The Hon. Greg Hunt MP
Minister for Health and Aged Care
MEDIA RELEASE
18 May 2022
$75 million for medical research to improve health outcomes
The Morrison Government is investing more than $75.3 million to support 33 clinical trials and cohort studies, which will improve treatments, practices and outcomes for all Australians.
Funded through the NHMRC’s Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies Grant scheme, these research projects will help deliver better advances in healthcare.
Today’s announcement includes $1.3 million for the University of Queensland to explore ways to improve the recovery process for children suffering from sepsis.
Globally, a child dies from sepsis every 10 seconds; in Australia, a child dies every week. Many surviving children experience long term adverse outcomes.
The University will perform an international study for children with sepsis to help determine if the use of mega-dose vitamin C and steroids – a promising treatment that has already shown some benefit in adults has the same effect on younger patients.
$3.4 million will also be provided for the University of Melbourne to support their clinical to alleviate respiratory distress in newborns, which will help mothers and their babies have the best start in life.
Pregnant women with diabetes participating in the trail will receive corticosteroid injections ahead of an elective Caesarean and will help determine whether steroids given to the mother during pregnancy can reduce breathing difficulties in their newborn babies.
Monash University will receive $1.7 million to trial a soft plastic device that delivers surfactant to the lungs of premature babies with breathing difficulties.
Babies born prematurely who have not started making the lung surfactant required for proper lung function are at risk of the tiny air sacs in their lungs collapsing with each breath, causing respiratory distress.
The airway device is easier to insert and more comfortable than current methods to deliver the surfactant premature babies need for better lung function. Led by Dr Calum Roberts, the study will test the effectiveness of this treatment with the aim of making it more widely available, allowing all babies who need surfactant to receive it in their birth hospital without delay.
Minister for Heath and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said Studies like these remind us how important clinical trials and cohort studies are for developing the evidence we need for advances in healthcare.
“Australia continues to be at the forefront of medical research and these projects have the potential to increase not only our understanding of diseases, but to also revolutionise their treatment,” Minister Hunt said.
“Our Government continues to provide unprecedented support to health and medical research, as we back our best and brightest researchers to transform today’s ideas into breakthrough treatments for the patients of tomorrow.”
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NHMRC Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies Grant
| Chief Investigator | Application Title | Administering Institution | Budget $ |
| Ms Joanne Hedges
|
The Indigenous Australian HPV Cohort Study 2; continuation 5 to 10 years | The University of Adelaide | $3,107,613.50 |
| Associate Professor Ruth Peters
|
INTErGenerational intervention to Reduce fraIlTY trial (INTEGRITY). | University of New South Wales | $3,711,897.80 |
| Associate Professor Lexine Stapinski
|
Making Inroads: RCT of a web-based early intervention to interrupt the vicious cycle of co-occurring anxiety and hazardous alcohol use among young adults | University of Sydney | $1,295,748.84 |
| Associate Professor Trisha Peel
|
Duration of Cardiac Antimicrobial Prophylaxis Outcomes Study (CALIPSO): multicentre, adaptive, double-blind, three-arm, placebo-controlled, non-inferiority trial examining antimicrobial prophylaxis duration in cardiac surgery | Monash University | $4,343,709.10 |
| Associate Professor Joanne Said
|
PRECeDe: Prevention of neonatal Respiratory morbidity with antenatal corticosteroids prior to Elective Caesarean section in women with Diabetes: A Randomised trial | University of Melbourne | $3,409,951.00 |
| Professor Assam El-Osta
|
Epigenetic Protection Predicts Risk Diabetic Nephropathy (EPICENTRE) | Monash University | $4,897,328.00 |
| Professor Patrick Kwan
|
Personalised Selection of Medication for Newly Diagnosed Adult Epilepsy – the PERSONAL Trial | Monash University | $2,459,115.80 |
| Associate Professor Daniel McAullay
|
A primary care provider intervention to improve early child neurodevelopment in Urban Aboriginal children | Edith Cowan University | $2,992,864.40 |
| Professor Philip Batterham
|
The LifeTrack Project: Population-based longitudinal cohort study to understand suicidal transitions | Australian National University | $1,062,723.20 |
| Professor Gregory Fox
|
The FLIRT-TB study: A fluoroquinolone-based regimen to treat the commonest form of drug-resistant tuberculosis | University of Sydney | $4,773,516.00 |
| Professor Rachael Moorin
|
Are calcium channel blockers associated with breast cancer? Assessing the impact of long-term use in large longitudinal cohorts | Curtin University | $1,107,757.00 |
| Professor Megan Galbally
|
Perinatal depression and antidepressants treatment: wave 7 follow up of the MPEWS longitudinal cohort study | The University of Notre Dame Australia | $1,585,413.80 |
| Associate Professor Asha Bowen
|
SNAP-PY: Staphylococcus aureus Network Adaptive Platform trial for Paediatrics and Youth | University of Western Australia | $2,045,957.40 |
| Dr Danielle Wurzel
|
Translatable Evidence To Improve Lung Health Outcomes In First Nations People – A Cohort Study From Birth to 6 Years | University of Melbourne | $3,723,567.80 |
| Dr Lucia Romani
|
Can mass drug administration reduce the incidence of adverse perinatal outcomes and other health consequences of endemic sexually transmitted infections? A community effectiveness trial | University of New South Wales | $2,148,887.90 |
| Professor Linda Mileshkin
|
ICON9: A phase 3 randomised trial of cediranib and olaparib maintenance in patients with relapsed platinum sensitive ovarian cancer | University of Sydney | $494,131.60 |
| Associate Professor Kristen Gibbons
|
Resuscitation in Paediatric Septic Shock using Mega-Dose Vitamin C and Hydrocortisone – A Randomised Controlled Multicentre Trial (RESPOND study) | The University of Queensland | $1,305,172.60 |
| Professor Henry Brodaty
|
Understanding intergenerational change in the health and well-being of older adults and its effects: The Sydney Memory and Ageing Study 2. | University of New South Wales | $3,304,760.16 |
| Associate Professor Victoria Manning
|
AAT-APP Trial: A RCT of alcohol approach-avoidance training to reduce heavy drinking in people with alcohol use disorders | Monash University | $948,498.04 |
| Dr Ary Serpa Neto
|
SODA-BIC: Sodium Bicarbonate For Decompensated Metabolic Acidosis in the Intensive Care Unit, A Multicentre, Randomised, Double-Blind Clinical Trial | Monash University | $1,920,486.60 |
| Professor Nicholas Lintzeris
|
A randomised controlled trial of cannabidiol (CBD) in the treatment of cannabis dependence | University of Sydney | $2,120,137.80 |
| Professor Mark Parsons
|
Magnetic Resonance imaging outcomes in the Colchicine After Stroke to Prevent Event Recurrence (MR-CASPER) trial | University of New South Wales | $1,535,098.80 |
| Professor Simon Craig
|
Childhood febrile convulsions – do treatment patterns determine the risk of early recurrence? | Monash University | $3,490,416.30 |
| Professor Bruce Campbell
|
Accelerating clot lysis in ischemic stroke with dornase alfa in an Umbrella Bayesian Optimised Phase 2 trial | University of Melbourne | $1,453,336.70 |
| Associate Professor Neil Thomas
|
Avatar-mediated therapy for hallucinations: superiority trial (AMETHYST) | Swinburne University of Technology | $1,746,774.20 |
| Dr Calum Roberts
|
A Surfactant Treatment Method for Modern Neonatal Care: SURFactant by SUPraglottic Airway (The SURFSUP RCT) | Monash University | $1,707,835.00 |
| Dr Ryan Courtney
|
EFFECT OF A VAPORISED NICOTINE PRODUCT vs VARENICLINE ON SMOKING CESSATION FOR LOW-SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS SMOKERS: A RANDOMISED TRIAL | University of New South Wales | $2,659,251.03 |
| Professor Thomas Snelling
|
ORVAC Stage 2 – Optimising Rotavirus Vaccine in Aboriginal Children: a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, adaptive clinical trial of a third scheduled dose of oral rotavirus vaccine for Australian Aboriginal children. | University of Sydney | $2,561,907.70 |
| Dr Adrian Traeger
|
NUDG-ED: Trial of behavioural ‘nudging’ interventions to reduce unnecessary care for low back pain in the Emergency Department | University of Sydney | $1,119,327.80 |
| Professor Stuart Kinner
|
Improving health outcomes in people with a dual diagnosis released from prison: a multi-jurisdictional, prospective cohort study | Murdoch Childrens Research Institute | $1,466,784.00 |
| Professor Gita Mishra
|
Maternal and early life origins of adolescent menstrual disorders and pelvic pain | The University of Queensland | $1,475,456.00 |
| Professor Sandra Eades
|
‘The Next Generation Aboriginal Youth Cohort Study’: Co-designing a strengths-based study to identify evidence-based, culturally strong, implementable strategies to improve youth health outcomes | University of Melbourne | $2,619,818.80 |
| Associate Professor Adrian Lowe
|
Testing an implementable strategy to improve infant skin barrier to prevent asthma and preserve lung function: a 4-year follow-up of the existing PEBBLES RCT | University of Melbourne | $756,239.42 |
| Total | $75,351,484.09 | ||