Biden visits cancer research center in Australia

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, center, speaks to guests with Health Minister Susan Ley, left, and Professor Jim Bishop after a tour of the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre in Melbourne, Sunday, July 17, 2016. Biden attended the opening of Victoria's $1 billion Comprehensive Cancer Centre while on his four day visit to Australia.(Tracey Nearmy/Pool Photo via AP)

MELBOURNE, Australia – U.S. Vice President Joe Biden visited an Australian cancer research center on Sunday on the first day of his trip Down Under, as he continues his push to accelerate efforts toward a cure.

Biden, who arrived in Australia on Saturday as part of a tour of the Pacific, met with researchers at the newly-opened Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre in the southern city of Melbourne, where he praised the scientists for their efforts.

"We all have reasons to be in this fight," he said. "What you're doing here is profound. It has an impact in every corner of the world."

Biden's son, former Delaware state Attorney General Beau Biden, died of brain cancer last year. Following Beau's death, Biden pledged to spend his final year in office working to double the pace of cancer research toward a cure.

During his visit to the center, Biden announced the U.S. and Australia would share the genetic information of around 60,000 cancer patients to help researchers around the world better understand what causes particular cancers.

Later, Biden met with war veterans and then attended an Australian rules football match with his granddaughters.

Biden flies to Sydney on Monday, where he will meet with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. On Wednesday, he travels to New Zealand.