Earlier this year, the Productivity Commission handed the Australian Government its report on Data Availability and Use and Research Australia is working with the Taskforce within the Prime Minister’s Department who is developing the Government’s response. A particular area of focus for us, as the national peak body for the medical research pipeline, is the Productivity Commission’s recommendations on Human Research Ethics Committees (HRECs).
Medical technology investment to improve lives
11 September 2017
The Biomedical Translation Fund will fund three medical breakthroughs, as announced jointly by The Hon Greg Hunt MP, Health and Sports Minister and Senator The Hon Arthur Sinodinos, Minister for Industry, Innovation ad Science.
The investments are being made for the BTF by one of its three fund managers, BioScience Managers:
- $5 million in Rex Bionics to develop a hands-free robotic device to help people with severe
disability to walk, exercise and rehabilitate; - $3.3 million to Saluda Medical for neuromodulation technologies for people suffering from
chronic back pain and other debilitating conditions; - $5 million to CHARM Informatics for data aggregation and commercialisation services for
makers of ‘smart’ medical devices.
A joint venture between the Australian Government and private sector investors, further investments are yet to be made, with a total of $500 million available.
Read the full media release about the Biomedical Translation Fund.
Continue reading “Medical technology investment to improve lives”
INSPIRE Magazine
Issue 11 Out Now!
Welcome to INSPIRE Issue 11 – the sector magazine written by the sector for the sector and showcasing Research Australia’s members incredible research.
Click here to read this Issue 11
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Why online health records help us all
Friday 1 September 2017
In an era of big data, the opportunity to harness the masses of information, including personal health records, through better collection, linkage and access, has the potential to transform our health systems and the way we deliver healthcare.
The more a doctor who is treating you knows about your medical history (and the quicker that history can be accessed) the better chance you have of it saving your life. If you are in an accident, unconscious and seriously hurt, then you really want those taking care of you to be able to access all your information about allergies, illnesses and medical history. It could make the difference between life and death.
You might assume doctors in various parts of the health system can already access your information, when the reality is that in most cases they cannot.The Australian health system is fragmented and information is not easily shared between the various GPs, medical specialists, private clinics and hospitals you visit over a lifetime. This means the data a medical professional looks at might not be complete or you may have to recall your own history repeatedly. This can lead to poor diagnoses and increased cost to the health system, with every repeat test and scan that might otherwise have been avoided.
Research Australia’s Collaborative Strategy
Research Australia’s Collaborative Strategy and Focus Areas are now available for you to download and share.
Our vision
Health and prosperity through Australian research and innovation.
Our mission
Maximise the impact of all stages of health and medical research and innovation.
Our goals
Championing Australian Health & Medical Research
Research Australia is the national peak body for Australian health and medical research. We were set up by the federal government 22 years ago to support all stages of the health and medical research pipeline – universities, research institutes, commercial, consumer, health systems and charities.
Our Voice
Using our collective voice we represent the sector’s interests to government and convene different parts of the research community to affect policy change that benefits Australian health and medical research.
Your Innovation
We work to support and promote the incredibly talented Australian health and medical research community. Utilising our expertise we connect the entire national health and medical research (HMR) ecosystem, strengthening the bonds between academic organisations, the commercial sector, health systems and philanthropy. Together we can improve health outcomes for all Australians.
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Aussie researchers recognised by the Howard Hughes Institute
The prestigious Howard Hughes Institute in the USA has announced its International Research Scholars, exceptional early-career scientists poised to advance biomedical research across the globe. 41 scholars from 16 countries. Six are from Australia!
The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) has teamed up with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Wellcome Trust, and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation to develop scientific talent around the world, and will award a total of nearly $26.7 million to this group of scholars. Each researcher will receive a total of $650,000 over five years. The award is a big boon for scientists early in their careers and offers the freedom to pursue new research directions and creative projects that could develop into top-notch scientific programs.
Congrats to new Aussie Howard Hughes International Research Scholars:
- Mark Dawson (Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute)
- Kathryn Holt (University of Melbourne)
- Ryan Lister (University of Western Australia)
- Laura Mackay (University of Melbourne)
- Seth Masters (Walter+Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research)
- Wai-Hong Tham (Walter+Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research)
Continue reading “Aussie researchers recognised by the Howard Hughes Institute”
Joint statement on skilled migration visa changes
Tuesday, 4 July 2017 | Media Release
Restoration on skilled visas welcomed across medical technology, biotechnology and pharmaceutical sector.
The restoration of key occupations for the medical technology, research and pharmaceutical sector to the skilled migration visa list has been welcomed by six representative organisations. Having participated in submissions and consultations, the combined peak body group is pleased the Government has addressed concerns that were widely shared across the medical technologies, biotechnologies and pharmaceuticals industry sector and the health and medical research sector.
The revised list of occupations is an important step for which there is significant acknowledgment and relief that the attraction of highly-skilled individuals will not be thwarted and demonstrates continued support for Australia’s competitive advantage in life sciences innovation. Continue reading “Joint statement on skilled migration visa changes”
Nominations open for GSK Award for Research
37th year of $80,000 research grant
Nominations for GSK’s Award for Research Excellence are now open until 10th July. The longstanding award seeks to assist leading Australian researchers by providing the winner with an $80,000 grant to support their research journey.
The GSK Award for Research Excellence is one of the most prestigious available to the Australian medical research community. It has been awarded since 1980 to recognise outstanding achievements in medical research with potential importance to human health.
Last year’s award was received by Professors Arthur Christopoulos and Patrick Sexton for their research into G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). View their video here.
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Changes to NHMRC’s Grant Program
The eagerly awaited changes to the NHMRC’s grant program have been announced this morning. As Research Australia and many others in our sector have advocated for, they are a combination of elements from the models proposed in the consultation paper issued in the middle of last year. Importantly, these changes reflect much of the advice provided to the review panel from the sector.
Research Australia welcomes the reforms announced and notes that there is never ‘a perfect solution’ but that these changes are a positive step in the right direction and address key issues flagged by the sector. Research Australia also commends the efforts of the NHMRC CEO Anne Kelso AO and the Expert Advisory Group chaired by Professor Steve Wesselingh.
The stated aims of the changes are to:
- Encourage research that is more creative and innovative
- Provide opportunities for Australia’s best health and medical researchers at all career stages, and
- Minimise the burden on researchers in preparing and reviewing grant applications, allowing them to spend more time on research.
Funding boost from MRFF for clinical trials
Australian clinical trials received a much-needed boost today with details of the Medical Research Future Fund’s disbursements announced.
The Minister for Health, Greg Hunt announced the detail around the allocation of the funding into clinical trials in Australia that was handed down at the Budget last Tuesday as part of the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF).
As the Health and Medical Research industry body, we were pleased to hear the importance the Australian Government has placed on clinical trials, collaboration, and translation of research and mid-career medical researchers.
“Clinical trials are a crucial part of changing and saving lives,” said Research Australia CEO, Nadia Levin. “This commitment goes a long way in making a difference to Australians whose lives depend on the outcomes of the best research we can offer”.
The announcement was made at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney at an event to celebrate International Clinical Trials Day.
Continue reading “Funding boost from MRFF for clinical trials”