Over $8.7 million in funding boost for TRI based researchers announced
The Federal Minister for Health Greg Hunt MP, announced today that over 298 new projects will receive funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). Overall, the Morrison Government will invest $440 million across Australia for vital health and medical research projects to improve the lives of all Australians.
Queensland based researchers will benefit from over $59 million in research funding from 46 grants to support research in a number of health priority areas, including genomics. This includes over $2.8 million to The University of Queensland Researcher, Professor Geoff Faulkner and his lab group who will use the grant to further examine how and when during life DNA changes occur in the body, whether these are restricted to certain brain cells, and whether they contribute to neurodegenerative diseases.
Chair of the TRI Foundation, Professor Ian Frazer was another successful awardee of these incredibly competitive grants and received $2 million to further study the contribution of bacteria and viruses in and on skin to the development of cancer in sun damaged skin.
Professor David Johnson from the University of Queensland was granted over $1.3 million to help determine whether delivery of a standardised training curriculum designed for peritoneal dialysis (PD) nurse trainers and patients reduces patients PD-related infection risk and improves their capacity to participate in usual activities to combat end-stage kidney disease.
This funding will give researchers the flexibility to undertake ground-breaking research that will lead to significant advances in the health of all Australians. We would like to congratulate all applications involved in these incredibly competitive grants. A comprehensive list of successful applicants is available to download here
| CIA Name | Grant type | Subtype | Grant title | University | Total | Field of Research | Description |
| Prof David Johnson | Partnership Projects | Partnership Project for Better Health |
TEACH-PD study: a Targeted Education ApproaCH to improve Peritoneal Dialysis outcomes |
University of Queensland | $1,305,275.55 | Nephrology and Urology | End-stage kidney disease is a major health problem worldwide. Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a home-based treatment which offers better survival and satisfaction. However, its utilisation has been decreasing due to high infection burden. The TEACH-PD study will determine whether delivery of a standardised training curriculum designed for PD nurse trainers and patients reduces patients’ PD-related infection risk and improves their capacity to participate in usual activities. |
| Prof Ranjeny Thomas | Research Fellowships | Research Fellowship - 6th Year Extension | Understanding the basis of autoimmunity in rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes to underpin the implementation of antigen-specific therapies | University of Queensland | $174,433.00 | Rheumatology and Arthritis | In autoimmune diseases chronic organ-specific or systemic inflammation has devastating and destructing consequences. In rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and type 1 diabetes (T1D), HLA contribute the major genetic susceptibility. HLA proteins present the antigens which underlie disease development. This proposal underpins my vision for development of antigen-specific therapy in RA and T1D, examining interaction between HLA molecules and antigen and disease, and risk markers for T1D development. |
| Dr John Kemp | Investigator Grants | Emerging Leadership Level 1 | Identifying pharmacological targets for osteoporosis intervention using whole genome and exome sequencing of bone related phenotypes | University of Queensland | $549,152.73 | Basic Science | Osteoporosis is a debilitating disease characterized by brittle bones and increased risk of fracture. This project applies innovative statistical and molecular genetic methods to the world’s largest study of osteoporosis in order to identify genes, proteins and metabolites that may in the future serve as pharmacological targets to restore lost bone and prevent fracture. |
| Prof Ian Frazer | Investigator Grants | Leadership | Pathogen promoters of squamous epithelial cancer | University of Queensland | $2,000,000.00 | Clinical Medicine and Science | This project will study the contribution of bacteria and viruses in and on skin to development of cancer in sun damaged skin. |
| Prof Geoffrey Faulkner | Investigator Grants | Leadership |
Somatic genome mosaicism in human brain function and neurodegeneration |
University of Queensland | $2,811,818.00 | Genomics | The brain is a complex and dynamic organ tasked with interpreting and responding to the world around us. My recent work has shown that mobile genetic elements, or 'jumping genes', cause changes in the DNA of brain cells, potentially altering how they work. During the course of this grant, I will examine how and when during life DNA changes occur in the body, whether these are restricted to certain brain cells, and whether they contribute to neurodegenerative diseases. |
| Dr Sandra Richardson | Investigator Grants | Emerging Leadership Level 1 | The invisible impact of mobile DNA activity during human development | University of Queensland | $639,750.00 | Genomics | Despite affecting hundreds of thousands of Australians each year, reproductive challenges including infertility, pregnancy loss, and congenital anomalies (commonly called birth defects) often have no known explanation. The goal of my research is to investigate “jumping genes”, which are pieces of DNA that can move around in our genomes and cause harmful mutations, as a cause of unexplained negative reproductive outcomes. |
| Prof Vicki Flenady | Partnership Projects | Partnership Project for Better Health | Assessing the impact of a stillbirth prevention bundle of care for improving best practice care for women during pregnancy in Australia | University of Queensland | $1,291,910.20 | Medical and Health Sciences not elsewhere classified | Stillbirth is serious public health problem- 6 babies are stillborn each day in Australia Little improvement has been seen in rates for more than two decades. Many stillbirths can be prevented with better care. To address the gap between what is known and what is done to prevent stillbirth in every day clinical care of women having a baby, an evidence-based bundle of care is proposed for implementation across Australian maternity hospitals. If effective, over 200 lives could be saved annually. |
