Funding Success for SCHN Researchers in Paediatric Health and Medical Research

Kids Research, Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network is delighted to announce the tremendous success of our researchers in the latest National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Investigator Grant and Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) round.

Together with University of Sydney (USYD) and University of New South Wales (UNSW), more than $13.8 million in funding for 12 new paediatric health and medical research projects have been awarded.

Highlights of the grants awarded to SCHN researchers are:

Investigator Grant - Leadership 1

• Prof Allison Tong (USYD) was awarded $3.2M to establish and implement core outcomes and measures for patients with chronic kidney disease. It will address the research priorities of patients across all stages of the disease.

• Prof Natasha Nassar (USYD) was awarded $1.5M to address new challenges in child population health – by investigating the role and impact of early life factors, paediatric healthcare practices and long-term morbidity and survivorship on child health and development.

• Prof Russell Dale (USYD) was awarded $1.9M to develop novel treatments to reduce the prevalence and severity of developmental and mental health problems in children and adults.

• A/Prof Germaine Wong (USYD) was awarded $1.1M to transform care and health outcomes in kidney transplant recipient.

Investigator Grant - Leadership 2

• Prof Glenn Marshall (UNSW) was awarded $900K to improve outcomes for children with cancer by identifying new vulnerabilities for combination drug therapies, drugs directed against child cancer gene targets and strategies for prevention.

Investigator Grant - Emerging Leadership 1

• Dr David Tunnicliffe (USYD) was awarded $645K for a research project to improve the outcomes of patient with chronic kidney disease by developing, evaluating and implementing a new approach that translates research evidence to the management of patients.

• Dr Phoebe Williams (USYD) was awarded $566K to establish a new treatment regiment for neonatal sepsis in Australia and local South East Asian region.

• Dr Tegan Cheng (USYD) was awarded $645K to optimize personalized children’s orthotic devices – generating novel ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) and production methods.

Investigator Grant - Emerging Leadership 2

• A/Prof Michelle Farrar (UNSW) was awarded $1M to expand the application of genomic technologies to improve targeted treatment options and early diagnosis for rare neurological diseases, improving clinical and translational applications of genomics.

• A/Prof Chee Ooi (UNSW) was awarded $1.3M to investigate diet and gut microbiota changes connect with physical symptoms, mental health & behavioural issues in chronic diseases – leading to improved management and development of targeted therapies.

MRFF Grant

• Prof Tom Snelling (USYD) was successful through MRFF Priority grant scheme for a policy-driven research to improve the immunization program for young children.

• A/Prof Tony Roscioli (UNSW) was successful through MRFF Genomics Health Futures Mission grant scheme for research to improve accuracy of antenatal genetic diagnoses, that will lead to improved care and childhood outcomes.