$41 million for SA research
South Australian researchers will receive more than $40 million from the Federal Government as part of a medical research funding boost announced today.
SA research projects looking at childhood trauma, frailty in older people, and viruses and drug abuse in Aboriginal communities will each receive more than $2 million.
The largest state beneficiary will be research evaluating interventions that seek to “reduce the burdens of early life adversity on child health and development”.
The Government has committed more than $600 million to almost 900 research projects across the country, with $41 million to go to South Australia.
Nationally, cancer research will receive $122 million, mental health research will receive $50 million and dementia research will receive $25 million.
“Our research workforce is one of the strongest in the world and I have no doubt that through their expertise, talent and creativity, these researchers will make huge advances in improving human health,” Health Minister Sussan Ley said today.
University of Sydney researchers will receive funding to examine a new drug for treating severe ice addiction and to investigate the dangers of synthetic cannabinoid additives which have been attributed for two deaths in Australia this year.
There’s also $2 million for a new trial determining whether the anaesthetic drug ketamine can be used for treatment-resistant depression, and $2.6 million for a study to find the genes that cause dementia.
In Western Australia, renowned plastic surgeon Fiona Wood will receive funding to work on a world-first drug to remove scars.
Other projects will investigate whether increased dietary fibre during pregnancy prevents allergies in babies, and what impact shift work has on pregnant women and their babies.
National Health and Medical Research Council chief executive Professor Anne Kelso said the grants would support discovery and innovation, clinical trials of new therapies, and public health interventions and improvements in healthcare delivery.
Allocations
Cancer – $122m
Cardiovascular disease – $77m
Mental health – $50m
Diabetes – $36m
Indigenous health – $35m
Dementia – $25m
Injury – $22m
Obesity – $16m
Arthritis/Osteoporosis – $13m
Asthma – $7m
State allocations
VIC – $270m
NSW – $166m
QLD – $92m
SA – $41m
WA – $34m
ACT – $12m
NT – $10m
TAS – $5m
-with AAP