University of Newcastle and HMRI researchers secure $4 million in NHMRC grants

Newy 87.8 FM – University of Newcastle and Hunter Medical Research Institute researchers have secured more than $4 million to support three projects across biomedical, clinical, public health and health services research.

The funding has been awarded through the National Health and Medical Research Council's Investigator Grants scheme, which provides five years of support for researchers to pursue long-term scientific goals.

Associate Professor Nicole Nathan has been awarded a $2.84 million grant to help ensure prevention programs for children and young people last long enough to deliver meaningful benefits.

Her five-year project will focus on schools, early childhood education and care services, and sporting clubs, identifying factors that predict long-term delivery and testing strategies that help programs become part of everyday practice.

Reproductive biologist Dr Natalie Trigg has secured $697,615 to examine how paternal health and environmental factors influence fertility, pregnancy success and the long-term health of children.

Using preclinical modelling and advanced reproductive technologies, Dr Trigg will assess the paternal epigenetic contribution to the embryo and determine how the father's environment can influence pregnancy in mice.

Dr Jordan Stanford has secured a $670,000 grant to help people with type 2 diabetes make informed, personalised nutrition choices.

Her project will use personalised biological data, such as gut bacteria, blood and urine markers, and glucose monitoring, to better understand how individuals respond to food and nutrition interventions.

Dr Stanford plans to co-design tools with patients and health professionals that translate complex scientific data into easy-to-understand guidance.

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