-of-the-art research facility on the Concord Hospital Campus was named in his honour. 

The Asbestos Diseases Research Institute aims to improve the prevention, the diagnosis and treatment of asbestos-related diseases.