$4.9 million to reduce chronic lung diseases

In response to a request for research applications from the Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases (GACD), the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has announced almost $5 million for three projects to prevent and manage chronic lung diseases.

The GACD is a collaboration of major international public research funding agencies that funds joint research programs to address chronic non-communicable diseases in low- and middle-income countries and in vulnerable populations in high-income countries. This is the GACD’s third joint activity, funding 16 international research projects on chronic lung diseases.

NHMRC CEO Professor Anne Kelso said one aim of NHMRC’s participation was to build the evidence base for sound policies on prevention and management of chronic lung diseases in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Two of the three projects will support this goal: Professor Jennifer Alison’s ‘Breathe Easy, Walk Easy — Lungs for Life’ (BE WELL) project ($780,089.10) and Associate Professor Billie Bonevski’s ‘Indigenous Counselling and Nicotine (ICAN) QUIT in Pregnancy’ trial ($2,259,016.10).

The third project is a partnership between Australian and Vietnamese researchers to implement an integrated health-sector strategy to fight chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma in Vietnam. The research is being led by Professor Gregory Fox and has been awarded $1,894,348.90.

“Joint international activities are essential for Australia to contribute to, and benefit from, the work of the global research community,” said Professor Kelso. “NHMRC is proud to work with other members of the GACD in supporting research to reduce the burden of chronic lung disease in our own and other countries.”