Barwon Health ‘cuts’ leave studies in limbo

JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
Barwon Health has cut its award-winning bio-medical research programs, leaving promising advances in limbo, according to a leading Geelong scientist.
Associate Professor Mark Kirkland, who won a 2007 Geelong Researcher of the Year award, said Barwon Health withdrew funding for his promising stem cell research at the end of last year.
Mr Kirkland said Barwon Health had also dismantled the bio-medical research program team of Professor Geoff Nicholson, who was preparing to leave.
Now a casual academic at Deakin University, Prof Kirkland said he was desperately trying to find another institution to sponsor his work.
Prof Kirkland said cutting his research was “short sighted”.
“It’s a lost opportunity. This research could be lost to Geelong because any number of institutions in Melbourne would pick this up in a heartbeat.
“Simply replicating our Barwon Health research at Deakin is not possible.”
Prof Kirkland’s research needs around $1 million of private funding to attract further grants.
His key project researched ways of producing a high volume of stem cells from cord blood to make them available for clinical use.
The cut to cord blood access had left the project in limbo, he said.
City of Greater Geelong councillor Bruce Harwood, who sits on the board of collaborative research organisation Bio-Geelong, said the research cuts surprised him.
“That is a huge blow for bio-medical research in Geelong,” he said.
“It appears to be quite a set back and is a significant loss to the region of two researchers who are no longer funded.
“We need to now prioritise this issue and seek urgent assistance from the State Government Department of Health and the Federal Government to reinstate this critical medical research in our region.”
Victorian Centre for Advanced Materials Manufacture chief Brad Dunstan said he was seeking a partner organisation to support Prof Kirkland’s project.
A number of potential suitors was available but they were not necessarily Geelong-based, he said.
Barwon Health said it had transferred the research to Deakin University.
Barwon Health medical services clinical director Associate Professor Paul Talman said the organisation had undertaken an extensive review of all its research activity.
He said its research activity had to “build capacity” across the whole organisation in alignment with its strategic plan.
Barwon Health had not “cut” its research program but was instead negotiating with Deakin to create “high-level research fellowships”, Prof Talman said.