A national research centre focusing on the treatment of muscle disorders will be launched at the University of Sydney, it was announced on 31 October.
The Centre of Research Excellence in Neuromuscular Disorders (CRE-NMD) will be led by Kathryn North, a professor of paediatrics and child health at the University of Sydney and head of the Institute for Neuroscience and Muscle Research.
The CRE-NMD will aim to translate “best evidence” from clinical and laboratory-based research, including gene discovery, disease mechanism and therapy development, into “best clinical practice” under the themes of diagnosis and prevention and treatment.
“The CRE-NMD will consolidate our place at the forefront of neuromuscular research internationally. We are currently leaders in gene discovery and diagnosis, and the CRE-NMD will elevate us to leaders, rather than participants, in the treatment of NMDs,” said North.
“The centre will allow us to build a critical mass in all areas of basic and clinical research into disorders of muscle and nerve.
“It will foster international partnerships to ensure the sustainability of excellence in neuromuscular research, and ultimately vastly improve health outcomes and quality of life for thousands of patients and their carers,” she added.