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Two researchers from the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences have been awarded prestigious Australia Fellowships from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and will receive $4 million each over a five-year period.
The NHMRC named Professor Shaun Jackson from the Australian Centre for Blood Diseases and Professor Charles Mackay from the School of Biomedical Sciences as recipients of the fellowships.
The announcement was made by Parliamentary Secretary for Health, Mark Butler, at the University's Clayton campus at the end of January. Australia Fellowships recognise outstanding health and medical researchers and aim to attract and retain them to undertake research projects that will be of significant benefit to Australians.
"It is a great honour for the faculty to receive two Australia Fellowships – the most prestigious fellowship awarded in this country. The work of Shaun Jackson and Charles Mackay is indicative of the high calibre of our research programs here at Monash, and of the culture of discovery promoted by our scientific leaders,” said Professor Steve Wesselingh, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences.
Professor Edwina Cornish, Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), was delighted that Professor Jackson and Professor Mackay had accomplished such a notable achievement.
"Professor Jackson and Professor Mackay were two of nine researchers to receive this influential fellowship," Professor Cornish said. "Both will join the esteemed company of Professor Nadia Rosenthal from the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute as our second and third Australia Fellows."
Professor Jackson will use his fellowship to identify an entirely new approach to the treatment of heart attacks and stroke. He will do this by developing innovative blood clotting therapies that prevent the disease-causing effects of disturbed blood flow. As part of his project he will collaborate with other world-class researchers both in Australia and overseas.
Professor Mackay will utilise his fellowship to gain new knowledge on immune responses by exploring radical new ideas on inflammation and the role of diet and gastro-intestinal microflora. His work will also involve the development of new treatments for diseases such as asthma, autoimmune diseases and cancer by integrating new and powerful technologies and approaches of bio-therapeutics.
The latest round of National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Development Grants were also announced, and Monash recipients include Associate Professor Sharon Ricardo. Her research aims to develop novel methods for promoting organ development and growth in premature babies and will receive $383,000 over three years.
“The opportunity for Sharon Ricardo to translate her basic research into a clinical application is also exciting," Professor Wesselingh said.
Fellowship recipient Professor Charles Mackay will receive $394,000 over three years for the development of a treatment for fibrosis.
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