Researchers of Deadly Esophagus Cancer to Share $42 million Grant
Researchers studying the cause of deadly esophagus cancer are among 17 recipients sharing $42.3 million in medical research funding from the Australian Government.
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2 August 2012
Researchers studying the cause of deadly esophagus cancer are among 17 recipients sharing $42.3 million in medical research funding from the Gillard Government.
Queensland Institute of Medical Research will receive $2.4 million of the funding as they search for a treatment for the cancer, which kills some 70% of the people who contract the disease within five years of diagnosis.
“Esophagus cancer is detected in around 1,000 Australians every year and is a particularly painful disease that can prevent people from being able to swallow,” said Ms Plibersek.
“The Queensland researchers, world leaders in their field, are looking at possible causes of the disease, such as alcohol consumption, as well as the human genome, as they search for a treatment that can effectively target the cancer.”
Other researchers sharing in the funding will address cost-effective personalised medicine in breast cancer, nutritional solutions to major diseases, antibiotic resistance for respiratory infections, reducing children’s food allergies, and better management of blood used in the treatment of trauma.
Ms Plibersek also announced new appointees to the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) including the new chair, Justice Annabelle Bennett AO.
“Justice Bennett has a PhD in biochemistry, extensive experience in intellectual property and an outstanding record of service to the Australian community, through the Federal Court, the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and as a leader in universities and non-government organisations.”
“I am delighted Justice Bennett is prepared to devote her experience and energy to the advancement of Australian medical research”.
Justice Bennett is joined by 13 new members of the Council, who will join the Chief Medical Officers of the Commonwealth, States and Territories to lead the NHMRC through the 2012-2015 triennium.
Five Principal Committees, comprising over forty wide ranging experts from consumers, ethicists, researchers and health practitioners, have also been appointed to support Council and the CEO of NHMRC.
Information on the CRE funding recipients and projects is included below. Background information on the CREs is available on the NHMRC website
Information about the NHMRC Council for 2012-15 is included below. Background information is available on the NHMRC website
Information on the Principal Committees is available on the NHMRC website
NHMRC CRE Funding Recipients and Projects
CRE Clinical Research
Research Institution: Queensland Institute of Medical ResearchTitle: PROBE-NET: The Progression of Barrett's Esophagus to Cancer Network
Researcher: Professor David Whiteman
Funding amount: $2,465,841
This application brings together the seven major research teams in Australia with expertise in oesophageal cancer to form a multi-state, multi-disciplinary Centre of Research Excellence. All of the nodes have worked together collaboratively for the past 4 years, pooling their expertise in surgery, gastroenterology, endoscopy, epidemiology, biostatistics, basic science, health policy and translational research. The vision is to develop evidence-based strategies for reducing the burden of oesophageal neoplasia.
Research Institution: Menzies School of Health Research
Title: Centre of Research Excellence in Lung Health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children
Researcher: Professor Anne Chang
Funding amount: $2,498,845
Respiratory illness in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children is very common with long term consequences in Indigenous Australians. Thus prevention and / or early treatment potentially change the child’s life trajectory for lung health. Partnering key researchers in Brisbane, Sydney, New Zealand and USA, the research team will undertake appropriate clinical studies (treatment and preventative) that are most likely to improve lung health outcomes in young Indigenous children. The team will focus on increasing participation of Indigenous people and end-users.
Research Institution: Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
Title: The Australian Centre for Translational Breast Cancer Research: From Discovery to Better Health Outcomes
Researcher: Professor Geoffrey Lindeman
Funding amount: $2,500,000
This CRE will implement a collaborative multidisciplinary research program to help fast track the clinical translation of promising laboratory discoveries in breast cancer. To overcome existing roadblocks, the research team will carry out early phase clinical trials of novel anti-breast cancer drugs linked to suitable diagnostic tests that help select the right therapy for individual cancer patients. The team’s goal is to help inform the swift delivery of cost-effective personalised medicine in breast cancer.
Research Institution: University of Adelaide
Title: Centre of Research Excellence in Translating Nutritional Science to Good Health
Researcher: Professor Michael Horowitz
Funding amount: $2,499,990
At current rates, over two-thirds of Australians will be overweight by 2025, and a third will develop type 2 diabetes during their lifetime. Meanwhile, elderly Australians and those requiring intensive care admissions are at risk of debility from under-nutrition. This CRE will link scientists in the laboratory with clinical researchers to develop nutritional solutions to a number of major diseases, and has the expertise to apply these in the community.
Research Institution: University of Melbourne
Title: Centre of Research Excellence for reducing the burden of colorectal cancer by optimising screening: evidence to clinical practice
Researcher: Associate Professor Mark Jenkins
Funding amount: $2,483,765
Bowel cancer, the second most diagnosed cause of cancer death is preventable. This CRE brings together scientists, epidemiologists and clinicians to develop a personalised risk tool and methods to implement the tool to increase appropriate screening.
Research Institution: Monash University
Title: Centre of Research Excellence for Patient Blood Management in Critical Illness and Trauma
Researcher: Professor David Cooper
Funding amount: $2,498,407
Blood transfusion is an area of major public interest. In critically ill or major trauma patients it can both be life-saving and dangerous. There is continuing uncertainty about how best to use blood and blood products in such patients. The research team will undertake vital research to improve our understanding of the effects of transfusion on patient outcomes and how to best manage this vital community resource.
Research Institution: University of New South Wales
Title: Centre of Research Excellence in Mental Health and Substance Use: Translating innovative prevention and treatment
Researcher: Professor Maree Teesson
Funding amount: $2,499,020
The top ten causes of burden of disease in young Australians are dominated by mental and substance abuse disorders. These disorders often occur together yet people with mental and substance use disorders rarely have both effectively treated. This CRE will tackle prevention and treatment for people with both mental and substance use disorders.
Research Institution: University of Wollongong
Title: Australian Centre of Research Excellence for Electromagnetic Bioeffects Research
Researcher: Professor Rodney Croft
Funding amount: $2,498,842
With over 5 billion mobile phone subscriptions world-wide, the electromagnetic energy (EME) that powers this technology is now ubiquitous, as is community concern about the possibility of associated health effects. Responding to this concern, this CRE will embark on a 5-year research program to promote Australia’s EME health both in the immediate future, and through the development of human research capacity in this field, into the future.
CRE Population Health
Research Institution: University of New South Wales
Title: Centre of Research Excellence for improving suicide prevention in Australia through better implementation of effective interventions, improved risk identification and evidence informed policy
Researcher: Professor Helen Christensen
Funding amount: $2,490,060
Suicide is the most common cause of death in Australians aged 15-44. This CRE aims to bring together leading experts in Australia and New Zealand to undertake the research work needed to determine the best way to deliver interventions to those at risk, to develop better understanding of the complex pathways that lead to suicide, to encourage help seeking and to prioritise which programs and services should be financially supported by government.
Research Institution: University of Sydney
Title: Centre of Research Excellence on tuberculosis control: from discovery to public health practice and policy
Researcher: Professor Warwick Britton
Funding amount: $2,492,535
Tuberculosis (TB) is a global public health problem, responsible for the deaths of 2 million children and young adults annually. Drug resistant strains of TB are emerging and pose a threat even in countries where TB is well controlled, such as Australia. Research undertaken in this CRE will translate into improved treatments, diagnostics and strategies to prevent transmission.
Research Institution: Murdoch Childrens Research Institute
Title: Centre of Research Excellence in Paediatric Food Allergy and Food-Related Immune Disorders
Researcher: Associate Professor Katrina Allen
Funding amount: $2,493,292
The prevalence of food allergy (FA) has risen dramatically in the last 20 years. Strong evidence suggests that undetermined lifestyle factors are central to this modern phenomenon. This CRE will provide international leadership in public health initiatives to stem the tide of FA and related disorders. The CRE will provide evidence based guidelines that will inform public health policy and the clinical care of patients.
Research Institution: Deakin University
Title: Centre of Research Excellence on Policy Research on Obesity and Food Systems
Researcher: Professor Robert Carter
Funding amount: $2,498,110
This CRE aims to build a world-leading, multi-disciplinary research team that aims to have a real impact on finding and implementing policy solutions to the global obesity epidemic. It will support policy makers and public health advocates by evaluating potential policy options and their impacts on environments and systems, enhancing policy development and implementation processes, and monitoring the actions of the public and private sectors.
Research Institution: University of South Australia
Title: Centre of Research Excellence in post-market surveillance of medicines and medical devices
Researcher: Associate Professor Elizabeth Roughead
Funding amount: $2,500,000
Medicines and medical devices constitute a significant cost to Australia’s health care system. Adverse events resulting from their use are similarly a significant expense that could be reduced by the development of Australia's capacity to use linked health data-sets to detect and monitor adverse events. This CRE aims to develop capacity, methods, knowledge and tools to enhance post-marketing surveillance systems to improve information on medicine and device safety, effectiveness and utilisation.
CRE Health Services
Research Institution: University of QueenslandTitle: Evidence-based Mental Health Planning: Translating Evidence into Policy and Services
Researcher: Professor Harvey Whiteford
Funding amount: $2,442,370
This CRE will research the design of a better mental health system for Australia. This service system will include the full range of prevention and treatment interventions using the best available scientific evidence. The work will be carried out across five of the best research centres in Australia with expertise in clinical medicine, epidemiology, service planning and implementation science.
Research Institution: Bond University
Title: The Centre of Research Excellence in Minimising Antibiotic Resistance for Acute Respiratory Infections [CREMARA]
Researcher: Professor Christopher Del Mar
Funding amount: $2,454,998
Antibiotic resistance is a threat to international health. Most antibiotics are prescribed for acute respiratory infections. This CRE will focus on the major contributors to resistance: antibiotic overuse and person-to-person transfer of antibiotic resistance genes. Research will inform the design, evaluation and translation of urgently needed interventions aimed at clinicians, patients and policy-makers.
Research Institution: Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute
Title: Centre of Research Excellence to Reduce Inequality in Heart Disease
Researcher: Professor Simon Stewart
Funding amount: $2,493,649
There is increasing recognition of a societal responsibility to provide effective and sustainable health care to the entire population and not just too selected parts. Indigenous and regional Australians are most affected by Australia's biggest killer - heart disease. In response, this CRE is a national collaboration of researchers from a range of health disciplines who will work on developing sustainable and cost-effective health care services.
Research Institution: Menzies School of Health Research
Title: Centre of Research Excellence in Discovering Indigenous Strategies to improve Cancer Outcomes via Engagement, Research Translation and Training (DISCOVER-TT)
Researcher: Associate Professor Gail Garvey
Funding amount: $2,499,998
This CRE aims to reduce the marked disparities in diagnosis, treatment and survival for Indigenous Australians with cancer. DISCOVER-TT’s co-ordinated, collaborative, Indigenous-led research program will feature extensive stakeholder engagement to ensure its work is relevant and applicable, and will enhance research capacity by developing early-career researchers.
NHMRC Council Appointments for 2012-15
Council Chair
The Hon Justice Annabelle Bennett AO, Federal Court of Australia, NSWMembers
Professor Chris Baggoley, Chief Medical Officer for the Commonwealth, ACTMs Carol Bennett, Executive Director, Consumer Health Forum, ACT
Dr Rosemary Bryant, Commonwealth Chief Nurse and Midwifery Officer, ACT
Dr Paul Kelly, Chief Health Officer and Executive Director of Population Health, ACT Government Health Directorate, ACT
Mr John Brown, Director, Sydney Water, NSW
Dr Kerry Chant, Chief Health Officer, NSW Ministry of Health, NSW
Professor Greg Dore, Head of the Viral Hepatitis Clinical Research Program, University of NSW and Infectious Disease Physician, St Vincent’s Hospital, NSW
The Hon Michael Egan, Chair, Centenary Institute of Cancer Medicine and Cell Biology and Chancellor, Macquarie University, NSW
Professor Kathryn North, Douglas Burrows Professor of Paediatrics and Child Health, and Associate Dean, University of Sydney; and Head, Institute for Neuroscience and Muscle Research, Children’s Hospital at Westmead, NSW
Clinical Professor Ian Olver AM, Chief Executive Officer of Cancer Council Australia and Clinical Professor, University of Sydney, NSW
Associate Professor Anthony Shakeshaft, Assistant Director, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of NSW, NSW
Professor Robyn Ward, Clinical Associate Dean and Professor of Medicine, University of New South Wales, NSW
Dr Barbara Paterson, Chief Health Officer and Executive Director, Health Protection Division, Northern Territory Dept of Health and Families, NT
Associate Professor Noel Hayman, University of QLD and Clinical Director, Inala Indigenous Health Services, QLD Health, QLD
Professor Claire Wainwright, QHealth Research Fellow, Royal Children’s Hospital, QLD
Dr Jeannette Young, Chief Health Officer, QLD Health, QLD
Professor Paddy Phillips PSM, Chief Medical Officer, SA Health, SA
Professor David Roder AM, Professor of Cancer Epidemiology, University of South Australia, SA
Professor Anne Kelso AO, Director, WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza, VIC
Dr Rosemary Lester, Chief Health Officer, Dept of Health, VIC
Dr Craig White, Chief Health Officer, Dept of Health and Human Services, TAS
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