Researchers at the University of Tasmania’s Menzies Institute for Medical Research will benefit from a new $831,000 Tasmanian Government funding package aimed at strengthening support services and advancing research into Motor Neurone Disease (MND).
Announced in Launceston on 7 July, the funding will support a partnership between FightMND , MND Tasmania and Menzies, combining frontline support services with Tasmanian-led medical research.
At Menzies, Associate Professor Catherine Blizzard and her team are leading nationally significant research investigating the causes of MND, why Tasmanians face a higher risk of the disease, and how new and existing treatments might improve outcomes for patients.
Director of the Menzies Institute for Medical Research, Professor Tracey Dickson , said the investment would help researchers continue work aimed at understanding the disease and developing new treatments.
“Motor neurone disease is one of the fastest and most devastating neurological diseases we know. Most people diagnosed will lose the ability to move, speak and breathe, and most will die within two years of diagnosis,” Professor Dickson said.
“Here in Tasmania, the risk of dying from MND is higher than in many other parts of Australia, which is why understanding the disease and developing new treatments is so important.
“We can’t do this work alone. We are completely reliant on community support, which is why we’re so grateful to the Tasmanian Government and FightMND for this investment.
“Although our buildings are in Hobart, our work is for all Tasmanians. This support will help our researchers push forward on multiple fronts, deepening our understanding of MND, accelerating treatment development and building pathways toward a future without the disease.”
The funding package includes support for MND Tasmania’s services for people living with the disease and their families, alongside investment in MND research at Menzies.
The announcement was made in Launceston by Premier Jeremy Rockliff and Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing Bridget Archer, alongside representatives from FightMND, MND Tasmania and the University of Tasmania.
