The federal government has pledged more than $12 million for nine Northern Territory medical research projects which target Aboriginal children's health.
The Turnbull government announced the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) funding for researchers at Darwin's Menzies School of Medical Research on Friday.
Indigenous Health Minister Ken Wyatt says the findings will inform government policy to help save the lives of children in the Territory.
"From diet improvement to vitamin supplements and antibiotics, this broad range of critical work will continue to increase our clinical knowledge," he said.
Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion says the investment focuses on chronic diseases to help close the gap on Aboriginal life expectancy.
He said it'll support Menzies to undertake a trial of maternal immunisation to prevent pneumonia in infants.
Menzies will also continue the nation's longest cohort study of Aboriginal health which examines almost 700 children to identify disease risk factors.
Darwin mother Dianne Walker entered her newborn daughter Rekeesha into the study 29 years ago to track her development, and is happy the project is getting more funding.
"We hope it can improve the health of Aboriginal babies," she said.
Menzies Director Alan Cass said the money will allow his team of experts to tackle childhood health issues that can fundamentally change the lives of many Aboriginal Australians.
Professor Cass said there's much work to be done on this in remote communities, stressing recurrent ear infection has profound effects on a child's language development, which worsens school outcomes and job prospects and can lead to antisocial and criminal behaviour.
"We aim to make the maximal difference," Prof Cass said.
MENZIES INDIGENOUS KIDS HEALTH RESEARCH GRANTS
* Preventing early-onset pneumonia in indigenous infants through maternal immunisation.
* Vitamin D supplementation trial to prevent respiratory infections.
* Early life and contemporary influences on body composition, mental health, and chronic disease risk markers.
* Antibiotics study to reduce hospitalisations in children with respiratory tract infections.
* Reducing retail merchandising of junk food and beverages in remote Indigenous community stores.
* Diabetes and cardiovascular risk among indigenous women after pregnancy complicated by hyperglycaemia.
* A study of community-acquired pneumonia in children and adults in tropical Australia.
* Vaccine and antibiotic selective pressures on the microbiology of otitis media in northern Australia.
* An equipment grant.
