Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute (CHIRI)
Curtin is at the forefront of the drive to deal with some of the biggest health issues facing Australia today.
As the population undergoes dramatic changes in health, ageing and longevity patterns, associated chronic illnesses - diabetes, obesity, cancer and cardiovascular disease - are increasing.
And there are still communities whose health needs are not being met as well as they could, including indigenous, migrant and socially disadvantaged populations, those with compromised mental health and people with disabilities.
The Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute (CHIRI) is our response to these major national issues.
It is a unique and innovative facility that brings together researchers, educators and health professionals on work that will shape health and health services in the future.
This collaborative approach brings together experts in a range of fields to form an unbeatable team. Their strength is in their diversity, which allows every aspect of a problem to be studied.
CHIRI enables the faculty of Health Sciences to focus on areas of high quality research that will:
- increase the impact of the research
- strengthen Curtin's research profile in the area of health
- prioritise selected research clusters to improve performance
- strengthen Curtin's international reputation in research training
- enhance the quality and capacity of our research infrastructure
- strengthen the commercialisation of university Intellectual Property
The strategic, collaborative and interdisciplinary research at CHIRI focuses on five key areas:
- prevention, management and treatment of chronic conditions
- population health research to improve systems and services and maintain quality
- ageing, including healthy ageing, aged care services and dementia
- mental health across all age groups to foster empowerment and quality of life
- Indigenous health through appropriate engagement of individuals and groups.
Overall, CHIRI is helping to create a culture where early intervention can prevent people needing extensive treatments, saving money in the long run.
