One hundred and one research projects have been given a financial boost, in this year's Marsden Fund grants.

The full list of recipients has been confirmed this afternoon.

Cancer and medical research is the biggest winner from the $55.7 million funding pool.

One project will look at using robotics to treat cerebral palsy. Another will ask why diabetics are more likely to suffer heart failure.

There are also projects on surveillance, Maori legal traditions and the use of Google balloons in probing weather systems.