University of Canberra celebrates $1.2M grant success

Edward O'Daly

Associate Professor Mahalingam bagged two of the University's four ARC grants Photo: Edward O'Daly

17 October 2006: The University of Canberra has been awarded more than a $1 million in Australian Research Council (ARC) funding, with a success rate exceeding the national average in some areas.

The University's four grants, announced today, will help combat dengue fever and Ross River virus, examine the role our oceans could play in the fight against climate change and predict the effects of population ageing.

The University's 50 per cent success rate in Linkage Grant applications was above the national average of 42.9 per cent and its success rate for Discovery Grants was slightly below the national average of 20.4 per cent.

Of the four grants, two were awarded to virologist Associate Professor Suresh Mahalingam, following on from success with two National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) grants last year, one from the ARC in 2004 and two from the NHMRC in 2003.

"It's certainly been a productive period for getting grants over the last few years," Associate Professor Mahalingam said.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Roger Dean was delighted with the University's success: "This process is becoming ever more competitive so it is a great credit to these researchers that they have won a total of $1.2 million of national competitive research funding for the University of Canberra," he said.

"There are many sources of funding where University of Canberra researchers find success, but the ARC grants are among the most prestigious and the most competitive, so particular congratulations must go to our ARC grant recipients."

University of Canberra ARC grants:

• Professor Ann Harding, Dr Justine McNamara - $336,409 Linkage Grant to investigate the spatial implications of population ageing.
• Associate Professor Suresh Mahalingam - $315,000 Discovery Grant for research into Ross River virus and a $150,708 Linkage Grant to research novel strategies in the design and development of antivirals against dengue virus.
• Professor Bill Maher - $390,000 Discovery Grant for a project to help boost our understanding of the ocean's role in taking greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere.

In addition to its two Discovery Grants and two Linkage Grants University of Canberra researchers are involved in projects administered by other universities:

• Associate Professor Ruth Foxwell is a chief investigator on a University of New South Wales-administered project researching the ACT health system.
• Associate Professors Simon Kelly and Richard Percival will work with the University of Sydney to investigate the economic impacts of disease on older workers.