Media release

Summary media release information

Description: Professor Melissa Wake winner of the Minister's Award for Health and Medical Research

Date: 5 June 2009

Type: Minister's media release

Contact for further information:
Minister’s office, 02 6277 7220
Carolyn Norrie, NHMRC, 0422 008 512

Professor Melissa Wake winner of the Minister's Award for Health and Medical Research

Outstanding medical researcher and paediatrician Professor Melissa Wake has been awarded the 2009 Federal Health Minister’s Award for Excellence in Health and Medical Research — recognising her landmark work to solve common child health problems.

Professor Wake has spent her career focused on finding practical clinical strategies to improve hearing, language and literacy, obesity and early mental health in Australian children.

The $50,000 research grant and medal were presented last night by Bill Shorten, Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children's Services, on my behalf.

Professor Wake is an exceptionally talented researcher whose commitment to improving the health and quality of life of younger Australians, as well as reducing future pressures on the health system, is admirable.

She has had considerable achievements in Victoria, including the development of a range of practical tools and resources for Victorian maternal and child health nurses to assist with the detection of obesity in toddlers and preschoolers.

Professor Wake is assisted by a supportive team at the Centre for Community Child Health at the Royal Childrens’ Hospital in Melbourne—and is a fantastic role model who has attracted exceptional young researchers to children’s population health.

The Federal Health Minister’s Award for Excellence in Health and Medical Research recognises outstanding achievement, and potential for future achievement by a young Australian researcher. The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) recommend the highest ranked NHMRC Career Development Award recipients from the previous year to the Minister for Health and Ageing for the final selection.