HRC funding for the health of New Zealand

Female infertility, better housing and kicking the smoking habit are just some of the health issues to be tackled by new projects supported by the Health Research Council.

This week the Health Research Council (HRC) announced the recipients for its latest funding round, awarding grants to dozens of projects to be undertaken in universities, research institutes and District Health Boards.

The HRC is the Crown agency responsible for administering the New Zealand Government’s investment in health research.

Thirty-three researchers received a combined total of more than $34.5 million in project funding in the HRC’s 2015 funding round, and a further five programmes received almost $5 million each for larger multi-study research projects.

Projects funded include research into improving the health of New Zealanders through better housing, uncovering the neurological basis of a leading cause of female infertility, combining nicotine patches with e-cigarettes to help more people quit smoking and examining the link between gut bacteria and obesity.

The announced projects have received national media attention. Examples include:

3 News: Medical research funding announced
Stuff.co.nz: New $5 million study to boost children’s health by improving housing
Otago Daily Times: Otago researchers gain $32m in funding
The Press: $5 million for Christchurch antibiotics research team
New Zealand Herald: Fertility subject of landmark research
3 News: Kiwi doctor probes brain link to fertility
Otago Daily Times: Grant will enable infertility research