Funding the Future

Professor Brereton
Professor Brereton

Grants for two projects will bring about detailed viewing of the smallest of organs and improve treatments for hospital patients.

The establishment of the Queensland Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Network (QNN) has put UQ and Queensland at the forefront of international research in structural biology, biodiscovery and animal neuroimaging.

The $17 million QNN is establishing a network of state-of-the-art, high field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) equipment, including the most powerful machine of its kind in the southern hemisphere – a 900 MHz high-resolution spectrometer.

UQ’s Professor Ian Brereton, inaugural Director of the QNN, said the 900 MHz spectrometer was the most powerful commercially available machine of its type in the world.

“The facilities will allow researchers from universities, institutes and companies to carry out cutting-edge research in a broad range of fields,” Professor Brereton said.
“In particular the research will focus on biodiscovery, drug design, neuroscience and instrument development,”
He said NMR was a key technology for determining the structures of molecules and visualising the anatomy of living tissue and microscopic structure.
“It has revolutionised chemistry, diagnostic medicine and structural biology,” he said.

 

“NMR is one of only two techniques available for determining the structures of proteins, providing the fundamental molecular information used in drug design programs.”

 

He said researchers in regional Queensland centres and the Sunshine Coast would have access to the QNN’s world-class research infrastructure.

The Queensland Government is contributing $5 million to the QNN, as part of its Smart State strategy, which will go towards the purchase of the 900 MHz instrument at UQ, a 400 MHz instrument at the Queensland University of Technology and enhancement of a 600 MHz instrument at Griffith University.

The 900 MHz high-resolution spectrometer optimised for biomolecular studies will add to an existing 750 MHz instrument at UQ, as well as the 600 MHz instrument dedicated to biodiscovery and a 700 MHz wide-bore microimaging system capable of providing exquisitely detailed images of intact biological specimens in studies of neuroscience and neurodisease.

Another important recipient of Smart State funding is the $60 million UQ Centre for Clinical Research (CCR) to be located at the Royal Brisbane and Women`s Hospital (RBWH).

The Queensland Government is contributing $20 million to the project, with $20 million provided by The Atlantic Philanthropies and $20 million from UQ.
“With health spending expected to rise from nine to 17 percent of Gross Domestic Product over the next 40 years, investment in health and medical research and development is needed to reduce the cost and impact of chronic and age-related illness,” UQ Vice-Chancellor Professor John Hay, AC said.
Clinical research is conducted in response to questions that arise “at the bedside” and aims to provide better treatment and results for patients.

The CCR will focus on areas of specialty in UQ’s Health Sciences faculty and RBWH such as cancer, genetic diseases and critical care.

 

QNN

Funding
Queensland Government
Queensland University of Technology
Griffith University

Researchers
Professor Ian Brereton www.uq.edu.au/uqresearchers/researcher/breretonim.html
 (email: Ian.Brereton@cmr.uq.edu.au)
Professor David Craik www.uq.edu.au/uqresearchers/researcher/craikdj.html
Professor Perry Bartlett www.uq.edu.au/uqresearchers/researcher/bartlettpf.html

Website: www.cmr.uq.edu.au


CCR

Funding
Queensland Government
The Atlantic Philantrophies
The University of Queensland

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