Leading the way on medical research in South Australia

Friday, 30 May 2014

The University of Adelaide will continue to play the biggest role in South Australia's health and medical research future, with the majority of funding in the State being awarded to the University and new facilities on the horizon.

In 2013, the University of Adelaide received almost $35 million in funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), which is more than 50% of all funds awarded in South Australia.

The University also recently announced that its new $206 million Medical and Nursing School building will make the University of Adelaide the largest research presence in the State's Health and Biomedical Precinct in Adelaide's West End. The 13-storey building will bring the number of University of Adelaide health sciences researchers in the precinct to nearly 1100.

Speaking in the lead up to ASMR Medical Research Week (1-7 June), the University's Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Mike Brooks, said the University had built a major reputation for medical research.

"Not only is the University of Adelaide the biggest health and medical research institution in the State, we're also among the top 10 in the nation," Professor Brooks said.

"We are among the leaders in the world in fields such as cardiology, reproductive health, cancer, nutrition, infectious diseases, dentistry, and nursing.

"There is no mistaking the quality of the work by everyone involved in medical research - including our staff, students and affiliates - and they should be very proud of the work they're doing," he said.

Professor Brooks said partnerships were a key to the University of Adelaide's success.

"What people often don't realise about medical research is that it involves many collaborations throughout the State, across the nation and globally. Research labs don't work in isolation from each other - they have partnerships, they work together, they publish results jointly, and they build on each other's work," Professor Brooks said.

"We are delighted to have new and extensive research partnerships in the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) and to be next to the emerging new Royal Adelaide Hospital."

Already this year, University of Adelaide researchers have won more than $19 million in NHMRC funding, including a major $8.7 million grant to Professor James Paton (Director, Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Molecular and Biomedical Science) to help find new ways of fighting deadly infectious diseases.

This year, the University has also achieved its highest level of completions by PhD and research Masters students in 140 years. "Many of these are postgraduate students in health sciences. These are the new generation who will ensure a bright future for health and medical research in our State," Professor Brooks said.

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