Mater Researcher, Dr Sandra Richardson has been announced as a successful recipient of an Advance Queensland fund to support her research through maternity leave.

Dr Richardson, who works in the Genome Plasticity and Disease group with Professor Geoff Faulkner, will receive $13,000 to help fund a research assistant to continue her research work while taking maternity leave later this year.

The Advance Queensland Women's Academic Fund supports the retention, development and progression of female researchers within Queensland based universities and publicly funded research institutes/organisations. Since August 2015, more than $1.53 million has been invested with support provided to more than 150 female researchers.

The program encourages female researchers to return to their research careers following maternity leave, and provides carer funding to support female researchers in attending and presenting at conferences. Funding was also available this year to organisations to arrange lectures or presentations that highlight the research of leading Queensland female researchers.

Dr Richardson said the award would be a significant advantage in progressing her research while she is on maternity leave.

“Receiving the Advance Queensland funding will make a huge difference to my research career and allow me to take the time I need for maternity leave without my research having to be put on hold while I’m on leave,” Dr Richardson said.

“Managing the competing demands of research and parenthood whilst staying competitive can be very challenging so I am enormously grateful to receive this award.”

The focus of Dr Richardson’s research is on understanding how mobile DNA mutations that occur in germ cells and early embryos impact mammalian development and fertility, particularly as females age.