Sydney lands major funds for health programs of national impact

2 December 2005

Important national programs, headed by researchers from the Faculty of Medicine, have been successful in securing funds in the latest NHMRC grants round.

Dr Roger Pamphlett received $750,000 over the next five years to set up an Australia-wide DNA bank for Motor Neuron Disease (MND) which will allow researchers to look for genetic abnormalities and environmental influences in the disease. MND kills one Australian every day and there is an urgent need to determine the genetic abnormalities so treatments can be found.

Associate Professor Elizabeth Elliott received $1 million over five years to set up a facility that will formalise a collaborative, national network of organisations that conduct and disseminate research on serious child health conditions. The network will provide a reliable, accessible, unique mechanism for national research that is aligned with national priorities and addresses knowledge gaps and will inform clinical practice, policy, prevention programs, resource allocation, health professionals and the community.