Two early career researchers will receive further financial support to continue their primary care research thanks to the 2024 Douglas and Lola Douglas Scholarship in Medical Science.
The scholarship from the Australian Academy of Science assists with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander or primary health care research, and this year’s scholarship recipients are Dr Johanna Birrell and Dr Richard Kha.
Dr Johanna Birrell, University of Sydney
Kidney failure occurs when the kidneys can no longer function adequately on their own, requiring kidney replacement therapy (KRT) to help people survive.
The number of people with kidney failure receiving KRT more than doubled between 2000 and 2021, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
Dr Johanna Birrell is conducting epidemiological research into kidney failure across Australia and New Zealand to improve patient access to kidney failure services.
“There are inequities in access to treatment for kidney failure in Australia,” Dr Birrell said.
“Detailed health service planning is required to improve prevention and patient access to kidney failure services, and to prepare for future demand.
“The results of this research will deliver new insights into which communities across Australasia are most affected by kidney failure, face the greatest difficulties in accessing care, and the contributing factors.”
Dr Birrell will dedicate some of the funding to develop her skills in geographic information system mapping as well as travel to remote communities to ensure that the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living with kidney failure are represented in the research.
Dr Richard Kha, Westmead Institute for Medical Research
Vision impairment has a profound impact on wellbeing and greatly reduces quality of life, and according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare the burden of eye diseases in Australia is expected to increase rapidly.
Dr Richard Kha’s research is identifying the current prevalence, risk factors and impact of vision impairment and major eye diseases responsible for vision loss. This information will assist in the development of cost-effective, long-term and sustainable solutions for the prevention of vision impairment.
“The increasing burden of eye diseases is due to the rapidly ageing population, and age is a major risk factor for the primary eye diseases responsible for vision impairment,” Dr Kha said.
According to the results from a national eye health survey, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experience higher rates of vision impairment, blindness and vision loss than non-Indigenous Australians.
Dr Kha aims to close the gap in blindness and visual impairment by explicitly quantifying the disparities in visual impairment and access to care to inform disease- or location-specific eye care initiatives.
“This data will be critical to planning and delivering treatments and support towards saving sight, as well as tracking progress towards eliminating avoidable vision loss.”
The Douglas and Lola Douglas Scholarship in Medical Science
The is made possible through a generous bequest by philanthropist Lola Douglas, who had a wish to support young researchers. This bequest enables the Academy to help to fulfil this wish.
The scholarship provides up to $14,000 over two years to cover costs of small items of equipment, materials, travel, or assistance in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander or primary health care research.
The funding is offered as a ‘top up’ to PhD candidates awarded a .
