It has been revealed in a new report that the University of Auckland would be awarded with a sum of $5 million so as to conduct a research into brain injuries in premature babies.

The Health Research Council (HRC) is to fund nearly 50 projects with $65.2 million for different researches and the research for prevention of brain injury in premature babies has also been listed amongst these.

It has been found that the HRC funds universities and research institutes each year so as to help them in studying and finding out ways to treat problems that heavily affect New Zealanders.

Other researches being funded include development of new technologies to enhance physical activities at workplace, ways to improve care for women and their babies with rheumatic fever. Also, the University of Otago has been funded for investigations into the genetic basis of deadly diseases.

Professor Alistair Gunn is being awarded for conducting a five-year research programme for looking at standard techniques to prevent brain injury in premature babies. He will also be discovering the techniques to protect the brain after being deprived of oxygen.

This welcome funding will allow them to pursue world-class research that promises to make a real difference to New Zealanders' health and well-being", says Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research & Enterprise) Professor Richard Blaikie.