None
Wednesday, 19 February 2014

A trial led by Nobel Laureate Professor Barry Marshall using Helicobacter pylori bacteria to build immunity to childhood eczema and allergies is among six research projects at The University of Western Australia to benefit from new medical grants totalling almost $4 million.

Federal Minister for Health Peter Dutton today announced 153 National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) grants worth $133 million Australia-wide.

In addition to Professor Marshall's $919,596 NHMRC Development grant, three other UWA researchers were awarded Development grants.

Professor William Morgan, from UWA's Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science (incorporating Lions Eye Institute) was awarded $619,882 for his project investigating non-invasive intra-cranial pressure measurement.

Associate Professor Vincent Wallace, from UWA's School of Physics, was awarded $580,558 to develop an intra-operative tool for tumour margin assessment during surgery; and Associate Professor Robert McLaughlin was awarded $317,111 to develop the microscope-in-a-needle imaging probes to help assess lung disease, diagnose liver disease and safer brain biopsies.

An NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship of $117, 368 was awarded to Dr Rajesh Thomas for his project to optimise the use of an indwelling pleural catheter (drainage tube inserted into the pleural cavity by a cardiothoracic surgeon or experienced interventional radiologist) for the purpose of draining fluid.

And Winthrop Professor Carol Bower, who works at the UWA-affiliated Telethon Institute for Child Health, was awarded $1.4 million towards her project "Improving the Management of Youth with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in the Justice System".

The full summary of the latest 2014 funding round can be found at the NHMRC website .

Media references

David Stacey (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8)  6488 3229  /  (+61 4) 32 637 716

Tags

Channels
Awards and Prizes — Media Statements — Research — University News
Groups
Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences — School of Physics