NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – The Australian government said today that it plans to award A$25 million (US$19.1 million) to one research team to conduct genomics research to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases.
The program, called Targeted Call for Research into Preparing Australia for the Genomics Revolution in Health Care, was announced today by the National Health and Medical Research Council. Under the program, a research team will receive the five-year award for a project that is expected to elucidate the impact of genomic data on patient care and to identify the economic and policy impacts of incorporating such data into the health system. The research resulting from the award is anticipated to help clinicians use genomics to manage diseases, such as cancer and diabetes, NHMRC said.
"In health care today, we can already see how genomics is making a difference in the diagnosis of some diseases, including certain types of cancers," NHMRC CEO Warwick Anderson said in a statement. "The research conducted through this targeted call for research will yield new knowledge that will help us to understand how best to use the power of genomics to improve patient treatment."