The Western Australian Health Translation Network (WAHTN) has been granted $6.1 million to fast-track research results into disease prevention, better treatments and improved patient health.
This latest funding boost is set to translate research into better health for all West Australians.
While it is unconfirmed childhood cancer research will receive a portion of the grant, this funding commitment represents the government’s commitment to science for better patient outcomes.
Indigenous Health Minister Ken Wyatt AM said the grant, from the Turnbull Government’s Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), was the WAHTN’s biggest single funding input since it was established in 2014.
"This is about conducting rapid transformation research that delivers real solutions to health service challenges,” said Minister Wyatt. “The WA Health Translation Network will work with health professionals, including frontline doctors and nurses, to identify areas of need and collaborate with expert researchers to find solutions tailored to patients."
"The Turnbull Government understands the direct link between science and positive patient outcomes, which is why we are investing heavily in health research and innovation."
The new three-year funding arrangement is in addition to the $222,222 already provided this financial year through the MRFF to the WA Health Translation Network.
Minister Wyatt announced the extra investment at the 2018 Science on the Swan Conference in Perth.
"This will enable the WA Health Translation Network to further improve healthcare responses, accelerate technology development and increase consumer involvement in research,” said the Minister.
"WA already has a significant research and translation record, from world-famous discoveries in peptic ulcer and muscular dystrophy treatments, to pinpointing the critical importance of folate in our diets, which has greatly reduced the number of babies born with spina bifida and other neural tube defects."
“This latest commitment will also help increase the capacity of the Indigenous Health Research Network, promising direct benefits for more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients."
The WAHTN was accredited by the National Health and Medical Research Council in 2017 and is one of seven Advanced Health Research and Translation Centres across the country.
"These translation centres are a relatively new type of alliance in Australia but have international parallels,” Minister Wyatt said. “They build on a growing trend to formalise collaborations between health services, academia and patients to identify and solve healthcare problems."
"We can only imagine the potential of the WA Health Translation Network, to turbocharge the conversion of science into better health."
The Medical Research Future Fund, with $20 billion of preserved capital, is dedicated to fuelling the rapid expansion of health and medical research.