Leading asthma researcher, Professor Paul Foster has been named 2010 *Researcher of the Year at the annual HMRI Awards Night.

Leading asthma researcher, Professor Paul Foster has been named 2010 *Researcher of the Year at the annual HMRI Awards Night.

Around 300 researchers, supporters and community leaders attended tonight’s awards ceremony at Newcastle Town Hall, acknowledging the achievements of HMRI affiliated Medical Researchers.

“Professor Foster is highly deserving of this award. It acknowledges the significant contribution his research has made to the health of people affected by asthma, allergy and respiratory diseases”, HMRI Director, Professor Maree Gleeson said.

“Paul has established an outstanding research group since his arrival in Newcastle and is acknowledged for his mentoring of younger researchers.”

Professor Foster is internationally renowned for his research into respiratory disease and the translation of basic biomedical science into clinical research, leading to new therapeutics that will benefit not only the Hunter community, but communities around the world.

In addition to his role as Professor of Immunology in the School of Biomedical Sciences & Pharmacy at the University of Newcastle he jointly leads the HMRI Viruses, Infections / Immunity, Vaccines and Asthma (VIVA) Program. He is also a director of the University Priority Research Centre for Asthma and Respiratory Disease and director of the national Cooperative Research Centre for Asthma and Airways.

Meanwhile, Medical Physicist, Associate Professor Peter Greer was named **Early Career Researcher of the Year for his work in radiation oncology.

Associate Professor Greer’s research focuses on ensuring cancer patients receive optimal and improved radiation treatments. His research aims to deliver radiation doses more accurately to tumours without damage to the surrounding normal tissue. This research is increasing the understanding of how radiation dose can be accurately measured using imaging devices.

“Peter is an example of the young talent HMRI is nurturing through community support and in turn achieving better health outcomes,” Professor Gleeson said.

“His research will ultimately improve the targeting of treatments, reduce therapeutic uncertainties and result in significantly lower side-effects of treatment,” Professor Gleeson said.

Associate Professor Greer is a member of the HMRI Information Based Medicine Program at the Calvary Mater Newcastle and a Conjoint Associate Professor in the School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences at the University of Newcastle.

In addition to the two career awards, HMRI also awarded 16 research pilot project grants and 5 early career researcher travel prizes, from community funding totalling $520,000.

*The HMRI Award for Research Excellence is supported by the Sparke Helmore / NBN Television Triathlon Festival.

**The HMRI Award for Early Career Research is sponsored by PULSE.