Innovative ageing, First Nations and public health programs are among the latest Medical Research Future Fund grants worth $382 million announced today.
Building on a bumper MRFF round in 2022, seven new MRFF projects led by Flinders University researchers have been awarded with almost $8.8 million in funding in the latest round.
Flinders ranked first in South Australia for the awarded MRFF funding and eighth nationally for the number of MRFF projects awarded.
Flinders University Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Robert Saint says Flinders University continues to improve its funding outcomes, more than doubling its research income over the past five years.
“Through our significant investment into health and medical research, Flinders maintains its lead at the forefront of impactful and significant research developments.
“Successfully funded projects such as the latest MRFF grants are a testament to the achievements, not only in out research technologies, but also in our strong capabilities to partner with consumers and health services.
“As our new Flinders Precinct at Bedford Park takes shape, the year ahead will continue to see our researchers working towards improving lives across Australia and overseas.”
The projects targeting the realms of chronic respiratory conditions; dementia care, ageing and aged care; maternal and child health; stroke; and stem cell therapies, the Flinders-led projects are:
2021 Chronic Respiratory Conditions
A novel targeted approach to deliver treatable trait-based precision
medicine for obstructive sleep apnoea – $1,999,634
Led by Professor Danny Eckert
A treatable traits framework for chronic respiratory disease in rural
and regional Aboriginal communities – $1,997,629
Led by Professor Geraint Rogers (also South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute Limited)
2021 Maternal Health and Healthy Lifestyles
“Escape the vape”: Designing health communications for prevention of e-cigarette use in young people – $854,636.30
Led by Professor Billie Bonevski
2022 Dementia, Ageing and Aged Care
Spatial navigation assessment: pathway to clinical translation and early diagnosis of dementia – $1,999,825.50
Led by Dr Stephanie Wong
2021 Consumer-Led Research
Harnessing the power of co-design to develop digital solutions and improve health self-efficacy after stroke – $599,874.14
Led by Dr Elizabeth Lynch
Development and Evaluation of Lived Experience Peer Support Intervention for Mental Health Service Users in Primary Care – $599,663.76
Led by Professor Sharon Lawn
2022 Stem Cell Therapies Mission
Pre-clinical iPSC-neuron screen of repurposed drugs for children with a form of dementia – $729,962.89
Led by Associate Professor Cedric Bardy
The Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler says: “I’m so pleased to announce that nearly $400 million in funding will help Australia’s researchers solve the health issues which challenge our community.
“This funding is about strengthening opportunities for Australian health and medical research. It will help commercialise proof-of-concepts, and deepen international research ties now and in the future.”