A Queensland Brain Institute researcher is one of only 10 in the country to be honoured in a new publication to highlight the life-saving work conducted by Australia’s top researchers.
Professor Perry Bartlett, Director of the Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) at The University of Queensland, has been profiled for his research into the regulation of neural cell production in the normal and diseased brain.
Almost 20 years ago, Professor Bartlett helped uncover the fact that even ageing adult brains continue to grow new nerve cells.
Since then, he has focused on exploring the ways in which the brain remodels itself through the production of new nerve cells, and the formation of new connections between these cells.
Such processes are crucial not only to normal brain function, but to repair the damage caused by stroke and dementia.
The 10 of the Best Research Projects 2010 by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) was launched this month by the Minister for Mental Health and Ageing Mark Butler.
The publication profiles diverse areas of internationally-recognised medical research that have led to changes in treatment and practice to improve health outcomes and save lives.
The Australian Government’s NHMRC invests $700 million annually in health and medical research and this booklet demonstrates the benefits of research resulting from this critical public investment.
In the latest round of NHMRC Development Grants, Professor Bartlett’s research into the development of therapeutic treatments for spinal cord injuries also received $663,390 – the single largest grant in Australia.
Mr Butler said the project was among 18 that would allow successful researchers to take the next steps in translating their findings in areas such as biotechnology, medical devices and pharmaceuticals into products of benefit to Australia and internationally.
Media Contact:
Denise Cullen
Executive Communications Officer
Phone: +61 7 3346 6434
Email: d.cullen2@uq.edu.au
Notes to the Editor:
QUEENSLAND BRAIN INSTITUTE
The Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) was established as a research institute of the University of Queensland in 2003. The Institute is now operating out of a new $63 million state-of-the-art facility and houses 27 Principal Investigators with strong international reputations. The QBI is one of the largest neuroscience institutes in the world dedicated to understanding the mechanisms underlying brain function.
