Government funds ground-breaking research
Professor Martyn French
A Royal Perth Hospital immunologist investigating the possibility of using an antibody to trigger natural immune responses to fight HIV is one of 131 researchers benefitting from about $6 million of State Government funding.
Announcing round 18 of the annual Medical and Health Research Infrastructure Fund (MHRIF) grants, Health Minister Dr Kim Hames said Professor Martyn French’s work could lead to a breakthrough in treatment for people with HIV.
Professor French and his colleagues are looking at ways to stimulate the body’s own system to produce antibodies that fight the HIV virus.
The grant for Professor French will be used to purchase specialist laboratory equipment.
Professor French and his team are trying to determine whether certain HIV vaccines in development could be used to trigger a proliferation of the antibodies that activate immune cells.
The MHRIF was established in 1997 to promote excellence in medical and health research in Western Australia by providing high-performing researchers with financial support to meet the day-to-day infrastructure costs associated with their projects.
Since its launch $78 million has been provided in medical research grants.
More information on where this year’s grants have gone is available on the Research Development website (external site).
The full list of the recipients of the grants is below:
A total of $5.96 million has been awarded in 2014/15 to 131 successful applicants at the following institutions:
- Curtin University $312,081
- Edith Cowan University $261,474
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research $806,990
- Lions Eye Institute $421,820
- Lung Institute of WA $113,236
- Murdoch University $28,019
- Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital $15,809
- Telethon Kids Institute $1,697,892
- University of Western Australia $1,890,212
- WA Neuroscience Research Institute $109,799
- WA Sleep Disorders Research Institute $41,284
- Women and Infants Research Foundation $26,138
This article was originally published on Western Australia Department of Health site and re-published with permission.
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