Grants to reverse the brain drain

Two Australian biomedical researchers have been awarded million dollar research grants aimed at keeping research here or bringing it home.

Dr Paul Gregorevic, who is developing novel methods of gene therapy in mouse models of muscle-related disease such as Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, is currently based in the US but will return to Australia next year to continue his work.

Gregorevic and Adelaide developmental geneticist Dr Paul Thomas have each been awarded $1 million by Pfizer Australia under its research fellowships scheme.

Gregorevic is currently acting assistant professor at the University of Washington's Paul D Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Co-operative Research Centre.

Next year he will relocate his research program to the Baker Heart Research Institute in Melbourne.

His research aims to identify the key cellular processes underlying the development of specific muscular diseases.

Thomas, from the School of Molecular and Biomedical Science at the University of Adelaide, researches the genetic basis of mental retardation syndromes such as Fragile X.

He uses mouse models to help understand how nerve tissue develops and what can go wrong to cause these syndromes.

Dr Daniel Grant, head of Pfizer Australia's strategic alliances group said that through the fellowship program, the company was helping to invest in young Australian researchers who have demonstrated significant potential.

"We are very pleased to be able to support bright young Australian researchers, such as Dr Thomas, by providing the funding needed to ensure they can maintain their research programs in Australia," Grant said.

"Pfizer Australia believes that they will make significant contributions to Australian research and, in the long run, may help develop improved therapies for a wide range of diseases."