Medical researchers

In the lead-up to the 2011 federal budget, many Australians medical researchers used Discoveries Need Dollars as a forum to explain why their research was important, and deserved ongoing support from the government.

Dr Richard Ferrero

Centre for Innate Immunity and Infectious Diseases, Monash Institute of Medical Research

"It is difficult to find somebody who has not had a relative or friend who has suffered from some form of stomach upset or disease due to the bacterium, Helicobacter pylori.

"Unless treated, H. pylori can live in the stomach of human hosts for decades where it causes inflammation of the stomach lining and in some cases, either peptic ulcer disease or  stomach cancer.

"Our NHMRC-funded research is focussed on understanding how H. pylori causes inflammation and why it is that some infected people develop these severe forms of disease."

 

Dr Nick West

Head of Tuberculosis Vaccince Development and Pathogensis, Centenary Institute

"Tuberculosis (TB) remains a health issue in Australia with around 1,200 people diagnosed with the disease each year and cases of drug-resistant strains on the rise. Our research investigates ways to prevent and treat tuberculosis. Globally, two billion people are infected with the TB bacteria and it causes nearly two million deaths each year.

"Our work has only been possible through the financial support we receive from the NHMRC. A cut in funding today would result in significant setbacks in our efforts and threaten the progress we have made in the development of new vaccines and drugs. This would considerably delay the time vital therapies become available – delays that can cost lives."

 

Megan French

Gastrointestinal disease sufferer and researcher

"My support of Discoveries Need Dollars is a personal one. I was diagnosed with a gastrointestinal disease (Neuronal Intestinal Dysplasia) as a young child.

"I am so keen to see continual research into gastrointestinal disease that after being diagnosed as a child, I am now a keen junior scientist as well as an adult patient still suffering from a gastrointestinal disease. In fact, the very Professor who diagnosed my condition is now one of my supervisors. To kill funding will kill a personal dream of mine and a dream of many others who suffer from the same disease."

 

Dr Tracy Putoczki

Cancer researcher, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research

"One in two Australians will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. This means that you… or the person sitting beside you… will one day find that you require state of the art medical care. This medical care – is only possible through the advancement of research.

"As a young researcher currently supported by the NHMRC, myself, together with the staff and students that I supervise have chosen to dedicate our lives to fighting this disease. Our research and our jobs are entirely dependent on competitive granting agencies such as the NHMRC. We go to work everyday to save lives. Please help us make sure that we have a job to go to."

 

Dr Sophie Paquet-Fifield

Cancer researcher, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

"As a young and passionate scientist dedicated to the battle against cancer, I want to have faith in the Australian government to promote dynamic, internationally competitive, high quality medical research that will benefit human health and innovation. To achieve that: Research Needs Money.

"The NHMRC grant and fellowship system is already difficult and challenging, and promotes only very few of the best Australian scientists... and this, only for a short period of time. The risk of financially weakening research is to see your best "brains" escape overseas (and all their potential patents...) This "leak" has happened in other countries that have cut medical research funding, and is already beginning to happen in Australia. Give us a chance to make a difference, maintain medical research funding."

 

Professor Anthony Dart

Associate Director - Clinical, Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute

"I can speak first hand as a researcher, clinician and patient about the importance of gains made through research to the outcomes for people with cardiovascular disease. Recent years have seen both falls in the incidence of coronary events and improved outcomes for those still affected indicating advances in both prevention and treatment.

"Major advances have been made in the treatment of elevated cholesterol, blood pressure and others risk factors as well as in interventional procedures. Compared with my years as a medical student and trainee specialist we now have a much more secure and rational basis for our treatment decisions resulting from clinical research."

 

Dr Amanda Sainsbury-Salis

Weight loss scientist, Garvan Institute of Medical Research

"As a former 'fatty' I know how awful it is to struggle with binge eating and obesity. That's why I started medical research, to find solutions that will help more people to attain and maintain a healthy body weight.

"My NHMRC-funded research is identifying novel treatment strategies that will make it easier for people to eat and move in a way that promotes successful weight management."

 

Mark Mayo

Senior researcher, Menzies School of Health Research

"In northern Australia, 5 per cent of people have been exposed to the tropical disease melioidosis. Some of these people get the disease get very sick and die. My research helps us better understand
this disease in our environment and improve health and treatment for patients.

"In the 14 years I've been involved in melioidosis research, I have seen a reduction in the number of people dying each year compared with number of cases. Our research has lead to an increase in awareness amongst the public and health professionals, which helps to identify the disease earlier and improve patient outcomes.

 

Dr Isobel Lawrenson

Medical researcher and breast cancer patient

"Breast cancer patients are dying now because they did not have access to drugs, which are readily available today, when they were first diagnosed.

"Australia has some of the world’s leading medical researchers. Having confidence that advances are being made everyday into future treatments gives me faith that I may not have to lose many more close friends, family and indeed my own life to such a disease."

 

Associate Professor Penelope Schofield

Behavioural scientist, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

“People sometimes forget the emotional toll that patients face when living with cancer and dealing with cancer treatments. My NHMRC-supported research examines the emotional, social and informational needs of cancer patients, to find the most effective ways to provide support, improve outcomes for patients and help them optimise their quality of life.”

 

Dr Kathryn Burdon

Geneticist, Flinders University

“For the past 12 years my research has focused on discovering which genes cause eye disease and blindness. Loss of vision is highly debilitating and often leads to loss of independence for otherwise healthy people. My research helps to understand how eye diseases develop, which in the long run will lead to better treatments and prevention.”

 

Dr Ashley Ng

Haematologist, Royal Melbourne Hospital and the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research

“As a doctor, I help care for patients with blood disorders and blood cancers. I know patients alive today who would not be, if not for medical research. Medical research is the only way we can improve how we treat children and adults suffering from these conditions. That's why I'm committed to medical research. That's my motivation.”

 

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