Two University of Newcastle-based cardiovascular specialists have been awarded $1.1 million in Minns Labor Government funding to improve heart health outcomes in regional and rural communities across NSW.
Professor Aaron Sverdlov and Dr Tatt Jhong Haw are among 28 health researchers across the state to receive funding from the latest round of the NSW Government's $14 million Cardiovascular Senior and Early-Mid Career Researcher Grant program.
Professor Sverdlov received $748,104 to explore cancer drug combinations that fight tumours and protect the heart.
The cardiologist and his team will establish a telehealth cardio-oncology service at Maitland and Tamworth with the aim to improve access to specialist cardiovascular care for patients living in regional and rural NSW.
Dr Haw, a Cardio-Respiratory researcher, will use $450,000 in grant funding to examine how exposure to air pollution from coal mining and bushfires during a women's pregnancy affects infants' health outcomes, including their risk of developing heart and lung disease later in life.
Together, these projects will address key health challenges faced by communities in regional NSW, boosting peoples' access to timely, specialised cardiovascular care, while helping ensure research solutions are developed with local needs in mind.
The grants are part of the NSW Government's Cardiovascular Research Capacity Program, a $150 million commitment over 10 years, which aims to improve the cardiovascular health of people in NSW.
The latest round of funding will support research across several priority areas including:
- safer immune therapies for cardiovascular disease
- prevention of blood clots in life support machines
- developing monitoring devices for heart rhythm treatments
- creating synthetic grafts that regenerate into arteries
- codesigning cardiovascular disease prevention strategies for adolescents.
For more information visit: Cardiovascular Senior and Early-Mid Career Researcher Grants.
Minister for Medical Research David Harris said:
"Our Government is supporting some of the best and brightest minds in cardiovascular research through this grant program, which aims to keep our state at the forefront of medical research.
"This round of grants was highly competitive, and I would like to congratulate Professor Aaron Sverdlov, Dr Tatt Jhong Haw and the other 26 successful recipients who will now be better able to continue the amazing work they are doing.
"Professor Sverdlov and Dr Haw's important, innovative research is helping ensure people in our regional communities receive equitable access to healthcare that best suits their needs.
"I look forward to seeing how the important work undertaken by these talented researchers, their multi-disciplinary teams and collaborators, will make a real difference to the lives of people living in NSW and across the globe."
Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley said:
"This is fantastic news for Professor Aaron Sverdlov and Dr Tatt Jhong Haw and a big win for the Hunter.
"This funding will help drive research that has the potential to change lives, while making sure some of our brightest clinicians and researchers can continue their work right here in our region.
"The Hunter is where world-class medical research is happening and this investment is helping keep it that way."
Cardiologist Professor Aaron Sverdlov said:
"With advances in cancer care, we are seeing more and more people who are surviving cancer, but unfortunately, many are left with heart problems caused by cancer treatment. Our team in Newcastle is working to change that by developing better ways to protect the heart while helping patients receive the cancer care they need.
"This grant gives our team the chance to build on everything we have created in cardio-oncology and keep turning that work into safer, more practical care for patients in our region while helping lead the way nationally.
"This funding helps us keep translating our work into real care for people across Newcastle, the Hunter and regional NSW, including through telehealth, so patients can access expert support closer to home during and after cancer treatment. At the same time the funding will help develop better therapies that can both fight cancer and protect the heart."
Cardio-Respiratory researcher Dr Tatt Jhong Haw said:
"This research aims to identify early molecular warning signs of prenatal pollution exposure, to help develop future predictive tests and preventative health interventions, and protect the lifelong heart and lung health of children in regional NSW.
"This $450,000 NSW Government funding support will facilitate the transition to a research leadership role. It will also support us to establish a regional hub which leverages global partnerships to develop proactive screening tools that inform public health policy with the aim of protecting children's futures from the effects of environmental pollution.
"By developing Hunter-specific screening tools and early-intervention therapies, this funding translates laboratory research into direct clinical solutions and evidence to protect the lifelong health of children in the local community."
