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North Shore researcher wins neuroscience award

Friday July 27, 2007

St Leonards research Dr Paul Wrigley has been awarded a Pfizer Australia Neuroscience (NSR) grant worth up to $55,000 for research into autism.

Dr Wrigley was acknowledged at the 5 th Annual Pfizer Australia NSR awards ceremony at the Sydney Hilton on Friday, July 27.

An Australian Physicians Independent Committee (APIC) determined the winning NSR grants for proposals for basic and clinical research across the broad field of neuroscience, including but not necessarily confined to psychiatry, pain medicine and neurology.

Dr Wrigley’s research at the Pain management Research Institute, Royal North Shore Hospital aims to assess changes in brain structure following spinal cord injury (SCI) using a measurement technique known as voxel-based morphometry.

Although loss of function is considered a major problem after SCI, a number of studies have consistently demonstrated that pain is considered one of the most difficult consequences of SCI to deal with. It has a major impact on quality of life in a group of people who have already sustained substantial trauma.

“This research has the potential to improve our understanding of the cental changes following SCI, particularly those associated with the development of neuropathic pain,” Dr Paul Wrigley said. “This will in turn assist in the rational development of improved treatments for SCI associated neuropathic pain.”

For more information on the Pfizer Australia NSR Grants visit www.nsrgrants.com.au

Pfizer Australia is the nation’s leading research-based health care company. It develops, manufactures and markets innovative medical treatments for both humans and animals. Pfizer Australia is investing more than $45 million in local research and development. For more information visit the links on this website.