University of Melbourne researchers awarded 2024 Heart Foundation Grants

(L-R by row:) Dr Natasha de Alwis, Associate Professor Daniel Heath, Professor Andrew Murphy, Dr Luke Perry, Dr Mark Louis Vidallon, and Professor Xiaowei Wang
(L-R by row:) Dr Natasha de Alwis, Associate Professor Daniel Heath, Professor Andrew Murphy, Dr Luke Perry, Dr Mark Louis Vidallon, and Professor Xiaowei Wang

Six University of Melbourne researchers from the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, and Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology were awarded 2024 Heart Foundation grants to support their work in cardiovascular research.

Their projects were among 66 new research initiatives funded this year by the Heart Foundation, totalling $13.7 million.

Dr Natasha de Alwis, of the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, was awarded a Postdoctoral Fellowship for her project targeting tumour necrosis factor: a novel therapeutic approach to treat preeclampsia and reduce long-term maternal cardiovascular disease risk.

Associate Professor Daniel Heath, of the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, received a Vanguard Grant for Pioneering tissue engineered vascular graft for bypass surgery.

Professor Andrew Murphy, of the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, received a Vanguard Grant for his work in developing a risk-factor diverse preclinical drug screening model.

Dr Luke Perry, of the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, received a Postgraduate Scholarship for his research into Pulmonary artery catheters in cardiac surgery (PUMA).

Dr Mark Louis Vidallon, of the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, received a Collaboration and Exchange Grant for innovative bioengineering of nanodelivery systems with mRNA-based therapeutics for inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases.

Professor Xiaowei Wang, of the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, received a Vanguard Grant to investigate the use of mRNA therapeutics to prevent blood clots and a Collaboration and Exchange Grant to conduct 19 fluorine MRI for lipid nanoparticle tracking.