Queensland’s first centre dedicated to child and adolescent health research opened at South Brisbane today.
The Centre for Children’s Health Research, next to the Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital, is the result of more than five years of planning and collaboration between The University of Queensland, Queensland Health (through Children’s Health Queensland) and QUT.
UQ Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Robyn Ward said the opening of the $134 million, nine-level facility would place Queensland at the forefront of child health research.
“UQ is proud to be a partner in the Centre for Children’s Health Research to improve health outcomes for children and to attract some of the world’s best child health researchers to our state,” she said.
“With capacity for more than 300 researchers, state-of-the-art facilities and close proximity to the Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital, the Centre will ensure Queensland child health research is informed by clinical need and is able to compete for funds on the world stage.”
UQ has a strong presence in the Centre for Children’s Health Research, notably including the UQ Child Health Research Centre (CHRC), which incorporates research groups across a range of child health areas, including child development and rehabilitation, burns and trauma, infectious diseases, nutrition and growth, respiratory illness and environmental health.
QUT researchers from the faculties of Education and Health are also based in the Centre.
Professor Ward said there had never been a more exciting time for child health research in Queensland.
“UQ has an impressive track record in child health that has already seen our researchers make a global impact on the health of children,” she said.
“Our partnership in the Centre for Children’s Health Research will see UQ researchers working closely with research partners and clinicians to improve understanding of the factors that keep a child healthy and how to improve health outcomes in sick and injured children.
“Such a partnership can only improve our ability to translate research into improved health outcomes for children here in Queensland and throughout the world.”
The Centre for Children’s Health Research was opened by Queensland Health Minister Mr Cameron Dick.
Media: UQ Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Kate Gadenne, k.gadenne@uq.edu.au, +61 7 3365 5018, 0438 727 895.
