Funding for population health research projects utilising WA cohort studies
Four successful recipients of the Future Health Research and Innovation (FHRI) Fund’s Western Australia (WA) Cohort Studies-Research Support Program (WACS-RSP) have shared nearly $3 million to undertake research projects using data from two of Western Australia’s leading cohort studies.
WA is the home to cohort platforms that provide unique insights into early life events and interventions, the transition from adolescence to adulthood and non-communicable diseases. Cohort studies provide a strong evidence base of population health data collected at different points in time and over time.
The WACS-RSP provides funding for up to three years for population health research projects that utilise data and/or bio-specimens from WA’s largest cohort studies.
The WACS-RSP focused on supporting research projects that looked to utilise cohort data and/or samples to provide reliable evidence in relation to important interventions, risk factors and other exposures to population health related outcomes.
The WACS-RSP 2024 recipients are shown below:
| ACTIVITY LEAD | RESPONSIBLE ENTITY | ACTIVITY TITLE | LINKED COHORT STUDY | FUNDING AWARDED |
| Dr Michael Hunter | Busselton Population Medical Research Institute | The impact of "Long-Covid" and repeat SARS-CoV-2 infection on chronic disease risk, cognitive and physical function and mental health | Busselton Health Study | $626,460 |
| Professor Trevor Mori | The University of Western Australia | Identifying primary aldosteronism: a common cause of hypertension and cardiovascular disease |
RAINE Study |
$812,785 |
| Professor Blossom Stephan |
Curtin University |
Dementia Risk Prediction and Risk Reduction in Western Australia: DEMRISK-WA |
Busselton Health Study |
$577,286 |
| Professor David Mackey |
The University of Western Australia |
Genetic risk and trajectories of aging influencing glaucoma in the Busselton Baby Boomer Study |
Busselton Health Study |
$698,999 |