NSW minister to recruit research strategy panel

New South Wales science minister Frank Sartor has continued to boost the state's commitment to research by calling for a panel of eminent researchers to help develop a medical research strategy for the state.

While no names have been put forward yet, Sartor said in a statement that the panel would be made up of scientists and leaders from the biomedical and clinical research communities, and public health.

"This body will be an important forum for the leaders of our medical research community to provide high level advice to the Government on ways to enhance our research programs," Sartor said.

He said one of the first tasks of the panel, dubbed the Medical Research Advisory Council, would be to conduct an audit of the research being undertaken by the estimated 5000 medical researchers working in NSW.

"In the development of a NSW medical research strategy we must first identify what we are doing well, then find ways to amplify that effort," Sartor said.

The council will also identify priorities and opportunities to boost resources for medical research, and obstacles to the fast-tracking of medical innovation and strategies to overcome them.