QIMR receives over $23 million in NHMRC grants

Researchers at QIMR have secured over $23 million in funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) in the latest round of project grants and fellowship announcements.

“This is a great result for QIMR”, explains Director and CEO Professor Frank Gannon. “One of the NHMRC’s objectives is to support the best and most relevant research. This level of support is testament to the exceptional standard of our researchers and reiterates the relevance of our research program to the lives of all Australians.

“The funding will provide much needed support to continue valuable research across the Institute’s three programs namely Cancer, Infectious Diseases, and Mental Health/Complex Disorders.

“It will support 21 new research projects ranging from targeting specific viruses to treat brain cancer; to evaluating a vaccine to combat streptococcal disease; to identifying genes for a range of common diseases through our Brisbane Twin Study.

“I also want to take the opportunity to congratulate our researchers who have been awarded Career Development and Research Fellowships.”

Dr Penny Webb from QIMR’s Gynaecological Cancer Group has been awarded a NHMRC project grant worth over $1.7 million to conduct the first comprehensive study of lifestyle factors that might improve survival for women with ovarian cancer.

“I am delighted to be awarded this project grant and would like to thank NHMRC for their support,” said Dr Webb. “Ovarian cancer affects more than 1,200 women in Australia each year and overall survival is poor with only about 40% of women surviving more than five years.

“This funding will allow my team and I to better understand how lifestyle influences survival and quality of life among women with ovarian cancer. Our ultimate aim is to be able to give women evidence-based advice regarding lifestyle changes that might improve their chances of beating this devastating disease.”

Please click here for a full list of successful NHMRC project grants and fellowships.