$11 million for South Australian medical research projects

SOUTH Australian medical researchers will receive an $11 million funding boost that will safeguard the development of breakthrough treatments for cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

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SOUTH Australian medical researchers will receive an $11 million funding boost that will safeguard the development of breakthrough treatments for cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

The Federal Government today will announce grants for 23 projects across SA under a $200 million initiative by the National Health and Medical Research Council and the Medical Research Future Fund.

At the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, cancer research director Professor Deborah White said the funding ensured work for students would continue.

“Security moving forward is important because we run out of young, enthusiastic scientists who will keep moving the field forward,” she said.

Prof White will receive almost $500,000 to fund a four-year fellowship to continue her research for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, which she said was the biggest killer of children in the western world.

Dr Peter Psaltis and Professor Deborah White at the SAHMRI. Picture: AAP / Matt Loxton

Her team is focusing on children and adults who do not respond well, and who relapse, following stem-cell therapy; and using “next-generation (gene) sequencing” to identify lesions that can be targeted under personalised therapy.

Cardiologist and senior research fellow at Adelaide University Dr Peter Psaltis also has been given a four-year fellowship, worth almost $400,000, to understand how colchicine, a drug commonly used for treating gout, could help patients with heart disease.

“Heart attack is the leading cause of death in Australia and that’s despite all of the amazing advances we have had in the past 50 years,” Dr Psaltis said.

He said if the drug were proven to reduce inflammation in heart arteries, which promotes build-up of cholesterol plaque, it could reduce heart attacks.

A total of 320 projects nationwide will receive funding for new treatments including for mental health and obesity. Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said the projects would save and protect lives and that all Australians would benefit from the investment in health and medical research.

Originally published as $11 million for South Australian medical research projects