Health researchers granted $83m

The nation's health researchers were today given $83.58 million in new Government funding.

The grants will be managed by the Health Research Council, whose chief executive Robin Olds said the science being funded would provide knowledge and innovation relevant to the New Zealand population.

"These new research activities ... will make significant steps towards benefiting New Zealand," said Dr Olds.

The research had been targeted to areas of greatest priority, and the 70 contracts approved include six new long-term programmes.

The HRC received 275 applications for five different types of grants, and the monies were allocated in a process involving international expert referees and scrutiny by assessment committees.

The council last year spent $63 million on 57 new contracts.

This year's funding - for three years if not otherwise indicated - included:

Associate Professor Francis Bloomfield, Auckland University, perinatal care and its long-term consequences, $2,504,660.

Professor John Fraser, Auckland University, microbial virulence and pathogenesis, $3,236,642.

Professor Philippa Howden-Chapman, Otago University, community healthy housing intervention, $2,966,584,

Professor Richie Poulton, Otago University, Dunedin multidisciplinary study of aging and risk for chronic disease, $4,568,389.

Professor Ian Reid, Auckland University, mechanisms and management of musculoskeletal disease, $5,241,424.

Professor Christine Winterbourn, Otago University, oxidative stress in health and disease, $2,215,010.

Professor Alistair Gunn, Auckland University, pathogenesis, detection and treatment of perinatal brain injury, $3,581,134.

Professor Allan Herbison, Otago University, neuroendocrine regulation of fertility, $3,242,207.

Professor Peter Hunter, Auckland University, a bioengineering analysis of cardiac structure and function, $4,131,519.

Associate Professor Ngaire Kerse, Auckland University, maximising health for older people, $4,686,522.

Associate Professor Robert Anderson, Auckland University, Prodrug release of kinase inhibitors in cancer therapy, $719,625.

Mere Balzer, Te Runanga o Kirikiriroa Charitable Trust, Maori and mental health: snapshots of strengths, resilience, and recovery, $132,483 over 18 months.

Professor Richard Beasley, Medical Research Institute , real life use of Symbicort "smart" regime in adult asthma, $1,302,654.

Associate Professor Peter Black, Auckland University, effect of an inhaler with ringtones on asthma control and school attendance, $428,355 over two years.

Associate Professor Winston Byblow, Auckland University priming to enhance rehabilitation after stroke $812,955.

Dr Sunny Collings, Otago University, nature and extent of informal coercion in community mental health, $1,884,065 over 18 months.

Professor Garth Cooper, Auckland University, Adiponectin: molecular analysis to underpin therapeutic applications, $1,658,677.

Professor Julian Crane, Otago University, Nicotine inhaler plus patch in smoking cessation, $1,353,242 over two years; Zonnic (oral nicotine) and nicotine patch in smoking cessation, $1,116,305 over two years.

Dr Jacqueline Cumming, Victoria University, an economic analysis of primary care reform, $522,913.

Associate Professor Paul Donaldson, Auckland University, diabetic lens cataract: a problem with cell volume regulation, $1,302,476.

Associate Professor Rod Dunbar, Auckland University, antigen presentation to T cells in human lymph nodes, $991,603.

Dr Lis Ellison-Loschmann, Massey University: Maori and cancer -- the role of primary care, $574,465; and inequalities in cervical cancer survival in New Zealand, $665,198.

Professor Valery Feigin, AUT University, traumatic brain injury burden, $2,366,538.

Dr Elspeth Gold, Otago University, role of activin C in prostate disease, $953,695.

Delvina Gorton, Auckland University, effects of a school breakfast programme on achievement and nutrition, $810,753 over two years.

Associate Professor Cameron Grant, Auckland University, placebo controlled study of vitamin D during pregnancy and infancy, $958,341 over 18 months.

Associate Professor David Grattan, Otago University, mechanisms of hyperprolactinemia-induced infertility, $949,105.

Dr Ian Hermans, Malaghan Institute, mechanisms of induction of anti-tumour immune responses by dendritic cells, $933,049.

Dr Nancy Higgins, Ngati Kapo O Aotearoa, accessing paediatric ophthalmology services, $501,216 over two years.

Professor Janet Hoek, Otago University, branding and plain packaging: implications for tobacco control, $740,727

Dr Beverley Lawton, Otago University, reducing barriers to care for pregnant mums and their whanau, $1,179,945 over four years.

Professor Graham Le Gros, Malaghan Institute, cytokines involved in allergic airway disease, $1,029,696,

Dr Ralph Maddison, Auckland University, exercise to enhance smoking cessation, $1,343,716.

Associate Professor Alok Mitra, Auckland University, structure/function correlates of adiponectin, $742,919.

Professor Ian Morison, Otago University, epigenome of myelodysplastic syndrome,, $1,326,265.

Professor David Murdoch, Otago University, vitamin D supplementation on upper respiratory infections in adults, $1,719,632 over 30 months.

Dr Chris Pemberton, Otago University, ghrelin peptides in acute cardiac ischemia, $643,363.

Dr Tim Prickett, Otago University, studies on the cardio-protective effects of CNP agonists, $646,169 over two years.

Professor Andrew Pullan, Auckland University, mapping, modelling and manipulating gastric electrical activity, $1,303,066,

Associate Professor Miriam Rademaker, Otago University, improved monitoring of heart failure and tachyarrhythmia, $589,775.

Dr Gordon Rewcastle of Auckland University, strategies for developing PI3K p110a isoform specific anticancer drugs, $1,498,525.

Professor Franca Ronchese, Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, role of dendritic cells in allergic sensitisation, $1,023,152; and defining the characteristics of effective anti-tumour T cells, $1,071,239.

Dr Kate Scott, Otago University, mental disorders and co-morbid physical conditions, $154,576, two years.

Dr Leigh Signal, Massey University, sleep in pregnancy and postpartum: the relationship to maternal health, $945,456.

Dr Louise Signal, Otago University, junk food promoted through sport, $501,489.

Dr Merryn Tawhai, Auckland University, predicting pulmonary hypertension, $996,896.

Dr Rachael Taylor, Otago University, Screening, feedback and treatment in overweight 4-8 year-old children, $1,307,272; and Improving school playgrounds to enhance physical activity in children, $799,244,

Professor Peter Thorne, abnormal ion homeostasis in inner ear disease, $1,273,525.

Dr Sandar Tin Tin, Auckland University, Taupo bicycle study, $640,602 over four years.

Dr Kristin Wickens, Otago University, follow-up of the effects of probiotics on development of allergic disease, $986,784 over two years.

Professor John Windsor, Auckland University, mitochondria in multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, $679,651.

Associate Professor Alistair A Young, Auckland University, cardiac MRI during exercise, $1,165,090.

Dr Monica Acosta, Auckland University, eye diseases of Maori, Pacific and the elderly using animal models, $150,000.

Dr Elizabeth Forbes, Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, New strategies for the treatment and prevention of food allergy, $150,000.

Dr Roslyn Kemp, Otago University, T cell mediated regulation of colorectal cancer immune responses, $133,413.

Dr Bronwyn Kivell, Victoria University, investigating novel compounds to prevent addiction, $145,659.

Dr Joanna MacKichan, ESR, epithelial cell damage: is it the key to meningococcal disease?, $150,000.

Dr Megan McAuliffe, Canterbury University, Factors influencing older listeners' comprehension of speech, $149,924.

Dr Nicola Scott, Otago University, metabolic syndrome: from mice to men, $147,220.

Dr Benjamin Thompson, Auckland University, promoting neural plasticity to recover visual function in amblyopia, $149,971.

Dr Shieak Tzeng, Otago University, autonomic modulation of pulmonary gas exchange efficiency, $145,854, over two years.

- NZPA