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NHMRC Media
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Recognising excellence in identifying and overcoming mechanisms of immune evasion in cancer
Recipient of the 2024 NHMRC Fiona Stanley Synergy Grant Award, Professor Marie-Liesse Asselin-Labat is investigating how cancer evades the immune system and how immunotherapies and cancer vaccines can be enhanced to improve treatment outcomes. Professor Asselin-Labat PharmD, PhD, is a Division Head at WEHI, leading a team that studies the interactions between immune and tumour cells in lung cancer, and how external factors can trigger the disease and treatment response.
Speaking of Science: Interrogating the physiology of the human vagus nerve with Professor Vaughan Macefield
A new era of research that promises to uncover novel information on the physiology of the human vagus nerve is unfolding right before our eyes.
Recognising excellence in cancer cachexia research using fruit flies
Associate Professor Louise Cheng, recipient of the 2024 NHMRC Marshall and Warren Ideas Grant Award, is a group leader at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and the Department of Anatomy and Physiology at the University of Melbourne. Her lab utilises the fruit fly (Drosophila) to study how tumours grow at the expense of other tissues in cancer cachexia- a metabolic syndrome affecting up to 80% of people with advance cancer.
Recognising excellence in turbocharging treatments for type-2 diabetes
Recipient of the 2024 NHMRC Marshall and Warren Innovation Award, Associate Professor Garron Dodd, is globally acknowledged as a top authority in metabolic neuroscience. His research led out of the Metabolic Neuroscience Laboratory at the University of Melbourne has been pivotal in advancing metabolic health both in Australia and internationally, aiming to create innovative therapies for obesity and type-2 diabetes.
Tracker - 14 April 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.
Recognising outstanding scientific imagery beneath the skin’s surface
Associate Professor Arutha Kulasinghe, recipient of the 2025 NHMRC Science to Art Award, is bringing together the rigour of heath and medical research with aesthetically powerful art. With a focus on cutting edge spatial biology and genomic techniques, Associate Professor Kulasinghe is dedicated to unlocking the secrets of individual cell interactions, leading to personalised treatments for several diseases, including cancer.
Tracker - 31 March 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.
A night of celebrating health and medical research excellence
A gathering of our nation’s foremost health and medical researchers has taken place this evening, celebrating their excellence, leadership and extraordinary contributions to the sector in our annual Research Excellence Awards dinner. This year, the ceremony included the celebration of our Biennial Awards and the talent making impact in an area of importance to NHMRC.
A celebration of the best health and medical research discoveries
When it comes to health and medical research in Australia, our scientists are pioneering key advances to better understand health conditions and answer fundamental questions. This evening, we had the pleasure of launching the highly anticipated 16th edition of our flagship publication, 10 of the Best.
Speaking of Science: Evaluating 23 years of Dementia and Diabetes research
As of 2025, it is estimated that approximately 433,300 Australians are living with dementia, and approximately 1.3 million Australians were living with diabetes in 2022, which equates to roughly 5.3% of the population.
Tracker - 17 March 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.
Tracker - 3 March 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.
$15 million investment to support collaborations in health services research
The Australian Government is investing $15 million to improve health outcomes by supporting health service focussed research projects that foster collaboration between health services and research organisations across both metropolitan and regional, rural and remote areas.
$422 million into research for the future of Australia’s healthcare system
Announced today by the Minister for Health and Aged Care, the Hon Mark Butler MP, are 229 high-performing researchers who will share in an investment of over $422 million under the National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) Investigator Grants scheme.
$8.9 million investment into research partnerships to shape our future
NHMRC is committed to supporting new partnership opportunities for researchers and policy makers to work together to shape our future through an $8.9 million funding investment.
Speaking of Science: Discovering a breakthrough in the fight against cancer with Professor Andrew Wilks
World Cancer Day, observed annually on 4 February, raises awareness about cancer, encourages its prevention, and mobilises action to address the global cancer epidemic.
Tracker - 17 February 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.
NHMRC Principal Committees and NHMRC-MRFF Committees announced
NHMRC Principal Committees and NHMRC-MRFF Committees announced
Over $8 million boost to Australia-Japan innovative research projects
The Australian Government is contributing more than $8 million for groundbreaking research projects between Australia and Japan under the Adopting Sustainable Partnerships for Innovative Research Ecosystem (ASPIRE) program.
$11 million to build and grow on Australian research in climate change and health
The Australian Government is investing almost $11 million to build Australian research capacity in climate change and related health impacts under the National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) 2024 Targeted Call for Research (TCR) into climate-related health impacts and effective interventions to improve health outcomes.
$1.5 million investment to fuel Australian researchers form collaborations with EU partners
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) is investing $1.5 million to support Australian researchers to form international collaborations and strengthen the impact of research innovation while tackling global health challenges.
Over $16 million invested into innovative health and medical research commercialisation
Innovative health and medical research that supports commercialisation as it progresses from proof of concept through to clinical implementation will receive a funding investment under the National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) Development Grants scheme.
$10 million boost to support the next generation of health and medical researchers
A $10 million funding boost will support the next generation of health and medical researchers to increase research capacity within Australia through the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Postgraduate Scholarship scheme.
$274 million invested to boost innovative research
Two hundred and twenty-three innovative and creative projects will share in $274 million to address specific questions in health and medical research from discovery to implementation through the National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) Ideas Grants scheme.
Speaking of science: International Day of Persons with Disabilities
The United Nations (UN) International Day of Persons with Disabilities promotes community awareness, understanding and acceptance of the estimated 1.3 billion people with disability worldwide and to celebrate their achievements.
Almost $6 million to support Australian participation in international collaborative research
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) is investing almost $6 million to support Australian participation in leading international collaborative research that focuses on health issues that span Australia and the East Asian region.
New NHMRC Council to work closely with Australian Medical Research Advisory Board
The Australian Government has announced the membership of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Council for the 2024–2027 triennium.
Speaking of science: Emerging international trends in sex and gender science with Dr Cara Tannenbaum
When it comes to individual health and wellbeing, differences between sex and gender matter and the more consideration that we give to these differences, the more we can improve health outcomes for everyone.
Over $3 million investment to tackle global antimicrobial resistance
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) is taking strides to address significant global health threats by investing over $3 million into international collaborative research aiming to tackle antimicrobial resistance.
Centering Indigenous research excellence now and into the future
NHMRC is committed to improving the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through funding research of the highest quality, integrity and excellence. We also encourage applications across our grant funding program that address Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health.
Speaking of Science: Breast Cancer Awareness Month with Professor Belinda Parker
Did you know that breast cancer is the second most common cancer to cause death in women? In Australia, 1 in 7 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.
Australian Drinking Water Guidelines: Public consultation now open
NHMRC is an independent statutory agency and Australia’s leading experts on health and medical research and providing the Australian community with health advice based on the best available scientific evidence.
Speaking of Science: SOLVEing Coronary Heart Disease with Professor Julie Redfern
Cardiovascular disease is the world’s number one killer.
On a national scale, coronary heart disease is the leading single cause of disease burden in Australia and causes 11% of all deaths, sparking a real need to make transformative improvements in cardiovascular health management for all Australians.
$50 million for transformative multidisciplinary health and medical research
Ten outstanding and versatile research teams have collectively been awarded $50 million to support them in working together to address major problems in human health under the NHMRC’s 2024 Synergy Grants scheme.
Final Report for MREA grants
NHMRC has revised the questions in its Final Report for Medical Research Endowment Account (MREA) grants to obtain better visibility of the personnel supported by, and research outputs, outcomes and impacts generated from, NHMRC grants. Please see the Download section for an example of the Final Report.
Recognising translational research into improved clinical care
Expertise in translating health and medical research into improved health care in regional and rural areas has been recognised through a newly accredited Research Translation Centre in western Victoria, now one of 12 accredited centres nationally.
Speaking of Science: Synthetic Biology (designer cells and antibodies) with Professor Shalin Naik
National Science Week is an annual celebration that promotes and encourages interest in STEMM and acknowledges the contributions of Australian scientists to our ever-growing world of knowledge.
In this Speaking of Science webinar held during National Science Week (10 August – 18 August 2024), we were joined by the inspirational cell biologist and Laboratory Head at WEHI and the University of Melbourne, Professor Shalin Naik. Professor Naik is well versed in communicating complex science concepts across to the public in more simple ways where possible, and without belittling the important work that underlies it. In this webinar, he did just that!
$3.7 million boost to support health and medical research translation
Australia’s capacity for health and medical research translation is receiving a $3.7 million funding boost to help improve public health policy and service delivery.
$45.1 million investment for collaborative research partnerships
Eleven Australian health and medical researchers will receive a share in over $45 million to undertake ground-breaking collaborative research through the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Partnership Project scheme.
Child’s play: Preventing and controlling infectious diseases to stay healthy
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has released Staying healthy: Preventing infectious diseases in early childhood education and care services - 6th edition (Staying healthy), a best-practice resource that provides simple and effective ways for education and care services to help limit the spread of infectious diseases among children.
$3.7 million funding boost for infection prevention and control in aged care
Four exceptional research teams will share in over a $3.7 million funding boost under the National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) Targeted Call for Research (TCR): Improving infection prevention and control in residential aged care homes 2023.
Novel vaccines to prevent hearing loss lead to learning and life outcomes
Almost all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children living in remote areas have ear problems that start from within weeks of birth. For many, otitis media (‘glue ear’) leads to hearing loss and devastating learning and life outcomes.
Clear line of sight to solving irreversible vision loss
As a practising optometrist, Associate Professor Zhichao Wu realised there was a big problem diagnosing glaucoma. Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible vision loss that is projected to cost Australia $4.3 billion per annum by 2025.
$7 million to target Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health
Five expert research teams will share in an investment of $7 million in funding to support targeted health and medical research into the commercial determinants of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health.
Research Excellence: Structure, function, and modulation of peptide hormone G protein-coupled receptors
Professor Patrick Sexton is the Professor of Pharmacology at the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and is the Director at the ARC Centre for Cryo-electron Microscopy of Membrane Proteins. Professor Sexton is a leader in progressing our understanding of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), particularly allosteric modulation and biased agonism, and applying cryo-EM to study structure and dynamics of GPCRs. He is a Clarivate Analytics highly cited researcher and an elected Fellow of the British Pharmacological Society (BPS). Professor Sexton is also the co-founder of Septerna Inc and DACRA Tx and has been the recipient of many awards for his scientific contributions that have had major impacts on biological chemistry research.
Celebrating a 25-year legacy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research with NHMRC
Professor Yvonne Cadet-James, the pioneering researcher, academic, mentor, registered nurse and midwife is celebrating a 25-year legacy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research at the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).
Research Excellence: Advancing health equity of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population
Associate Professor Odette Pearson is of Eastern Yalanji and Torres Strait Islander descent and coleads the Aboriginal Health Equity Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute. Her research focus is improving chronic disease and ageing outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through policy and guideline development and implementing and evaluating real world health and social interventions. Aboriginal leadership, governance and community and cross sector partnerships are foundations of her research. A/Prof Pearson has received the Lowitja Institute Patricia Anderson Leader in Aboriginal Research (2023), UniSA Alumini Award for Research in Aboriginal Health (2022) and The Diane Ranck, SAHMRI award for Leadership in Research (2022).
Driving a new era in Australian health and medical research
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) will work more closely under a new structure announced today.
Speaking of Science: International Men’s Health Week
For the 30th anniversary of International Men’s Health Week (10–16 June 2024), NHMRC shined an important light on key issues impacting the health and wellbeing of Australian men and boys, focusing on the 3 pillars of health: physical, mental and emotional.
Research Excellence: Developing novel gene expression control mechanisms for ALS gene therapies
Professor Roger Chung is the Professor of Neurobiology and Neurochemistry, and Deputy Dean (Research and Innovation) in the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences at Macquarie University. Professor Chung’s research employs a multi-disciplinary approach to understanding the biochemical, molecular and cellular mechanisms that underpin how neurons respond to injury or neurodegenerative disease, and how non-neuronal cells (glia) are involved in modulating this process. Professor Chung is the co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of CelosiaTX and also leads the Neurochemistry and Molecular Therapeutics Group within the Macquarie University Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research.