Building the health research workforce in northern Australia
A total of 13 new health research projects have just been funded by HOT NORTH, a four-year National Health and Medical Research Council funded program led by Menzies School of Health Research.
These 13 new projects are examining some of Australia’s most pressing health concerns affecting Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians in northern Australia and our regional neighbours abroad. From biosecurity threats to health management plans, the large breadth of targeted research being supported is developing the research and clinical capacity of health professionals in the north and producing real and meaningful changes on the ground.
Director of HOT NORTH, Menzies Professor Bart Currie envisages that, “by building the capacity of health professionals and scientists in northern Australia, we’re working towards improvements in health outcomes not only for Australia, but also the Asia-Pacifica region,” Prof Currie said.
Now in its second year of operation, HOT NORTH has awarded over $1.74 million in funding to support researchers investigating some of northern Australia’s most urgent health problems – vector borne and emerging diseases, skin health, chronic disease, antimicrobial resistance, and respiratory health.
In the second half of the year, HOT NORTH will present an additional seven pilot projects, bringing the total amount of funding for 2017-2018 to just over $2 million.
With a total of $6 million to be awarded over the four years of the program, HOT NORTH will support a total of 48 pilot projects and more than 25 fellowships and scholarships.
In addition to conducting research, HOT NORTH hosts a series of regional teaching workshops across northern Australia. These teaching workshops bring HOT NORTH’s researchers together with local health professionals to share their knowledge and expertise.
Health workers benefit from hearing the latest findings and advancements in health practice while researchers glean insights into the important issues affecting local populations on the ground.
“There’s no better place to be than the north if you want to do tropical research and HOT NORTH is helping high-quality medical scientists and clinicians feel part of a broader movement in the north of Australia,” Prof Currie said.
Based at Menzies School of Health Research, HOT NORTH utilises a strong collaborative approach between researchers and community, drawing on the expertise of research professionals from eight of Australia’s leading research organisations:
- Menzies School of Health Research
- James Cook University
- Telethon Kids Institute
- Marie Bashir Institute & The University of Sydney
- Doherty Institute & The University of Melbourne
- South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute
- Burnet Institute
Professor Currie says bringing these expert institutions together is helping to build “a community of medical researchers and clinicians focussed on northern Australia’s critical health issues”.
Media Contact:
Sean Rung | Communications Officer, HOT NORTH | T: 045 0701 003 | sean.rung@menzies.edu.au
Menzies School of Health Research Menzies
School of Health Research is one of Australia’s leading medical research institutes dedicated to improving Indigenous, global and tropical health. Menzies has a history of over 30 years of scientific discovery and public health achievement. Menzies works at the frontline, joining with partners across the Asia-Pacific as well as Indigenous communities across northern and central Australia. Menzies collaborates to create new knowledge, grow local skills and find enduring solutions to problems that matter.