8 December 2025

Welcome to Tracker, the National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) fortnightly newsletter with the latest information on major activities and funding opportunities.

Targeted Call for Research: Addressing the Needs of People with High Healthcare Service Utilisation outcomes announced  

On 5 December 2025, the Minister for Health and Ageing, the Hon Mark Butler MP announced the funding outcomes for the Targeted Call for Research (TCR): Addressing the Needs of People with High Healthcare Service Utilisation 2024 grant opportunity.

Four research teams will share in $9.6 million in funding to improve our understanding of the patient journey, where the critical issues are for people to access timely and appropriate care in diverse geographic locations and in different sectors of the healthcare services. 

Media releases for this announcement are available on the Minister’s media centre and NHMRC's website. 
 

Targeted Call for Research: Anal Cancer 2025 outcomes announced 

On 1 December 2025, the Minister for Health and Ageing, the Hon Mark Butler MP announced   the funding outcomes for the Targeted Call for Research: Anal Cancer 2025 grant opportunity.

Four research teams will share in $6.6 million in funding to improve our awareness of Anal Cancer and to provide further guidance for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of anal cancer for both consumers and healthcare professionals. Their focus will drive the development and implementation of screening methods, innovative prevention strategies, testing technologies, and health promotion approaches to more broadly address anal cancer. 

Media releases for this announcement are available on the Minister’s media centre and NHMRC's website.
 

Sapphire Refresh project closure

NHMRC’s Sapphire Refresh project, which was leading the development of an NHMRC internally managed grant system, has been discontinued. This decision was made after careful consideration and reflects NHMRC’s commitment to align with the Australian Government’s direction toward a common technology approach for grants management across agencies. By engaging early in cross government planning and maintaining sector consultation, NHMRC aims to move towards a future grant management system that supports innovation, collaboration, and efficiency for the research sector.

What does this mean?

  • NHMRC will not proceed with building an in-house solution at this time.
  • NHMRC will continue to deliver grant management services that support the administration of the NHMRC grant program and relevant Medical Research Future Fund grant opportunities.
  • NHMRC will continue dialogue with external reference groups and internal business units to gather requirements that will guide future discussions regarding whole-of-government grant management solutions.

For the research community:

  • Current processes remain in place to manage grants in Sapphire - there will be no system changes at this time.
  • NHMRC will be engaging with the research sector through external reference groups, with timelines and formats being finalised. Those who expressed interest will be contacted soon with next steps.
  • NHMRC will continue to seek a solution that reduces administrative burden and improves alignment with other research funding bodies.

NHMRC appreciates your ongoing support and engagement as we work towards a modern, streamlined grants management solution. Further updates will be shared as information becomes available.

For questions or feedback please contact sapphire.refresh@nhmrc.gov.au.
 

National clinical practice guidelines for the care of trans and gender diverse people under 18 with gender dysphoria (Gender Guidelines)

The Gender Guidelines Development Committee (GGDC) and Gender Guidelines Governance Committee (GGGC) have been established, and membership details are now available on NHMRC’s website.  

The GGDC includes 3 members with lived experience of accessing care and one parent of a young person who has accessed care, including individuals who are trans and gender diverse. Both committees have met twice to progress key steps in guideline development.  

The Gender Guidelines Reference Panel (GGRP) has also been formed, comprising young trans and gender diverse people and clinicians who provide care.  

Interim advice on puberty suppression is expected for public consultation in mid-2026, with final guidelines anticipated by mid-2028. 
 

Gender Equity Strategy and report cards

Gender Equity Strategy Refresh 
We have refreshed our Gender Equity Strategy, with a strengthened vision and focus on gender equity within research. This complements our continuing commitment to promoting gender equity in Australia’s health and medical research workforce.  

To view the refreshed Strategy, visit NHMRC’s Gender Equity webpage. 

Gender Equity Report Cards 
As part of our commitment to increased transparency in reporting on grant applications and outcomes by gender, we have published our Gender Equity 2024–25 Report Card on NHMRC’s website.
 

Guide for assessing research involving AI

NHMRC has released the Guide for assessing research involving Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Large Language Model Technology (collectively “AI”) for use by researchers and ethics review bodies in developing and assessing proposals for research involving AI. 

This concise guide was developed by the Australian Health Ethics Committee and includes guidance and a question based tool to assist researchers and reviewers.

NHMRC anticipates that this guide will evolve over time and invites feedback from users. For further information, contact ethics@nhmrc.gov.au.
 

Australian code for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes – survey open

NHMRC has released a survey seeking feedback on the utility of the 8th edition of the Australian code for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes (the Code). We are particularly interested in hearing from people who use the Code in their daily work.

For more information, visit NHMRC’s consultation hub.
 

Final report for MREA grants

In 2024, NHMRC updated the Final Report questions for MREA grants to improve visibility of the personnel supported by NHMRC grants. The Final Report template is available in Sapphire to all CIAs from applicable schemes and can be progressively completed and saved. 

NHMRC recommends that CIAs enter the number of people whose salaries (partial or full) were supported by the grant, including those at collaborating institutions, on a yearly basis. To ensure timely and accurate reporting, CIAs are encouraged to begin entering their personnel data for 2025 into the Final Report template now.

Further information about the Final Report for MREA grants can be found on NHMRC’s website.
 

Institutional Annual Compliance Report survey 

The 2025 Institutional Annual Compliance Report (IACR) survey will open on Tuesday 10 February 2026 and close on Friday 20 March 2026 at 17:00 (AEDT). 

All Administering Institutions must complete the IACR survey to retain NHMRC Administering Institution status, even if the institution did not administer NHMRC funding during the reporting year.

How the survey works:

  • The survey will be conducted via Citizen Space, an accessible online platform.
  • All responses must be submitted using the official online survey link.

What’s next:

  • In early February 2026, NHMRC will email all primary Research Administration Officers and Administering Institution generic mailboxes with details and the link to the survey portal.

Further information is available on the IACR reporting section of NHMRC's website.

If you have any questions, contact administering.institutions@nhmrc.gov.au.
 

Key NHMRC grant program dates

NHMRC grant opportunities are funded through the Medical Research Endowment Account (MREA).

The following opportunity is opening soon:

  • Partnership Projects 2026
    The Partnership Projects grant opportunity will open on Wednesday 7 January 2026 and will have 3 peer review cycles (PRCs) in 2026:
    • PRC 1 applications close on 1 April 2026
    • PRC 2 applications close on 5 August 2026
    • PRC 3 applications close on 11 November 2026.

Further details will become available on GrantConnect following the grant opportunity opening date. For further information, contact help@nhmrc.gov.au.  
 

Medical Research Future Fund – grant opportunities key dates

The following MRFF grant opportunity has a minimum data due date approaching:

Details on how to apply for MRFF grant opportunities and all MRFF close dates are available on GrantConnect. Applicants are reminded that only applicants who completed minimum data by the due date can submit an application. It is also the applicant’s responsibility to ensure they meet all eligibility requirements, including limits on the number of times a person can be named as a Chief Investigator on applications submitted to a grant opportunity.

Applicants should ensure:

MRFF grant assessment committee self nomination
Register your interest to become a member of a MRFF grant assessment committee.
 

Key dates

Refer to Funding schemes and calendar.
 

Tracker

See previous editions of Tracker.

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If you have any questions about the newsletter, email communications@nhmrc.gov.au. 

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