Mental health and ageing research boost
Dementia care and mental health treatments are two areas that will benefit from an injection of $125.7 million into health and medical research, announced by Minister for Mental Health and Ageing Mark Butler.
Two hundred and ninety six researchers across Australia have been awarded National Health and Medical Research Council awards and fellowships that will enable them to develop their research careers.
“When researchers are given an opportunity to develop their research careers they extend our knowledge of health beyond current understanding,” Butler said.
“Their dedicated work in areas as diverse as basic science and the development of better treatments in hospitals and nursing homes is the key to quality of life for Australians living with dementia, mental health problems and other health issues.”
Professor Brian Dean, of the University of the Mental Health research Institute of Victoria, is one of these researchers. He will receive a $630,505 five-year NHMRC Research Fellowship to develop a better understanding of the chemical basis of common mental health disorders, including schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder, which could lead to new ways of treating these conditions.
“Professor Dean is a renowned academic and researcher of international standing,” Butler said.
“Today’s award will allow him to continue developing a better understanding of the chemical basis of common mental health disorders, including schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder, creating the potential to lead to new medication based treatments.”
Sharon Andrews, a nursing researcher from the Menzies Research Institute Tasmania, has been awarded a $124,000 Translating Research in to Practice Fellowship to extend her work in improving the quality of care for nursing home patients with dementia. She will focus on ways to build better staff-family relationships.
“With the ageing population and changing family structures around us, it is easy to see how stronger relationships have the potential to improve quality of life for elderly residents while providing emotional support to the family,” Butler said.
“Sharon’s work will help to address the challenges of caring for older Australians with dementia by combining the skills and knowledge of family and professional staff.
“The essential work being carried out by these two researchers shows us that medical research is not about developing knowledge for knowledge’s sake; it’s about better prevention, diagnosis, treatment and the hope of a cure.
“The Gillard Labor Government’s investment in medical research builds on our genuine commitment to mental health and aged care reform, and to our health reform nationwide.”
Today’s $127 million announcement comes on the back of $450 million worth of NHMRC health and medical research grants announced in Melbourne last week.
For more information, please contact Mr Butler’s office on 02 6277 7280.
