St George Bank boost for schizophrenia research

Oct 20, 2003

A PhD student’s vital research into schizophrenia will be recognised when senior St George Bank representatives visit the University of Wollongong on Monday 20 October to present a cheque for $25,000.

Mr David Clulow, Regional Leader, Branch Sales and Service and Ms Marion Regent, Area Manager of Retail Branches for the Illawarra for St George Bank will make the cheque presentation.

The payment will be presented to Ms Kelly Newell a young Illawarra researcher and will mark the conclusion of a St George Foundation three-year PhD scholarship into schizophrenia research. The research has been taking place under the direction of Associate Professor Xu-Feng Huang, who heads the NISAD Schizophrenia Research team, located at UOW’s Department of Biomedical Science.

The work of Ms Newell is centred on what role a particular brain region has in regard to attention and memory functions that are altered in schizophrenia. She has been examining a range of neurotransmitter systems using the latest neurobiological techniques. The mechanism of action of current schizophrenia medications in treating the illness is also being investigated.

Information obtained from this study could provide substantial benefits to sufferers of schizophrenia through the development of better diagnosis, new treatments and preventative strategies.

Don McDonald, the Director of a unique partnership project between NSW Health and NISAD Schizophrenia Research has paid tribute to the St George Foundation for providing this sponsorship, which has enabled Ms Newell to begin a new career in this important area of research as well as give hope to the 3,000 families in the Illawarra who have a loved one who suffers from schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia is now the biggest single cause of lifelong youth disablement in Australia. It is also a major cause of youth suicide with a 10% suicide rate. The illness is overwhelming our health system and our police service and is causing widespread homelessness and family dislocation and disruption. The illness costs the community $2.6 billion a year, Mr McDonald said.

Media please note:

Time and place for cheque presentation: The presentation will take place at 10.30am in the NISAD/Neurobiology Research Lab, Room 308 (Level 3), Department of Biomedical Science, (Building 41).

Further information: Contact Don McDonald, NISAD Schizophrenia Research, on (02) 9295 8396, or 0402 408 089; David Clulow, St George Bank, (02) 9826 4204; or Associate Professor Xu-Feng Huang, UOW, on (02) 4221 4300.

For more information, contact:

media@uow.edu.au
University of Wollongong
Ph: (02) 4221 5942; fax (02) 4221 3128