$1 MILLION FOR LUNG DISEASE RESEARCH ANNOUNCED
Top lung health bodies raise much needed funds but more investment needed
(Thursday, 8th April 2019): Over a million dollars in lung research investment was announced over the weekend at the Respiratory Research Excellence Awards at the Australia and New Zealand Annual Scientific Meeting for Leaders in Lung Health & Respiratory Science (TSANZSRS19) on the Gold Coast. The conference brings together Australia and New Zealand’s leading lung health experts to present latest research and improve knowledge and understanding of lung disease.
The Research Excellence Awards, run for the second year by Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (TSANZ) – the hosts of the conference – alongside the Lung Foundation, Cystic Fibrosis Australia and the National Asthma Council of Australia, provides over 40 researchers with support in the form of project funding, fellowships and travel grants raised through private donations, sponsorship and leveraged financing from recipients’ institutions.
“We’re honoured to be able to support some of Australia’s greatest minds in lung disease research; research that’s making a difference to the lives of the 1 in 4 Australians with lung disease,” said TSANZ President Elect Professor Bruce Thompson.
“This funding enables our researchers to build respiratory knowledge and capacity in the respiratory workforce, with the overall goal of preventing, curing and alleviating disability from lung disease. Every dollar invested takes us one step closer to reaching that goal,” he said.
Despite the success of the Awards, the organisers warn that lung disease research is still grossly underfunded when compared to other diseases. Far more investment is required, they say.
“It’s important to recognise the exceedingly hard work that our organisations are putting in to raising the profile of respiratory research, and to express our thanks for the contribution of donors, sponsors and institutions This is only our second year and look at what we’ve achieved,” said TSANZ CEO Tanya Buchanan.
“However, fundraising alone is not the way to manage diseases affecting a quarter of Australians. Lung disease has to attract the same level of research funding enjoyed by other disease areas such as breast, prostate, and heart disease. We look forward to seeing if the implementation of the National Strategic Action Plan for Lung Conditions delivers this,” she said.
2019 RESPIRATORY RESEARCH EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNERS
TSANZ would like to congratulate the following Award winners. For information on how to apply for next year’s Awards visit the TSANZ website Research and Awards page.
| Society Medal | Professor Helen Reddel |
| Research Medal | Professor Philip Hansbro |
| Laennec Medal | Professor Allan R Glanville |
| Ann Woolcock New Investigator Award | Jesse Armitage |
| Best training Video | Elizabeth Salamon, Selena West, Ursula Swan, Sandra Daly |
| CSL Behring TSANZ / LFA Alpha-1 Anti-trypsin Deficiency Research Award | Gang Liu |
| Australian Cystic Fibrosis Research Trust Innovation Grant | Gerard Kaiko, Peter Wark, Shafagh Water, and Adam Jaffe |
| TSANZ and National Asthma Council Australia Asthma and Airways Career Development Fellowship | Kimberly Wang |
| Boehringer Ingelheim COPD Research Award 2019 | Tatt Jhong Haw |
| Maurice Blackburn Grant-in-Aid for Occupational Lung Disease | Jane Bourke and Ryan Hoy |
| Boston Scientific Research Award for Interventional Pulmonology | Sanjeevan Muruganandan |
| Vertex Cystic Fibrosis Research Awards |
ECFS: Elena Schneider-Futschik NACFC: Rebecca Stockwell |
| TSANZ Peter Phelan Research Award | Elena Schneider-Futschik |
| TSANZ Rob Pierce Grant-In-Aid for Indigenous Lung Health | Gabrielle McCallum |
| TSANZ / Boehringer Ingelheim Australia COPD Travel Award | Alen Faiz |
| TSANZ / Boehringer Ingelheim New Zealand COPD Travel Award | Eskandarain Shafuddin |
| TSANZ/JRS Early Career Development Award | Jemma Seyfang |
| Janet Elder International Travel Awards |
Mid-Career Award Recipient: Kimberley Wang Early Career Award Recipient 1: Vikas Goyal Early Career Award Recipient 2: Yet H Khor |
| TSANZ Respiratory Nurse Career Development Award for Indigenous Research |
Betty Poot Christine Sullivan |
| Maurice Blackburn ASM Travel Award | Leona Dowman |
| Shine a light a lung cancer PhD 2019 | Kanishka Rangamuwa |
| David Wilson PhD Scholarship in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Research 2019 | Archana Gaikwad |
| Shine a light on lung cancer grant-in-aid | Surein Arulananda |
| Lung Foundation Australia/ Eleanor Greenwood Memorial Grant in Aid for Interstitial Lung Disease Research | Yet Hong Khor |
| Lung Foundation Australia /Lizotte Family Research Award for Interstitial PF Research | Leona Dowman |
| Lung Foundation Australia /Ludwig Engel GIA for Physiological research | Katrina Tonga |
| Lung Foundation Australia /Ivan Cash Research GIA – IPF | Adelle Jee |
| Lung Foundation Australia /Cochrane | Jenifer Liang |
| Shine a light on lung cancer nursing/allied health fellowship in lung cancer research | Vanessa Brunelli |
| Lung Foundation Australia Travel Awards: Menarini Travel Grants |
ERS – Hannah O’Farrell and Jack Bozier ATS – Thomas Altree and Razia Zakarya APSR – Leanne Ross and Hai Bac Tran |
| Lung Foundation Australia/Eleanor Greenwood Memorial ILD Travel Grant |
Cecilia Prele Michael Schuliga Jade Jaffar |
SIG AWARDS
Supported by TSANZ
Cell, Immunology and Molecular Biology: Dhammika Leshan
Evidence-based Medicine and Practice: Yet Hong Khor
Peter van Asperen Paediatric: Kiara Sclip
Physiotherapy: Jamie Wood
Respiratory Infectious Disease: Benjamin Diggins
Tobacco: Henry Gomez
Supported by Asthma Australia
Asthma & Allergy: Teresa Williams
Supported by National Asthma Council
Asthma & Allergy : Cherry Thompson
Supported by Lung Foundation Australia
Pulmonary Physiology and Sleep, John Reid Prize: Graeme Zosky
David Serisier Memorial Award for Translational Research in Bronchiectasis: Su Wei Khung
Supported by Cystic Fibrosis Australia
Cystic Fibrosis: Elena Schneider-Futschik
Supported by Maurice Blackburn
Lung Cancer: Lara Edbrooke
Occ Env Lung Disease / Population Health: Edward Harris
Palliative Care and Symptom Support: Thomas Moran
Supported by Carroll & O’Dea
Interventional Pulmonology and Bronchoscopy: Deirdre Fitzgerald
Supported by Boehringer Ingelheim
Orphan Lung Diseases, Lung Transplant, Interstitial Lung Disease and Pulmonary Vascular Disease: Jemma Seyfang
Primary Care: Mary Roberts
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Sonia Cheng
Respiratory Nurses: Jane Neil
TSANZ Best Poster: Kris Nilsen: A new tool to monitor disease in IPF
CONGRATULATIONS TO…
TSANZ would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate the following New Fellows for 2019:
- Prof Anne Holland
- Dr Denise O’Driscoll
- Dr Jane Bourke
- A/Prof Jeff Garrett
- Prof Paul Foster
- Prof Peter Eastwood
- Prof Sandra Hodge
2019 EVENT GALLERY
