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The NHMRC is providing $3 million to support Australian researchers participating in the joint NHMRC-Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) 2024 Grant Opportunity. 

Welcome to Tracker, NHMRC’s fortnightly newsletter with the latest information on major activities and funding opportunities.

The major national health issues outlined below are NHMRC's health priorities for the 2024–2027 triennium.

Members of NHMRC’s Dietary Guidelines Governance Committee (the Governance Committee) have been appointed to consider possible conflicts of interest and potential bias across the revision of the 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines.  

This section provides definitions of terms used in the Staying healthy guidelines.

This section explains infections, their causes, and how you can break the chain of infection.

There is no single solution to infection prevention and control - a collaborative approach is required. NHMRC’s guidelines outline strategies to consider across the healthcare system and early childhood education settings. 

The Targeted Call for Research: Commercial determinants of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health 2023 grant opportunity aims to conduct innovative, ground-breaking research that recognise and adjust for the interplay between social, cultural, economic, and commercial determinants of health and how it positively or negatively influences health outcomes.

The aim of implementing this call is to provide funding for rigorous, culturally informed research into maintaining and improving the social and emotional wellbeing, mental health and fostering wellness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants, children, adolescents and young adults.

The aim of implementing the call was to provide funding for rigorous, culturally informed research into the health and experience of ageing in the older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

NHMRC opened a Targeted Call for Research (TCR) into Debilitating Symptom Complex Attributed to Ticks on 30 May 2018. Given the public interest in the call following the Senate Inquiry and the government’s response to fund further research on this issue, NHMRC decided to re-open the call to accept additional applications to ensure that a breadth of the highest quality research is funded. The extended call for applications closed on 29 August 2018.

The aim of implementing this call was to encourage research that will address how frail persons can be supported to avoid hospitalisations, receive optimal care when admitted, and achieve the best health outcomes, through integrated and coordinated in-and post-hospital interventions.

Asthma is a condition that affects the lungs, causing the airways to become inflamed and narrow. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, tightness in the chest and feeling out of breath. People with asthma can experience flares, which are sometimes called an asthma attack. Flares can be serious and require hospital treatment.

Campylobacter infection is a type of gastroenteritis (or 'gastro') caused by Campylobacter bacteria. Symptoms usually start a few days after infection, and include stomach cramps, diarrhoea (sometimes with blood in it), fever, nausea and vomiting. It may cause dehydration, which can be dangerous for young children.

Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus and are very common. About 20% of children will have been infected by the age of 5 years, and about 80% of people will have been infected by the time they are adults. Once a person is infected, the virus can reactivate and cause new cold sores throughout life. Cold sores usually start with a tingling or burning sensation on or around the lips, followed by the appearance of small, painful blisters. The blisters break, form a scab and then heal, usually without leaving a scar. Cold sores usually last 3 to 7 days. Cold sores can appear on the eye if the person touches an active cold sore and then touches their eye. Although this is rare, any child with a painful red eye should be seen by a doctor.

Colds are the most common cause of sickness in both children and adults. Symptoms include a runny or blocked nose, sneezing and coughing, watery eyes, headache, sore throat and a possible slight fever.Children in education and care services can have as many as 8 to 12 colds a year. However, by the time they are 3 years old, children who attend a service have no more colds than those who are cared for only at home.

Conjunctivitis is an eye condition where the clear membrane that covers the white part of the eye and lines the inner surface of the eyelids (the conjunctiva) becomes red and swollen. People can also be sensitive to bright lights. The most common causes of infection, allergy and irritation. Only infectious conjunctivitis can spread to others.Infectious conjunctivitis can be caused by bacteria or viruses. Bacterial conjunctivitis may start in one eye, but almost always involves both eyes. There is likely to be a gritty feeling and thick white, yellow or green pus. Viral conjunctivitis may have a thinner, clear discharge. It may involve one or both eyes, making them red, itchy and watery.

COVID-19 is a disease caused by infection with a coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2. Common symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat and shortness of breath. Other symptoms include fatigue, loss of taste or smell, and congestion or runny nose. COVID-19 is usually milder in children than in adults.