The government of New South Wales (NSW) has opened a new research centre in southwest Sydney, with an aim to speed up research to find new treatments and medicines for heart ailments.

The cardiovascular research hub will benefit people in southwest Sydney, who are at a higher risk of heart problems, as well as people across the country.

Said to be the first of its type in Australia, the new facility is the result of the government’s alliance with the Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research and the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute.

The partnership will create a new position called the Chair in Cardiovascular Research, who will lead research efforts to reduce heart disease in the state.

Besides, the partners will help develop a team of researchers based at the Ingham Institute and give them access to advanced technology from the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute.

This initiative is being supported by the South Western Sydney Local Health District and UNSW Sydney.

Member for Liverpool Charishma Kaliyanda said: “The NSW government has committed $150m over 10 years to support cardiovascular research.

“As part of this investment, $8.7m has been allocated to nine research projects involving expert multidisciplinary teams from several research institutions.

“Three of these grants include research teams from the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute and the Ingham Institute.

He added: “Investment in medical research is critical for driving scientific discoveries and supporting the development of innovative therapies to improve health outcomes for all Australians and I am proud to be a part of a government that sees that.

“By attracting quality researchers from interstate and overseas, we are boosting the NSW economy, attracting larger proportions of national research funding to the state, and making NSW the premier state for heart health research in Australia.”