Deakin health research awarded $4.6 million in NHMRC funding

Deakin's Deputy Vice Chancellor Research Professor Julie Owens congratulated researchers from the University's Faculty of Health on their success in a highly competitive grant application process, nationally.

"This funding will help continue Deakin's cutting-edge health and medical research, which is focussed on improving the health and wellbeing of the communities we serve," Professor Owens said.

"It includes four NHMRC project grants, one prestigious fellowship and one partnership project that will be carried out with the additional financial and in-kind support of nine collaborators. Plus a second fellowship has been funded by an extra $181,066 grant from the Medical Research Future Fund Next Generation Clinical Researchers Program.

"A significant number of these projects are focussed on obesity prevention, illustrating our commitment to addressing one of Australia's most serious health issues, which drives a range of chronic diseases costing our economy $60 billion every year.

"Our scientists are dedicated to developing novel, practical and evidence-based solutions to the world's most pressing health problems, and we thank the NHMRC for its support in reaching these goals."

NHMRC PARTNERSHIP PROJECT GRANT

Supporting parents to promote healthy eating and active play
This five-year project will evaluate the state-wide implementation of the Infant Program, to support Victorian parents with healthy eating and active play for their children. Led by Professor Karen Campbell, from Deakin's Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, the program will be delivered via Maternal and Child Health Services using first-time parent groups over the first 12 months of life. It has also received funding and in-kind support from nine other research collaborators.

NHMRC PROJECT GRANTS

Pinpointing a protein to prevent obesity
Associate Professor Sean McGee, from Deakin's Centre for Molecular and Medical Research, will lead a three-year project investigating new therapeutic approaches to combatting the obesity epidemic. His team have already found that obesity can be reduced by inhibiting the activation of a molecule called protein kinase D. This project will further examine the role this protein plays in controlling the amount of energy that humans burn and the amount of food they eat, paving the way for new medicines to treat chronic diseases driven by obesity.

Helping infants improve physical activity and sleep
Associate Professor Kylie Hesketh, an ARC Future Fellow in Deakin's Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, will lead a team of experts in physical activity, sedentary behaviour, sleep, parenting, early childhood, information technology, health economics, statistics and translational science in this five-year project. The team will trial a health program for parents of two-year-olds, delivered via smartphone, empowering them to ensure their child has more active play, less time sitting and gets enough sleep.

Finding new ways to improve the immune response to flu
Associate Professor John Stambas, from Deakin's Centre for Molecular and Medical Research, will lead a team investigating how humans may harness certain host proteins to help fight influenza virus infection. Traditionally there are two strategies employed to control flu infection in humans: vaccines and antivirals, both of which target the virus. This three-year project will instead investigate how human molecules known as ADAMTS proteins contribute to flu immunity.

Evaluating the effect of antipsychotics on bone health
In this three-year project, Associate Professor Lana Williams, from Deakin and Barwon Health's IMPACT SRC, will lead a team examining the influence of antipsychotics on bone formation in the laboratory. The team will also use a population sample to evaluate the impact of antipsychotic use on fracture risk. Antipsychotics are among the most commonly used medications and their use for schizophrenia and related conditions is often lifelong, so a better understanding of their impact on bone health is crucial.

NHMRC TRANSLATING RESEARCH INTO PRACTICE FELLOWSHIP

Helping support nurses to protect older patients from harm
Associate Professor Bernice Redley, from the Institute for Health Transformation's Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research, will develop and test a novel technology-based solution to support complex nursing work and deliver harm prevention for older people in hospital. While nurses are responsible for harm prevention strategies, this can be complex in practice and isn't adequately supported by current health information technology. This two-year project will aim to bridge that gap.

MEDICAL RESEARCH FUTURE FUND NEXT GENERATION CLINICAL RESEARCHERS PROGRAM TRANSLATING RESEARCH INTO PRACTICE FELLOWSHIP

Improving the dignity of those living in aged care
As part of her two year fellowship, Dr Joan Ostaszkiewicz, a Research Fellow in the Institute for Health Transformation's Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research, will implement, evaluate and disseminate a 'Dignity in Continence Care Program' in a sample of aged care homes. The program will be developed in collaboration with aged care staff who perform or supervise continence care. It will strengthen the quality of continence care for older people with dementia living in aged care homes.