Grants to boost health research at Monash

Monash University is to receive almost half of $44 million awarded to Victorian researchers by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).

The university will receive just under $22 million to investigate the role of bacteria in human disease; and the molecular basis of several important degenerative diseases including dementia and arthritis.

A Monash team including researchers from the universities of Melbourne, Adelaide and Queensland, and led by Professor Julian Rood, head of the Department of Microbiology at Monash, received $15.25 million over five years to investigate how bacteria causes many killer diseases.

"Bacterial infectious diseases, which account for more than 10 million deaths each year, are a serious threat to human health," Prof. Rood said.

"This grant brings together the leading Australian researchers in the field of bacterial diseases so that we can work together rather than in competition."

Dr James Whisstock, research fellow in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology heads the team that has received $6.5 million over five years to investigate degenerative diseases.

"Basically the funding will enable us to understand the biochemical basis some of the most important diseases like osteoporosis, dementia and thrombosis, that affect our ageing population," Dr Whisstock said.

The vice-chancellor of Monash University, Professor Peter Darvall, welcomed the funds from NHMRC Program Grants Scheme saying they are a tremendous result for Monash and its research partners.

"Monash medical researchers have performed extremely well in this round of NHMRC program, receiving nearly half of the Victorian funding allocation. We congratulate our researchers on their achievements," he said.

In total, eleven research teams from around Australia will receive more than $73 million from the NHMRC over five years.

Item provided courtesy of Monash University