$5 million boost for WA medical research

Scientists working on revolutionary treatments to prevent asthma and 2005 Nobel Prize winner Professor Barry Marshall are among more than 100 Western Australian researchers to receive State Government medical research grants totalling $5 million.

Premier Alan Carpenter said $1.7 million in research grants would go to scientists at the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research to help fund cutting-edge research into asthma, allergies, respiratory diseases and other illnesses.

"More than 30 per cent of children suffer from asthma and it is the most common reason for childhood admission to hospital," Mr Carpenter said.

"In WA, one person dies every 10 days from asthma and 60 per cent of those deaths could have been avoided.

"If the treatments for asthma being developed at the Institute prove successful, it could help thousands of WA children and potentially millions around the world."

Using the latest gene technology, the Institute's researchers have discovered new genes which hold the promise of developing totally new ways of preventing and treating asthma.

Researchers at the Institute are also examining why some children develop asthma, why some children grow out of asthma and whether there are any links between air pollution and the development of asthma in children.

Nobel Prize winner Professor Barry Marshall will receive almost $16,000 from the State Government's Medical and Health Research Infrastructure Fund to continue his groundbreaking research into the bacteria which causes peptic ulcers and gastric cancer.

Professor Marshall is leading a world-renowned research team using genetically modified Helicobacter pylori to develop vaccines for a range of diseases, including HIV, the Avian flu virus and Hepatitis C.

During the last six years, Professor Marshall has received more than $250,000 in State Government grants to aid his research, which is based at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.

Health Minister Jim McGinty said it was vital the State Government supported WA scientists in their research.

"Our scientists are world class and the medical and economic benefits that their research can bring are invaluable," Mr McGinty said.

Mr McGinty said the grants would help a total of 102 scientists research treatments for cancer, blindness, cardiovascular disease, alcohol and drug use, diabetes, mental health problems and suicide prevention.

"The grants will enable local researchers to attract more money from competitive national and international funding programs and further enhance WA's reputation for world-class research."

Other research institutions to receive funding this year include:

The University of Western Australia - $1,104,132;
The Lions Eye Institute - $726,396;
The Western Australian Institute for Medical Research - $680,619;
Asthma and Allergy Research Institute - $173,980;
Curtin University - $133,707;
Australian Neuromuscular Research Institute - $118,786;
Edith Cowan University - $116,274;
Women and Infants Research Foundation - $115,442;
Murdoch University - $73,892; and
Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital - $40,356.

The Medical and Health Research Infrastructure Fund has provided almost $30million in grants to leading researchers since 1997.