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Gut pain researcher wins neuroscience award

Friday July 27, 2007

Flinders Medical Centre researcher Dr Dayan de Fontgalland, has been awarded a Pfizer Australia Neuroscience (NSR) grant worth up to $55,000 for research into gut pain pathways and the development of pharmacotherapeutic agents specific for gut pain.

Dr de Fontgalland 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 de Fontgalland said that his studies were aimed at identifying areas in the gut where the perception of pain arises. “A study of the nervous system in the large intestine in healthy and disease states, in particular inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may reveal the site from where the pain is transmitted,” Dr de Fontgalland said. “This will help to evaluate the effect of an inflammatory substance called SP which can constrict nerves, depending on what kind of muscle the nerves act on.”

Dr de Fontgalland added: “the ultimate objective is to develop pharmacotherapeutic agents to treat gut pain in chronic and acute settings.”

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.