$55 million for medical research

Studies into the effectiveness of reduced doses of HIV therapy, healthy brain ageing and the sexual and reproductive health and behaviours of young offenders, have won major backing in the latest round of medical research funding.

UNSW received more than $55 million in grants from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). The funding round delivered more than $652 million to medical researchers around the country.

One of the largest Project Grants – $1.2 million – went to a team led by Dr Rebekah Puls, from UNSW’s Kirby Institute, for a follow-up study to a Bill and Melinda Gates foundation funded program that will determine if reduced dose of a HIV therapy provides safe and effective viral suppression.

Another large Project Grant – $912,000 – went to Professor Perminder Sachdev and his team from the Older Australian Twins Study (OATS) which is looking at healthy brain ageing and age-related neurocognitive disorders.

And almost $870,000 went to Professor Tony Butler and colleagues, investigating the sexual and reproductive health and behaviours of young offenders in NSW and Qld.

In the same funding round UNSW picked up six lucrative Research Fellowships, the largest of $808,000 going to Professor George Paxinos for the further development of his Imaging Atlases of the Human Brain.

UNSW also received 15 early career researcher grants and nine career development awards.

“This is a terrific outcome for UNSW," said Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Les Field. "I am particularly pleased with the fellowship result which secure the future of medical researchers at UNSW.” 

For more information about UNSW's 83 successful grants and other funding, go to the NHMRC website.

Media contact: Steve Offner, UNSW Media Office, 02 9385 1583