The latest commonwealth government funding announcement for health and medical research will see AUD$292 million allocated to more than 600 projects across 52 Australian universities, hospitals and medical research institutes.

The announcement coincided with the launch of Research Australia's Thank You Day campaign, which applauds the achievements of Australian health and medical researchers.

In this latest round of research grants several projects focus on child health, including a study to reduce childhood injury in Indigenous communities by researchers at the University of Sydney.

Researchers at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research will study asthma in Indigenous communities and look at whether Indigenous children in the Torres Strait have similar asthma rates to non-Indigenous children.

Further research into childhood asthma will be conducted at Melbourne's Murdoch Children's Research Institute in a trial that will look at whether parents should administer anti-inflammatory medication if their child is having an attack without waiting to see their doctor first.

Top 12 health issues

The theme of this year's Thank You Day is health issues facing Australian children.

A new list entitled the 'Top 12 Health Issues Facing Australian Children', has been created by Research Australia in consultation with child health experts and using the latest data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

Topping the list is the alarming level of poor health within indigenous children and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

High priority is also given to rising problems associated with modern lifestyles such as mental health, obesity, and diabetes. The list also features immunisation, asthma and allergy, childhood injury, disability, cancer, sun awareness and child abuse, neglect and domestic violence.

A giant thank you card will travel the country collecting thank you messages to Australia's health and medical researchers, culminating in Thank You Day on November 7.

Messages can be sent from 10 October to 10 November via www.thankyouday.org or SMS to 0428THANKS.

For more information on the latest funding round go to: www.nhmrc.gov.au/funding/funded/outcomes/index.htm,