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18 January 2012
The Office of Health and Medical Research (OHMR) would like to congratulate five of its fellowship recipients for receiving additional funding as Chief Investigators from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Project Grant Scheme.
Click here for more information (PDF)
Tuesday 21 June 2011
The Queensland Nursing Council (QNC) and Physiotherapists Board of Queensland (PBQ) ceased to exist as statutory bodies following 30 June 2010. Prior to this, both bodies wrote separately to the Deputy Premier and former Minister for Health, proposing that their surplus funds be transferred to Queensland Health to support research in the respective professions in Queensland.
Following a consultation process with the nursing, midwifery and physiotherapy professions by Queensland Health, the Minister for Health has now approved the use of the funds, to be administered by the Office of Health and Medical Research (OHMR).
The QNC and PBQ surplus funds will continue to be used for research grants to the nursing, midwifery and physiotherapy professions, respectively. Both sets of grants will be open to Queensland practitioners working in and across the public and private sectors, universities, and non-government organisations. Although the QNC funds do not have an end date, the PBQ funds are due to be expended by 31 June 2015.
The use of the funds is governed by Memorandums of Understanding between Queensland Health and the respective bodies. The OHMR intends to administer both the PBQ and QNC grants using a joint annual funding round to increase administrative efficiencies. The funding for each set of grants will remain separate and is to be derived only from the applicable trust fund for each profession. The OHMR also intends to convene a review panel for each fund, as has been the case in the past, to make recommendations to OHMR regarding grant allocations.
The OHMR is currently in the process of hiring a staff member to undertake the implementation of these grants and intends to open the first annual round by the end of this calendar year.
For further queries, contact Dr Nikki Sims-Chilton, A/Manager, Research Programs Unit, Office of Health and Medical Research, by telephone (07) 3234 0123 or email Nikki_Sims-Chilton@health.qld.gov.au.
Monday 20 June 2011
Download OHMR e-newsletter Edition 9 (PDF)
The nineth edition of the Office of Health and Medical Research (OHMR) e-newsletter has been released and contains information on:
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Wednesday 2 March 2011
Download OHMR e-newsletter Edition 8 (PDF)
The eigth edition of the Office of Health and Medical Research (OHMR) e-newsletter has been released and contains information on:
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Thursday 10 February 2011
Professor David Johnson, a round one Health Research Fellowship recipient from the Division of Medicine at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, was announced as a recipient of the Australia Day 2011 Public Service Medal Honour by the Governor-General.
Professor Johnson was recognised for his outstanding public service to Queensland Health, particularly his research into the early detection and management of chronic kidney disease, in which his leadership and extensive involvement in research has revolutionised the early detection and management of chronic kidney disease. Professor Johnson has also played a major role in state and national policy development in relation to kidney disease, and his work as an advocate for renal transplantation has lead to an increase in the number and accessibility of renal transplant operations in Queensland.
The Office of Health and Medical Research would like to congratulate Professor Johnson on his continued research towards improving the health of Queenslanders with kidney disease.
Tuesday 18 January 2011
Download OHMR e-newsletter Edition 7 (PDF)
The seventh edition of the Office of Health and Medical Research (OHMR) e-newsletter has been released and contains information on:
Executive Director's message — Professor Robin Mortimer
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Wednesday 24 November 2010
To aid in creating opportunities for collaborations and partnerships between academic, research, commercial and government entities, the Queensland Government has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Government of Washington State. This milestone has helped to cement the existing strong relationship and could significantly benefit the growth of Queensland’s health and medical research sector.
For futher information, visit the Washington Global Health Alliance website or download the factsheet (PDF).
Tuesday 14 September 2010
Download OHMR e-newsletter Edition 6 (PDF)
The sixth edition of the Office of Health and Medical Research (OHMR) e-newsletter has been released and contains information on:
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The AccessCR (Clinical Research) Honour Roll was released to coincide with International Clinical Trials Day in May 2010 to celebrate individuals and organisations for their contribution to clinical trials. The Office of Health and Medical Research would like to congratulate the following Queensland Health representatives/affiliates named:
Monday 21 June 2010
As part of Queensland Week celebrations, Premier Anna Bligh announced on 3 June 2010 five individuals and one institution as Queensland Greats.
Health and medical researcher Professor Michael Good AO was named as one the 2010 Queensland Greats.
Premier Bligh said the Queensland Greats Awards honour individuals and institutions whose achievements have played a significant role in the history and development of Queensland."This is a prestigious award given to those Queenslanders who are an inspiration to us all and I congratulate the 2010 Greats on their achievements.”
Professor Good is a renowned national and international health leader who has made a life-long commitment to help prevent disease and improve the treatment of those who are sick. He has pioneered the development of vaccines for malaria and Streptococcus A, which causes rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease afflicting large numbers of Indigenous Australians. Professor Good's work stands to save the lives of thousands of people not only in Queensland but throughout the world. As Director, Professor Good has helped build and maintain the reputation of the Queensland Institute of Medical Research as an outstanding international research institution.
For most people getting married is the happiest day of their life, but for cancer and kidney disease survivor Suzannah Scott, walking down the aisle this year will be an extraordinary achievement.
Twice in her life, the 24-year-old has been given just days to live.
But thanks to the ingenuity of a Princess Alexandra Hospital (PAH) doctor, Professor Maher Gandhi, and a treatment which had never been used before in Queensland, Ms Scott is set to marry her long-time partner this October.
This article has been adapted from the PAH News.
A team of Queensland Health researchers have saved a young woman’s life by identifying a rare immune disorder and treating it with an experimental stem cell transplant.
Katie Pulling, now 23, spent her teenage years in and out of hospital surviving many near death experiences because of an immune deficiency. At 16, Katie was admitted to the Princess Alexandra Hospital where she met her hero, Professor Maher Gandhi, an expert in haematology.
Professor Gandhi and his team found that signals in Katie’s immune system were not communicating with each other. They contacted Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital expert in bone marrow stem cell transplantation, Dr Glen Kennedy, who performed the life saving procedure on Katie that involved transplanting her sister’s stem cells inside her.
Katie has been well for over a year now and has expressed sincere gratitude to Professor Gandhi, Dr Kennedy and their research teams.
Professor Maher Gandhi currently receives funding from the Office of Health and Medical Research for his research.
This article has been adapted from The Sunday Mail 16 May 2010.
Premier Anna Bligh announced in May more than $3.5 million funding boost to three key research projects that could also potentially attract around $10 million in Canadian investment.
“There is groundbreaking medical research that’s underway thanks to the combined efforts of Canadian and Queensland researchers – and it deserves to be supported,” Ms Bligh said.
Research into spinal cord injuries would receive support through a $1 million grant to the Queensland-Canada Spinal Cord Injury Alliance, a joint initiative of QUT’s Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI) and Canadian researchers.
The IHBI research project, led by Dr Ben Goss and in partnership with the Princess Alexandra Hospital, would look at implementing the Rick Hansen Spinal Cord Injury Registry in Queensland to track patients, their treatment and clinical outcomes with a view to improving quality of care.
The Office of Health and Medical Research (OHMR) is looking forward to the opening of the Translational Research Institute (TRI) in Brisbane 2012.
Last week, Watpac Construction was named as the successful tender for the contract to build the TRI at Princess Alexandra Hospital (PAH).
Deputy Premier and Minister for Health Paul Lucas said the TRI will be one of only a few facilities in the world that has one-stop-shop capacity for discovery, production, clinical testing and the manufacture of new biopharmaceuticals and treatments.
“Bringing everything together under the one roof ensures the process of moving research from the laboratory to the ward will be much quicker,” he said.
“The TRI vision is now becoming a reality through a joint venture between the Queensland Government, The University of Queensland (UQ), the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), the PAH and the Mater Medical Research Institute (MMRI),” he said.
Read more from the Ministerial Media Statement.
Download OHMR e-newsletter Issue 5 (PDF)
The fifth issue of the Office of Health and Medical Research (OHMR) e-newsletter has been released and contains information on:
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Professor David Paterson is one of fifteen distinguished Australian health and medical researchers recognised by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) on 4 March 2010 for their outstanding contribution to the success of medical research in Australia.
The awards recognised the highest ranked recipients of grants and fellowships in 2010 as well as two special categories for outstanding contribution and ethics.
Professor David Paterson, University of Queensland - Achievement Award for Top Ranked NHMRC Practitioner Fellow
Professor Paterson is one of three successful recipients of Round One of the Office of Health and Medical Research’s Senior Clinical Research Fellowships. Professor Paterson is also Deputy Director (Clinical) of the University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research located at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital.
The Office of Health and Medical Research also congratulates Professor Rob Parton who was also recognised in 2010 NHMRC excellence awards.
Professor Rob Parton, University of Queensland, - Achievement Award for Highest Ranked Project Grant
Rob Parton studied biochemistry in the UK before moving to the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Heidelberg, Germany. In 1996, he joined the University of Queensland where he is currently an NHMRC Australia Fellow in the Institute for Molecular Bioscience and Deputy Director of the Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis.
Wednesday 3 February 2010
A new Queensland Government Fellowship presented today by the Governor of Queensland will be used by a researcher to try to combat an extreme super bug even more aggressive than resistant Staphylococcus strains.
Queensland Health and University of Queensland researcher Professor David Paterson, received a Senior Clinical Research Fellowship to stem the invasion of mega super bugs, which are resistant to all antibiotics and current treatments. Prof Paterson - an infectious diseases researcher at UQ’s Centre for Clinical Research (UQCCR) and the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital – received the Fellowship from the Office of Health and Medical Research (OHMR).
Prof Paterson is one of three researchers to receive a total of $8.5 million in inaugural Senior Clinical Research Fellowships. The recipients were chosen from a pool of national and international applicants, with their awards presented today at the UQCCR by Her Excellency Ms Penelope Wensley AO, Governor of Queensland.
Fellow UQ and Queensland Health researchers Professors Peter Sly and Thomas Marwick will research respiratory diseases in children and diagnostic testing in rural areas respectively.
Friday 29 January 2010
Three Queensland researchers awarded $12 million NHMRC Fellowships
Three Queenslanders are among nine of Australia’s best health and medical researchers to each receive a $4 million National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Australia Fellowship.
The NHMRC Fellowships are Australia’s most prestigious award for excellence in the fields of health and medical research and recognise those researchers with the vision and application to tackle some of the biggest health issues facing society today.
Professor Michael Good will be stepping down as Director of Queensland Institute of Medical Research to return to full-time research with Griffith University. Prof Good will use his Fellowship to pursue the development of vaccines for two major pathogens - malaria and streptococcus A (the cause of rheumatic fever) – two of the world’s biggest killers.
Professor Martyn Goulding is relocating from the Salk Institute in the USA to the Queensland Brain Institute at the University of Queensland. He will use his Fellowship to recruit and establish an internationally recognised team of researchers to study how nerve cells in the spinal cord function and contribute to the sensorimotor networks that control movement, posture, balance and protective reflexes.
Professor John Mattick from the University of Queensland Institute of Molecular Biosciences will use his Fellowship to further explore his hypothesis on so-called "junk" DNA. For many years, scientists have thought that most of the human genome is composed of junk, since only a tiny fraction specified conventional genes.
Wednesday 20 January 2010
San Francisco: Premier Anna Bligh has met with global philanthropist Chuck Feeney in San Francisco during her US Trade mission.
Ms Bligh paid tribute to Mr Feeney’s generosity and longstanding commitment to Queensland’s biotechnology industry.
“Mr Feeney has proven himself over the past decade to be one of Queensland’s champions. As a major benefactor of our medical research community, there is no one who is more dedicated to the cause,” Ms Bligh said.
“In July 2009, I announced that The Atlantic Philanthropies, founded by Chuck Feeney, would give a record $102 million to be spread across three pioneering Queensland medical projects.
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