$38 million available for research into diabetes, heart disease

Two new medical research centres will be funded by the Morrison Government to produce rapid improvements in preventing, treating and curing diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and their complications.
The Government will provide $10 million each for the new research centres ($20 million overall), as well as $18 million to support translational research projects.
Expressions of interest are now being sought by MTPConnect for the two research centres and also the first tranche of translational research projects, worth $6 million. There will be opportunities to fund translational research projects using the remaining $12 million in the future.
The funding is drawn from the Government’s Medical Research Future Fund, under its Targeted Translation Research Accelerator, which is managed by MTPConnect.
It will be directed to research projects with the potential to transform diabetes and cardiovascular disease outcomes, and reduce the burden of these diseases on patients, families and the community.
The two research centres will stimulate collaboration across industry, research and clinical organisations.
The Diabetes Research Centre’s translational research, development and implementation science activities will address three priority areas:
·       Diabetic kidney disease.
·       Peripheral neuropathy and diabetic foot syndrome.
·       Short term complications of hypoglycaemia and/or hyperglycaemic hyperosmolar syndrome (HHS) and ketoacidosis.
The priorities for the Cardiovascular Disease Research Centre will be:
·       Coronary artery disease (including angina and MACE)
·       Cardiomyopathy and heart failure
·       Transient ischaemic attack (TIA) and stroke (ischaemic and haemorrhagic).
Through a parallel program of research grants, $6 million will also be made available to develop innovative preventative, diagnostic, therapeutic and disease management products and solutions in priority areas.
The priorities for funding were identified through in-depth consultation with doctors and patients and include chronic kidney disease, cardiac and vascular complications, and mental health of people living with cardiovascular disease and/or diabetes.
The new research funding will build on MTPConnect’s work with its partners—ANDHealth, Medical Device Partnering Program, and UniQuest—to help researchers put their diabetes and cardiovascular disease research results into clinical practice, through mentoring and commercialisation support.
Investing in health and medical research is a priority for the Morrison Government. Research is a key pillar of our plan to make Australia’s health system stronger, more equitable, and more sustainable.