The Health Research Council of Government has granted $3.9 million for Research projects that will be practiced by the University's new School of Public Health.

The proposed projects are supposed to study industrial disease, children's mobility and physical activity for next three years.

Dr. Lesley Batten from the Research Centre for Maori Health and Development was given $143,868 for one-year viability study regarding Maori patients suffering from non-small-cell lung cancer.

The Director of Wellington-based Centre for Public Health Research, Neil Pearce was awarded $1.19 million for evaluating the relation between "occupational solvent contacts in New Zealand spray painters" and neurological diseases.

Also, Dr. David McLean, was granted $1.19 million. He will be examining the reason behind the occurrence of cancer in meat workers.

The funding for "an emerging researcher first grant of $148,000" was presented to Dr. Jackie Benschop from the Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences; she will study popularity of the occupational disease leptospirosis, and will find out which animal is responsible for causing the infection in humans.

Another $1.18 million funding has been provided to Associate Professor, Karen Whitten from the Social and Health Outcome Research and Evaluation Centre in Auckland. Whitten will be enquiring the effects of urban neighborhoods responsible for developing in children "independence, influence physical activity levels and participation rates".