$5 million for sleep and asthma researchers' new homes

29 June 2006

The University of Sydney has cemented its reputation as one of the world's leading respiratory and sleep research centres with the announcement of a $5 million state government grant to help build new laboratories based at the Woolcock Institute.

"The new $20 million building, on a 5,400 sq m site, will include a state-of-the-art chronobiology lab to measure breathing and brain activity during sleep," said the NSW Premier, Mr lemma.

The new lab will be part of the University's Woolcock Institute, Australia's premier respiratory research centre. It has been a leader in respiratory disorders since 1981, conducting internationally recognised research into asthma, sleep disorders and other respiratory diseases.

It has outgrown its current home spread across a number of older buildings on the Sydney University campus, and the $5 million grant will assist in the refurbishment of the new site purchased by the University of Sydney at 431 Glebe Point Road, Glebe.

"Together with contributions from the Federal Government and the Woolcock itself, we will provide facilities worthy of this vital research work. The team of 150 Woolcock researchers will also continue their work in fields such as cystic fybrosis, cell biology and molecular medicine, the link between smoking and breathing difficulties and lung disease imaging," Premier Iemma said.

Respiratory diseases are the fifth-largest cause of disease in NSW, with approximately 160,000 hospitalisations each year from asthma alone, and 180 deaths.

The NSW Government will also invest $2.8 million over the next three years for the Woolcock institute research program. This funding will help with the costs attached to major research grants, including maintaining laboratory equipment and scientific materials, subscriptions to gene databases, computer equipment and other general maintenance.

Contact: Kath Kenny or Jake O'Shaughnessy
Phone: 02 9351 2261 or 9351 4312