WIRF's 2024 Research Acceleration Awards

The Women and Infants Research Foundation (WIRF) has announced $200,000 in funding support for new Western Australian research projects into key areas of women’s, maternal, and newborn health.

WIRF’s 2024 Research Acceleration Awards have been designed to facilitate innovative Western Australian grown projects from research to real-world impact.

Announced at the recent 2024 Stars Scientific Symposium, these Awards have been made possible with the generous support of the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation and the Bass Family Foundation.

WIRF Chief Scientist, Prof Matt Kemp, said these Awards would provide much-needed grant funding to both mature and exploratory research projects and will provide critical funding support to accelerate perinatal research in WA.

“From improving quality of care and outcomes for First Nations mothers, fathers and babies, to midwifery-led best practice into perinatal mental health issues, and a framework to optimise Emergency Newborn Transport, these Awards will keep our state among the best in the world for advancing medical breakthroughs,” he said.

“The awards will both accelerate early-stage research efforts and help to secure a pipeline of research talent for long-term community benefit.”

WIRF CEO, Deb Portughes, pointed to the Awards as WIRF’s latest chapter in a proud history of supporting Western Australia's top emerging medical researchers.

“We are proud to be building upon our long-standing commitment to the next generation of WA researchers working in the service of women’s, maternal and newborn health.

“Future treatments and possible cures are not possible unless we back the scientists and clinicians work tirelessly to make an impact to the health of all Western Australians.”

The recipients of the 2024 WIRF Research Acceleration Awards are:

Dr Kate Buchanan (South Metro Health Services and Edith Cowan University) - Midwife-led debriefing intervention - the accessibility, appropriateness, and feasibility of a validated counselling tool to reduce perinatal mental health issues.
Dr Joseph A Carpini (The University of Western Australia) - Development and Validation of the "Proactive Emergency Newborn Transport Template (PENTT)".
Dr Bernardo Dewey (Curtin University) - Understanding Aboriginal Men Involvement in Antenatal Care for Stillbirth Prevention.
Dr Esther Adama (Edith Cowan University) - Infant Mental Wellbeing: Supporting Fathers Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
Professor Mark Nicol (The University of Western Australia) - Identification of probiotic bacteria to prevent mastitis in breastfeeding women.
Dr Brennen Mills (Edith Cowan University) - Pilot evaluation of an out-of-hospital immersive birthing simulation training application for Paramedics and Volunteer Ambulance Officers using virtual-reality technology.

Contact details

Women and Infants Research Foundation
Carson House, King Edward Memorial Hospital
374 Bagot Road, Subiaco, WA 6008

Telephone: 08 6458 1437
Fax: 08 6458 1642
Email: info@wirf.com.au

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WIRF's 2024 Research Acceleration Awards

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