QCMRI researchers attract $9.263 million in NHRMC funding The National Health and Medical Research Council announced the recipients of its latest funding round on Friday 17 October. Queensland Children’s Medical Research Institute (QCMRI) was incredibly successful with eight new Project Grants (five with QCMRI researchers as CIA) and two Early Career Fellowships awarded. In total, an impressive $9.263 million was awarded in grants involving QCMRI researchers, with three of the project grants being funded over five years. QCMRI Director, Professor Claire Wainwright said with this year’s success rate for NHMRC project grant applications at an all time low of 14.9% it makes QCMRI’s success all the more praise worthy. “In this highly competitive funding round, I am incredibly proud of QCMRI’s success and see it as a clear acknowledgement of the quality of the research being conducted here,” Professor Wainwright said. Project grants were awarded to:  Dr Kerry-Ann O’Grady receives $1.38 million over three years for a randomised controlled trial to evaluate early intervention in chronic cough in Indigenous children.  QCMRI’s Deputy Director, Professor Peter Sly receives $1.09 million over 5 years for his research into immune recognition of upper airway microbiota in early childhood as a determinant of respiratory health in children. Prof Sly was also successful as a Chief Investigator on Professor Joerg Mattes’ (University of Newcastle) project, which will receive $1.08 million over five years to research the effect of asthma control during pregnancy on lung function in the offspring produced.  Associate Professor Philip Stevenson and Associate Professor Nick Davis-Poynter based at Sir Albert Sakzewski Virus Research Centre receive $590,000 over three years to research factors influencing herpes virus super infection as a step toward novel vaccination approaches. Two research groups joining QCMRI in the coming months also attracted substantial NHMRC funding:  Associate Professor Andreas Schibler (UQ) receives $1.24 million over three years for High Flow Cannula Therapy in Bronchiolitis, a Randomised Controlled Trial.  Professor Ros Boyd (UQ) who receives $939,000 over 4 years for a multi-site randomised clinical trial of early rehabilitation in congenital hemiplegia, and will also receive over 5 years $1.65 million to research the neurodevelopment of preterm infants (CIB) and $720,000 to research the neuroprotective role of sulphate among preterm infants (CIC) in conjunction with lead CIs from UQ, Professor Paul Colditz and Dr Paul Dawson, respectively. Early Career Fellowships were awarded to Dr Timothy Kidd ($348,000) for his research into Transcriptome Characterization of Klebsiella pneumoniae during Infection (TRACKIN) and Dr Leanne Sakzewski ($216,000) for her research into improving the translation of upper limb rehabilitation for children with unilateral cerebral palsy. Queensland Children's Medical Research Institute (QCMRI) Level 4, Foundation Building, Royal Children’s Hospital Herston Road, Herston Qld 4029 qcmri.org.au +61 7 3636 1265 [email protected]