A group of 15 scientists from the University of Bonn visited Melbourne for the 1st BM-AXIS symposium Down Under. The symposium held at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity aimed to identify synergies for potential joint research projects. Participants from the University of Bonn and the University of Melbourne gave short presentations of their work, which resulted in intense exchanges of ideas for future collaborations beyond the already existing partnerships between Melbourne and Bonn. Besides that, scientists had face-to-face meetings with partners already identified beforehand to facilitate effective preparation of joint projects. To establish further bilateral research activities in the main research areas shared by Bonn and Melbourne (immunology, infectious and inflammatory diseases, ophthalmology, neurosciences, oncology, virology & pathogens) the delegation also visited the Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA), the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) as well as the Hudson Institute and the Biomedicine Discovery Institute at Monash University. The visit to Melbourne provided inspiration and motivation for the future and we look forward to new collaborations.