Chapter 4 – Academic and research focus

University Research Strengths – Health

This information is current as at January 2008. The latest information is available from UTS Research.

This group includes the following strengths, each of which undertakes research that contributes to the study of health, disease, health technology, health services, health management and practice.

Centre for Health Economics Research and Evaluation

The Centre for Health Economics Research and Evaluation (CHERE) is a research strength of the University and is recognised as a reference point for expertise, consultation and advice on issues and policy for health system financing and organisation, health services organisation and delivery, and applied welfare economics. The Centre is located in the Faculty of Business and is also supported by the Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Health. It is affiliated with the Sydney South West Area Health Service.

CHERE is one of the longest established health economics research groups in Australia and internationally. Research underway encompasses the study of health care financing and incentives, the development and application of economic evaluation in health care, quality of life measurement, the investigation of decision-making by consumers, patients and providers, and research into the Australian health care workforce.

Involvement in policy development and analysis is an important activity of the Centre. CHERE aims to apply research evidence to the improvement of health policy and practice, and to provide informed commentary to the community debate on the health system. CHERE staff are involved in a number of international health policy networks and collaborations.

CHERE provides opportunities for postgraduate research in health economics and health services research. The Centre has research and education collaborations with other New South Wales universities and this is now formalised in the NSW Consortium for Training Economists in Health.

Inquiries

Professor Jane Hall
Director, Centre for Health Economics Research and Evaluation
CM05D.2, City campus
telephone +61 2 9514 4720
fax +61 2 9514 4730
email Jane.Hall@chere.uts.edu.au
http://www.chere.uts.edu.au

Centre for Health Technologies

Continued advances in health care and quality of life in the future will come from new knowledge and innovative scientific/technological breakthroughs. The Centre for Health Technologies' research team has extensive national and international reputations in the field of health technologies. It brings together complementary interdisciplinary research skills unique in Australia in the development of innovative medical devices and biotechnology processes for health technology applications.

Innovative medical device technologies and biotechnology/biopharmaceutical research programs within the Centre are currently at the cutting-edge of biomedical engineering and biotechnology science. The Centre's researchers have already developed, or have been involved in the development of, several significant biomedical devices and advanced biotechnology processes, each of these has already created strong impact and presents an outstanding potential to contribute to national and international markets. Examples of these are VentriAssist blood pump, non-invasive low blood sugar monitor (HypoMon), insulin-secreting glucose-responsive liver cell lines, Mind Switch, chimeric monoclonal antibody for the treatment of multiple myeloma, microwave ablation of atrial fibrillation and microwave imaging of breast cancer, and diagnostic test for diabetic retinopathy using nanotechnology.

The focus of the Centre is on the study of health and disease processes and the development of new medical devices and advanced biotechnology applications for early detection, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of lifestyle diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, neurological disorder and cancer.

Inquiries

Professor Hung Nguyen
Co-Director, Centre for Health Technologies
Faculty of Engineering
CB02.5.11B, City campus
telephone +61 2 9514 2451
fax +61 2 9514 2868
email Hung.Nguyen@uts.edu.au

Professor Ann Simpson
Co-Director, Centre for Health Technologies
Faculty of Science
CB04.6.70C, City campus
telephone +61 2 9514 4097
fax +61 2 9514 8206
email Ann.Simpson@uts.edu.au
http://www.eng.uts.edu.au/~htn/health.html

Health Services and Practice

The Health Services and Practice research group engages in practice-based projects in three related areas: individuals and their families throughout life and the health/illness continuum; women during pregnancy, labour and birth, the early postnatal period and children up to five years; and health service management practices. The group's research aims to improve the quality of practice and service provided by nurses, midwives and other practitioners, and to improve health care provision systems.

The group has the largest professoriate in Nursing and Midwifery in Australasia, with over a dozen Clinical Chairs sponsored by area health services and partner organisations, enabling strong practice-based research and innovation.

Inquiries

Professor Doug Elliott
Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Health
telephone +61 2 9514 4832
fax +61 2 9514 4835
email Doug.Elliott@uts.edu.au

Institute for the Biotechnology of Infectious Diseases

The mission of the Institute for the Biotechnology of Infectious Diseases (IBID) is to develop new means of controlling infectious diseases of humans and livestock.

IBID consists of research groups that have proven internationally-competitive records in the field of infectious diseases and in the application of their basic research to the treatment and prevention of these diseases. IBID employs its nexus of basic and applied expertise in the following areas of research that hold the key for interrupting the lifecycle of pathogens.

Collaborative research is a feature of IBID; it has formed significant strategic partnerships locally, nationally and internationally with business and industry, government, professional bodies, community organisations and other universities and research institutes. Opportunities also exist in IBID for research staff and students to enhance their skills and refine their expertise in a unique and highly professional and stimulating environment.

Inquiries

Serena Sequeira
Executive Assistant to Professor John Dalton, Director
CB04.5.50E, City campus
telephone +61 2 9514 4200
fax +61 2 9514 4201
email Serena.Sequeira@uts.edu.au
http://www.science.uts.edu.au/ibid

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