Govt invests $422 million in 229 researchers

The Australian Government has announced that 229 high-performing researchers at all career stages will share in $422 million in funding through the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Investigator Grants scheme. With this funding, chief investigators and their teams will undertake researcher-led investigation that should ultimately lead to advances in knowledge about human health, better health care for Australians and improvements to the economy.

The Investigator Grants scheme is NHMRC’s largest funding scheme, supporting the Australian health and medical research sector by providing a significant research support package and a salary, if required. NHMRC CEO Professor Steve Wesselingh noted, “Investigator Grants are highly sought after as it provides recipients with certainty, security and flexibility to pursue an ambitious research program across a five-year period.”

Highlights from the latest funding round include:

• The University of Melbourne’s Associate Professor Linda Wakim, who will lead research aiming to develop a novel universal ‘one-shot’ influenza vaccine that provides long-term protection against both seasonal and newly emerging pandemic influenza strains;
• Monash University’s Professor Jayashri Kulkarni, whose team will develop life-changing new hormone treatments for women with premenstrual, perinatal and perimenopausal depression; and
• Murdoch Children’s Research Institute’s Professor Zornitza Stark, who is looking to accelerate rapid genomic diagnosis of rare diseases among critically ill children.
   

“This year’s crop of incredible researchers will further cement Australia’s status as a world leader in health and medical research, and all Australians will benefit from their ingenuity and interest,” said Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler.

“The innovation, creativity and dedication of these outstanding investigators will help ensure we have the very best treatments, the very latest understanding, and the most evidence-informed health services.”

Full details of the researchers and projects funded are available to download here, via NHMRC’s outcomes of funding rounds page.

Image credit: iStock.com/tomograf