Health Minister announces funding for life-saving heart/lung machine research

(L-R) Prof Garry Jennings from Heart Foundation, Federal Member for Macnamara Josh Burns MP, Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care the Hon. Mark Butler MP, Prof Carol Hodgson from SPHPM, Federal Member for Higgins Dr Michelle Ananda-Rajah MP, Prof Sophia Zoungas from SPHPM, and A/Prof Steve McGloughlin from Alfred Health ICU.

Research to identify patients who will benefit most from a life-saving machine that acts as the heart and lungs following organ failure has received a $1 million Federal Government funding boost.

The Minister for Health and Aged Care, The Hon Mark Butler, was joined by local MPs Josh Burns and Dr Michelle Ananda-Rajah as he announced the $999,779.40 Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Cardiovascular Health Mission grant during a visit to The Alfred Precinct on World Heart Day.

The research, led by Dr Aidan Burrell from the Monash School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine (SPHPM), involves the high-tech Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) machine, which simulates a heart/lung bypass after acute cardiac and respiratory failure, and cardiac arrest.

The PRecision Ecmo in CardIogenic Shock Evaluation: PRECISE Study seeks to identify biomarkers to better predict which patients will benefit most from receiving ECMO treatment.

Dr Burrell conducts research via SPHPM’s Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Research Centre, and works clinical in the Intensive Care Unit of The Alfred hospital.

Read more: monash.edu/news/articles/life-saving-heartlung-machine-research-receives-funding-boost

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