$133 million for NHMRC medical research

Minister for Health Peter Dutton has announced $133 million to fund 153 grants across five National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) schemes. The grants will address broad areas of research into finding new health treatments and cures.

“Health and medical research is a major priority of the government and these new grants will support innovative projects aimed at finding better treatments for common diseases such as cancer, diabetes, asthma, arthritis and cardiovascular disease,” Dutton said.

“It will also help find new ways of tackling mental illness, dementia and gaps in Indigenous health.”

In this round of funding:

• Multidisciplinary team-based research that contributes to new knowledge in biomedical, clinical, public health and health services will be supported with 11 Program Grants worth $101.6 million.
• Researchers and policymakers will be able to identify changes in the delivery, organisation, funding and access to health services through seven Partnership Projects totalling $4.4 million.
• Research at the early proof-of-concept for commercialisation will be supported with 24 Development Grants worth $14.7 million for new medical products, processes, procedures and services.
• Three Targeted Calls for Research grants ($2.8 million) will help improve understanding of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), which results from mothers drinking alcohol during pregnancy. FASD affects individuals across the breadth of the Australian community and is highly relevant to the health needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
• Young researchers will be supported by 108 Postgraduate Scholarships totalling $9.5 million.

New South Wales will receive the highest amount of funding, with $38.8 million for 47 grants. Professor Richard Harvey, of the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, will use his $10,621,535 Program Grant to identify evidence-based therapies for treating heart disease and stimulating regeneration of heart cells.

The University of Queensland is the research institution receiving the greatest amount of funding, with $26.3 million for 18 grants. UQ’s Professor Elizabeth Eakin will use her $1,267,111 Partnership Project Grant to investigate the implementation of evidence-based cancer care via the Cancer Council Helpline service.

A $919,596 Development Grant has meanwhile been awarded to Nobel Laureate Professor Barry Marshall, who will use Helicobacter pylori bacteria to build immunity to childhood eczema and allergies. His is one of six research projects at The University of Western Australia (UWA) to benefit from grants totalling almost $4 million.

The NHMRC last week released a report demonstrating the strength of Australian health and medical research, especially NHMRC-supported research.

“Australian researchers are among the best in the world,” said Dutton, “and the government is pleased to provide funding to support the work of so many dedicated professionals.”

The full summary of the latest funding round can be found at http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/grants/outcomes-funding-rounds.

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