CSL has created a new $25 million fellowship program designed to support early stage and translational research in Australia.
The 'CSL Centenary Fellowships' will be available to Australian researchers seeking to consolidate their career and undertake medical research in an Australian academic institution.
Two five-year fellowships will be awarded each calendar year, for ten years. The total value of each award will be $1.25 million, paid in annual instalments of $250,000 to the employing institute.
CEO Paul Perreault said molecular biologist, Professor Ashley Dunn, will Chair the Selection Committee.
“Research and development represents both the past and the future of CSL. Over the past century we have earned a reputation as a passionate yet responsible organisation driven to care for patients and keep our word. Today, our future has never looked brighter,” said Mr Perreault.
“As well as formally paying tribute to CSL’s origins by supporting Australia’s scientific community we are committed to helping foster future research excellence."
“We believe Australia’s medical research community is world-class and a rich source of potential discoveries to address the world’s unmet medical needs. We are energised by the quality and growth of research in Australia and delighted to be able to support some of the best and biggest minds in biomedical research,” said Dr Andrew Cuthbertson, CSL Chief Scientific Officer and Director of Research and Development.
“Biotherapeutics is a fast-growing field with huge potential and we hope that the recipients of these fellowships will one day help to broaden the pool of life-saving, life changing, medicines by helping us to bring more new products and technologies to market, particularly for patients with rare and serious diseases.
“Additionally, we hope some of the Australian researchers currently working around the globe will seize this opportunity to come home and perform their vital research here,” added Dr Cuthbertson.
Applications for the first two CSL Centenary Fellowships - to commence 1 January 2017 - will open 1 June 2016.