Minister for Medical Research David Harris, who attended the launch, said the aim of the new hub is to make a life-saving impact where it’s needed most, driving changes, and boosting heart disease research.
“This new collaborative hub, the first of its kind in Australia, will be a vital tool in boosting NSW’s reputation as a global centre of innovative heart disease research,” Mr Harris said.
"The hub will enable research to progress faster and deliver new treatments and medications that will improve the lives of people living in southwest Sydney, who have higher risk factors for cardiovascular disease, as well as people living right across Australia.”
This innovative hub made possible with strong support from South Western Sydney Local Health District (SWSLHD) and UNSW Sydney, will significantly boost heart disease research and accelerate future scientific breakthroughs in a region with the highest heart-related hospital admissions in the state.
The partnership will see a new Chair in Cardiovascular Research established by the Ingham Institute, the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, SWSLHD and UNSW Sydney. The goal is to appoint a world-class academic clinician-researcher, to be based at Liverpool Hospital, who will drive new research to improve the substantial burden of cardiovascular disease in south western Sydney.
The chair will provide academic and clinical leadership, foster excellence in collaborative cardiovascular research, innovative teaching, and clinical care. The partnership will also see the development of a team of researchers that will be based at the Ingham Institute, a world-class centre for clinical trials. The research team will have direct access to the expertise and cutting-edge technology of the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute.
Member for Liverpool Charishma Kaliyanda said the establishment of the hub reinforces Liverpool as a fast-growing centre for innovation and research in health.
“The work being done at Ingham Applied Medical Research is game-changing and this partnership with the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute will save lives in south-west Sydney.
"The NSW government has committed $150 million over 10 years to support cardiovascular research. As part of this investment, $8.7 million has been allocated to 9 research projects involving expert multidisciplinary teams from several research institutions. Three of these grants include research teams from the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute and the Ingham Institute.
“Investment in medical research is critical for driving scientific discoveries and supporting the development of innovative therapies to improve health outcomes for all Australians and I am proud to be a part of a government that sees that.
“By attracting quality researchers from interstate and overseas, we are boosting the NSW economy, attracting larger proportions of national research funding to the state, and making NSW the premier state for heart health research in Australia."
