La Trobe University has become the first Australian university to commission the NVIDIA DGX H200 supercomputer.
Hosted at NEXTDC’s M2 data centre in Melbourne, the new system is set to accelerate breakthroughs in immunotherapies, cancer vaccines, med-tech, and digital health, while also providing hands-on training for the next generation of AI experts.
The deployment of three DGX H200 systems is a cornerstone of La Trobe’s ambitious “AI-first” approach, which aims to transform research, education, student support, and business operations. Anchored by Australian Centre for Artificial Intelligence in Medical Innovation (ACAMI), the university is the world’s first university centre dedicated to using AI for developing advanced healthcare solutions.
“AI is revolutionising society at great speed and La Trobe is committed to ensuring that our students and the communities we serve are empowered to adapt and succeed in this rapidly changing world,” said Professor Theo Farrell (top), Vice-Chancellor of La Trobe University.
The unmatched processing power of the DGX H200 will enable researchers to complete complex three-dimensional imaging and large-scale models in hours rather than days.
“This will dramatically reduce the time it takes to develop life-changing treatment for 700,000 people worldwide living with childhood dementia. It could also provide insights into other forms of dementia, which affect over 400,000 Australians and is projected to double by 2058,” said Dr Ya Hui Hung, Project Lead of The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, whichis collaborating with ACAMI on researching Niemann-Pick disease type C, a progressive neurodegenerative disorder in children.
The partnership with NEXTDC ensures the AI platform is supported by robust, AI-ready infrastructure, including high-density power and innovative cooling solutions.
According to NEXTDC CEO Craig Scroggie, the collaboration is “one of the country’s leading research platforms,” empowering critical research and innovation to improve patient treatment for many Australians.
“AI-powered infrastructure is unlocking a new wave of discovery, giving researchers the tools needed to advance healthcare and medical research,” said Sudarshan Ramachandran, ANZ Country Manager of Enterprise at NVIDIA.
Growing DGX Ecosystem
While La Trobe is the first to commission the latest DGX H200 systems, several other leading Australian universities are already harnessing NVIDIA DGX technology to fast-track their AI and research capabilities.
Monash University is home to SensiLab, a research centre which has a dedicated NVIDIA DGX supercomputer. Researchers at Monash have used the DGX platform to develop deep learning frameworks for adaptive music scoring in interactive media and to accelerate medical research, including the development of superdrugs to combat superbugs.
University of Sydney has the Artemis 3 supercomputer that sports 108 NVIDIA V100 GPUs to support AI research across disciplines such as geophysics, genomics, and medical imaging.
National research organisations such as CSIRO, NCI and Pawsey, as well as other top universities and health research institutes, have adopted NVIDIA DGX systems to power AI exploration and high-performance computing in fields ranging from engineering to life sciences.
Entelechy Asia 