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The global rise of chronic inflammatory non-communicable diseases; technologies to assess water resources in a changing climate; and reducing international inequality in oral health are three research projects that have attracted Worldwide Universities Network (WUN) funding.

The projects, led by The University of Western Australia, each attracted more than $15,000.

Winthrop Professor Susan Prescott, a paediatric allergist and immunologist at UWA's School of Paediatrics and Child Health, will work with researchers at Bergen, Southampton, Cape Town, Alberta and Sydney Universities and the Chinese University of Hong Kong on a project called in-FLAME.

They will investigate the vulnerability of the immune system to recent environmental changes and the dramatic increase in almost all immune diseases.  These include allergic conditions, asthma and chronic lung disease, type 1 diabetes, chronic inflammatory bowel disease, thyroiditis, rheumatoid disease, obesity, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, cancer and neurodegenerative conditions.

Professor Neil Coles, Director of UWA's Centre of Excellence for Ecohydrology, and Research Professor Mark Rivers, also at the Centre, will work with researchers at Zhejiang, York, Pennsylvania State and Southampton Universities to develop new technologies and better ways to assess water resources.

Professor Linda Slack-Smith, Professor of Oral Epidemiology at UWA's School of Dentistry, will work with researchers at Sheffield, Alberta, Bristol, Sydney and Leeds Universities to using the best available research methodologies internationally to investigate oral health and to ensure that all people (including many groups that are often disadvantaged in health outcomes such as Indigenous, refugees and those living remotely) have an opportunity to have good oral health.

UWA researchers will receive a further $21,180 for nine other WUN collaborations for projects ranging from urban agriculture and food security, refugee resettlement law, healthy food from healthy animals, and healthy kitchens and healthy cities.

UWA is a member of the WUN, a group of 18 research-intensive institutions spanning six continents.  WUN members collaborate to accelerate the creation of knowledge and to develop leaders prepared to address the significant challenges and opportunities in the rapidly changing world.

Media references

Winthrop Professor Susan Prescott (School of Paediatrics and Child Health)  (+61 8)  9340 8171
Professor Neil Coles (School of Environmental Systems Engineering)  (+61 8)  6488 1668
Professor Linda Slack-Smith (School of Dentistry/Oral Health Centre of Western Australia (OHCWA))  (+61 8)  9346 7874
Michael Sinclair-Jones (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8)  6488 3229  /  (+61 4) 00 700 783