Heart Foundation research grants
The Heart Foundation has announced new grants of $6.7million for over 50 health and medical research projects – the highest number ever – over 2008 and 2009.
The funding has been allocated to researchers across the country to undertake important projects relating to heart, stroke and blood vessel disease.
“Cardiovascular disease is Australia’s biggest killer and our greatest health challenge; 38% of all deaths are due to heart, stroke and blood vessel disease, with an Australian dying from one of these causes every 10 minutes,” said Dr Chris Latif, research program manager, Heart Foundation.
“Health research is an investment in the nation’s wellbeing that provides exceptional results. For every $1 spent on cardiovascular research, there is an $8 return in health benefits such as improved therapies, which is the highest for any disease area evaluated,” said Dr Latif.
“It is essential we continue to fund outstanding researchers so we can make advances and reduce these worrying statistics,” she said.
The money will support Australia’s best and brightest researchers, such as Dr Andrew Taylor of the Baker Heart Research Institute, whose research will look at the stiffening of heart tissues, with the aim of gaining a better understanding of how it occurs in order to reduce future cardiovascular disease.
Other projects to receive funding include studies into a new strategy for preserving donor hearts for transplants, the effect of treating sleep apnoea in people with irregular heart rhythms, and an intervention to limit damage and complications sustained through heart surgery.
The Heart Foundation is one of the largest non-government funders of research. As a charity, providing financial assistance for these outstanding projects is only possible with the continued support of donors and other supporters.
