Futuristic, lifesaving heart research given $5 million boost in Westmead Health Precinct

Patients with end-stage heart disease and no remaining treatment options could be given a lifeline with cutting-edge stem cell research taking place Westmead Health Precinct.

Interventional cardiologist Associate Professor James Chong and his team were awarded a $5 million Medical Research Future Fund grant by the Australian Government this past week.

The futuristic research involves growing new cardiomyocytes – heart muscle cells that are predominantly responsible for the pump function of the heart.

The latest grant is further federal investment in the exciting possibility of heart regeneration; repairing the damage caused by heart disease and heart attack.

Associate Professor Chong is an interventional cardiologist at Westmead Hospital and the co-director of the Centre for Heart Research at the Westmead Institute for Medical Research.

The project is one of 106 to share in $180 million funding announced this past week by the Federal Government, for ground-breaking medical research projects around Australia to improve the lives of Australians and their loved ones.

$18.7 million will be provided through the Stem Cell Mission for 17 projects that will address illnesses including COVID-19, epilepsy and childhood cancer.

Westmead Health Precinct is the state’s leading centre of medical research and one of the largest health, education, research and training precincts in Australia.

It features four major hospitals, four world-leading medical research institutes, two university campuses and the largest research intensive pathology service in NSW.

See more stories about the amazing medical research taking place in the Westmead Health Precinct here.