$2.9 million in MRFF grants for mental health and children with cerebral palsy

Associate Professor Chris Carty

Two Griffith University-led research projects have been successful in gaining grants from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) worth $2.9 million.

Associate Professor Chris Carty from the Griffith Centre of Biomedical and Rehabilitation Engineering (GCORE), and Menzies Health Institute Queensland, received $2.49 million to collaboratively lead a national data linkage to inform personalised diagnostic and clinical management for ambulant children and young people with cerebral palsy.

“The linkages include clinical gait analysis (CGA), physical exam, motor capacity and performance, and diagnostic and treatment history data from all six CGA services across Australia,” Associate Professor Carty said.

“The project will enable innovative bioinformatic and predictive simulation technologies to be developed and deployed to answer unresolved clinical questions relating to the orthopaedic treatment of individuals with cerebral palsy.”

Dr Jacinta Hawgood

Dr Jacinta Hawgood from Griffith’s Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention received $474,051 for the Million Minds Mental Health Research Mission, to collaboratively lead a team of investigators from Griffith, University of Melbourne and Monash University, and involving industry partners Monash and Queensland Children’s Hospitals and 14 Headspaces.

“The grant will be used for the adaption, feasibility and utility of Systemic Tailored Assessment for Responding to Suicidality protocol (STARS-p) for youth and parent populations,” Dr Hawgood said.

“The project will adapt the existing, adult-based STARs-p so it can be used with young people. Importantly, it will involve co-design with those who have a lived experience of suicide”.

“The outcome will be co-design best practice assessment protocol to identify young people at risk of suicide, as well as engage them in a safety and management plan.”

The Chief Investigators working with Dr Hawgood include Professor Kairi Kolves, Professor Caroline Donovan, Dr Karl Andriessen, Dr Kylie King, and Professor Emeritus Sue Spence.