
BACKGROUND
INFORMATION
OUR
STORY
A NECESSARY CHANGE
After years of involvement with various Parkinson’s disease organisations, Michael Katz and Dr Richard Balanson consider that the standard approach to medical research funding in Australia is holding back the progression of locally derived research and therapies due to its lengthy procedures, organisational politics and reliance on donations and gifts. Hence, Michael and Richard sought to create a philanthropic organisation with a commercial mindset for the promotion and acceleration of Parkinson’s disease research.
MIRIAX AND PRF
This led to the establishment of Miriax in 2023 to undertake venture philanthropy in the field of Parkinson’s disease research, treatment and awareness. In 2024, Michael and Richard established the Parkinson's Research Foundation to set apart and enact their charitable objectives and activities under a Health Promotion Charity model.
TWO ORGANISATIONS, ONE MISSION
PRF and Miriax share one mission to:
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assist the research and development of selected Parkinson’s disease therapies
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accelerate the availability of those therapies
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support and facilitate the generation of objective data on the development of Parkinson’s disease to enable more successful clinical trials.
OUR SUPPORT
Miriax undertakes venture philanthropy and impact investment, provides consulting services and manages research equipment leasing for targeted Parkinson’s projects that meet PRF’s objectives. Our profits are donated to PRF to provide future funding certainty or directly reinvested into new Parkinson's disease research opportunities.
OPERATING
MODEL
While Miriax and PRF share certain functional support, the two organisations maintain operational independence. The PRF-Miriax Operating Model diagram below sets out the functional division between the two organisations.
PRF-MIRIAX
OPERATING MODEL

MIRIAX
FOUNDERS

Michael Katz
Michael has been working in finance for over 40 years. He was Chair of ING Australia for nearly 10 years until 2020. Prior to that, he had a key role as a Group Executive at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.

Dr Richard Balanson
Richard is a business consultant with over 30 years' experience in leadership roles in technology companies such as Maxwell Technologies, 3D Systems, Applied Magnetics and IBM.
OUR
TEAM
Sally Mitchell
Project Lead
Sally is a business consultant who has held senior management roles in banking, finance and management consulting.
Madeleine Charters
Administrative Coordinator
Madeleine is an editor and administrator with expertise in planning, compliance and communications.