Research trials into urgent health needs are already underway in Victoria University's (VU) Research Building, which was officially opened today.
Located in the new Footscray Hospital, the 2000 square metre space spans four levels and will allow researchers to increase community participation in clinical trials by up to 50 per cent.
In opening the building, Victorian Deputy Premier and Minister for Medical Research, the Hon. Ben Carroll MP said:
"By delivering the new Footscray Hospital, Labor has transformed free, public healthcare in the west. Now the Footscray Hospital precinct is transforming healthcare of the future - with Victoria University's brand-new Research Building."
Directly across from VU's Footscray Park Campus, connected via a footbridge, the $63 million facility directly embeds the University's researchers and students into the community it serves, to best address genuine health needs. This includes support for muscular skeletal conditions, obesity, and metabolic diseases including diabetes, sleep disorders and mental health.
VU Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adam Shoemaker said: "This is a moment of great pride for VU. Five years in the making, this new space will accelerate the pipeline of skilled health professionals and applied research - unlocking the incredible potential of our people and delivering solutions for healthier communities."
Executive Director of VU's Institute for Health and Sport, Professor Alex Parker's research looks at mental health impacts from exercise and movement. She says the new space provides enormous opportunities.
"VU's research facilities enable us to investigate better treatment options for mental health concerns that often co-occur with physical illnesses. We'll be able to investigate how movement and mindfulness interventions can complement other treatments, to increase the benefits for communities in the west of Melbourne," she said
The building will encompass disciplines including dietetics, physiotherapy, biomedicine, psychology, exercise physiology, social work and health-related AI research.
Some of the fit out in the new building includes:
- Body composition lab with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scanner for bone density testing
- Expansive yoga and mindfulness studio for wellbeing-related studies
- Vascular research lab equipped for vascular ultrasound, echocardiograph, blood flow and pulse wave analysis
- Eight consultation rooms for psychology and allied health
- Large commercial kitchen for nutrition and diet intervention studies.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Impact, Professor Andy Hill's leading research into Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease will be among the research areas that will be escalated when the new PC2 lab opens.
