Federal Government's Investment in Research

The substantial investment over nine years from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), will see the establishment of a Targeted Translation Research Accelerator. This initiative will help progress medical discoveries from the laboratory bench to the patient’s bedside.

“Australia has an excellent track record in research breakthroughs involving heart disease and diabetes. With this initiative we will be able to speed up the rate of converting these groundbreaking discoveries into better treatments for patients.” explains Professor Bob Graham, Executive Director of the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute.

The announcement comes as Australia faces an obesity and diabetes epidemic. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death and disability across the nation, with one Australian dying from the disease every 12 minutes. Compounding the issue, over 60% of Australians are now classified as overweight or obese, with this figure rising to over 70% in some disadvantaged areas.

“Based on current trends, this scenario could get even worse, leading to a tsunami of cardiovascular diseases that could overwhelm our healthcare system. This funding will go a long way in addressing this problem and the Federal Government should be applauded for its commitment to medical research and innovation.”