The datasets on this page are updated annually to include each year’s new awards and to refresh the data for continuing grants.
These data represent a snapshot of the NHMRC‘s research funding activity at the time that the data was extracted from our systems. These data were last updated 13 August 2024.
NHMRC Funding for major diseases, conditions or health areas
The majority of NHMRC funding is investigator-initiated and is not directed by NHMRC to any specific disease, health or research topic. The subject matter of each application is determined by the applicants. Additionally, a proportion of NHMRC funds is directed to specific topics primarily through the Targeted Calls for Research and International Collaboration schemes, or priorities identified in the NHMRC Corporate Plan.
Funding decisions are the outcome of a competitive process that relies on the collective judgement of independent peer reviewers. There is strong demand for NHMRC funding and the process is very competitive, so not all high quality research proposals are able to be funded.
For reporting purposes, NHMRC classifies applications against disease, health and research topics based on information provided at the time of application including an application’s title, keywords, media summaries and other research classifications where appropriate.
This process results in the classification of applications to more than one topic. NHMRC does not apportion funding when more than one topic is indicated and the full value of the grant is attributed.
Relevance to the topic may be either a direct focus or a broader focus such as a longer term potential benefit. The resulting datasets may include a broad range of research from discovery science through to clinical research, health services and public health research.
If the below tables do not provide the information you seek, please contact nhmrc.statistics@nhmrc.gov.au.
NHMRC and other Australian Government priorities
The following table summarises our expenditure into the research area of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s health and the Australian Government’s former National Health Priority Areas.
NHMRC expenditure by Former National Health Priority Areas 2014 to 2023
| Former National Health Priority Areas | 2014 $ million | 2015 $ million | 2016 $ million | 2017 $ million | 2018 $ million | 2019 $ million | 2020 $ million | 2021 $ million | 2022 $ million | 2023 $ million |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arthritis and Osteoporosis | 22.7 | 24.7 | 19.3 | 18.9 | 17.5 | 18.3 | 16.1 | 14.8 | 16 | 16.9 |
| Asthma | 23.6 | 22.7 | 15.3 | 13.3 | 15.7 | 13.8 | 13.3 | 14.1 | 12.5 | 11.8 |
| Cancer | 188.3 | 191.4 | 170.6 | 175.8 | 178.9 | 181.6 | 170.2 | 153.7 | 158.9 | 165.6 |
| Cardiovascular Disease | 129.4 | 130 | 114.9 | 111.4 | 105.3 | 112.6 | 107.6 | 102.5 | 97.5 | 93.1 |
| Dementia1 | 31.5 | 33.4 | 45.6 | 50.2 | 60.9 | 71.2 | 64.1 | 55.3 | 51.5 | 44.2 |
| Diabetes | 70.2 | 70.3 | 65.0 | 57.7 | 50.7 | 46.5 | 45.6 | 42.6 | 42.3 | 41.4 |
| Injury | 58.4 | 61.5 | 45.8 | 44.2 | 49.9 | 51.1 | 49.8 | 46.6 | 49.8 | 49.2 |
| Mental Health2 | 95.9 | 100 | 91.1 | 93.4 | 104.9 | 110.2 | 103.9 | 102.3 | 100.8 | 105.5 |
| Obesity | 40.7 | 39.0 | 28.1 | 27.6 | 23.0 | 23.5 | 24.3 | 23.1 | 20 | 18.4 |
1 Funding for Dementia excludes research activities that are outside the Medical Research Endowment Account (MREA) such as the Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research and the Dementia Collaborative Research Centres.
2 Includes research into addiction.
Other disease, research and health areas
The following table provides summary expenditure by a range of different disease, health and research areas.
NHMRC expenditure for Disease, research and health areas 2014 to 2023
| Disease, research and health areas3 | 2014 $ million | 2015 $ million | 2016 $ million | 2017 $ million | 2018 $ million | 2019 $ million | 2020 $ million | 2021 $ million | 2022 $ million | 2023 $ million |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balance, Eye and Hearing Diseases | 27.5 | 28.9 | 26.3 | 22.2 | 21.8 | 21.3 | 22.3 | 22.7 | 24.1 | 24.8 |
| Blood Diseases | 26.3 | 24.6 | 23.8 | 24.8 | 20 | 23.3 | 24 | 21.9 | 24.1 | 26.2 |
| Cancer | 188.3 | 191.4 | 170.6 | 175.8 | 178.9 | 181.6 | 170.2 | 153.7 | 158.9 | 165.6 |
| Cardiovascular Disease | 129.4 | 130 | 114.9 | 111.4 | 105.3 | 112.6 | 107.6 | 102.5 | 97.5 | 93.1 |
| Congenital and Genetic Diseases | 106.7 | 117.9 | 112.6 | 102.1 | 104.3 | 112.6 | 104 | 90.1 | 90.1 | 101.1 |
| Endocrine, Metabolic and Nutritional Diseases | 137.5 | 139.9 | 120.2 | 111.5 | 104.3 | 117.5 | 115.2 | 109.5 | 111 | 107.8 |
| Environmental and Occupational Health | 20.4 | 18.2 | 17.8 | 15.2 | 17.2 | 16.9 | 19.1 | 19.3 | 24.7 | 24.5 |
| Gastrointestinal Diseases | 39.3 | 41.7 | 35.7 | 34.9 | 37.5 | 42.2 | 44.7 | 44.3 | 42.8 | 42.5 |
| Genitourinary Diseases | 41.6 | 41 | 38.6 | 39 | 40 | 41.4 | 42.1 | 35.0 | 38.5 | 36.4 |
| Immunological Diseases4 | 94.9 | 99.2 | 85.1 | 71.1 | 79.5 | 81 | 79.1 | 70.9 | 71.2 | 82.4 |
| Infectious Diseases | 158.2 | 167.4 | 148.7 | 148.7 | 159.4 | 159.4 | 165.3 | 161.6 | 165.1 | 173.3 |
| Injury | 58.4 | 61.5 | 45.8 | 44.2 | 49.9 | 49.9 | 49.8 | 46.6 | 49.8 | 49.2 |
| Mental Health5 | 95.9 | 100 | 91.1 | 93.4 | 104.9 | 110.2 | 103.9 | 102.3 | 100.8 | 105.5 |
| Musculoskeletal Diseases | 58.5 | 61.9 | 49.3 | 49.2 | 51.9 | 49.7 | 46.1 | 41.7 | 42.6 | 43.1 |
| Neurological Diseases | 196.2 | 214 | 198.8 | 190.1 | 204.3 | 214.6 | 210.2 | 196.1 | 191.7 | 183.3 |
| Orofacial Diseases | 7.2 | 6.8 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 2.3 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 2.9 |
| Reproductive Health | 77.8 | 83.6 | 66.6 | 62.8 | 65.2 | 69.5 | 71.1 | 68.3 | 68.8 | 71.1 |
| Respiratory Diseases | 63.5 | 68.3 | 51.2 | 46.4 | 50.8 | 55.8 | 56.6 | 57.7 | 53.4 | 54.4 |
| Skin Diseases | 20 | 16.6 | 12.8 | 9.5 | 10.9 | 11.2 | 10.4 | 11.1 | 11.1 | 10.1 |
3 These disease, health and research topics are based on the International Classification of Disease (ICD) produced by the World Health Organisation. For further information about these Disease, Health or Research Topics please email NHMRC.Statistics@NHMRC.gov.au
4 The figures in the table above for Immunological Diseases have been modified to exclude immunological research specifically related to cancer. These figures relate to research relevant to allergy, autoimmune diseases, and immunodeficiency.
5 Includes research into addiction.
NHMRC expenditure for research relevant to specific populations 2014 to 2023
| Population | 2014 $ million | 2015 $ million | 2016 $ million | 2017 $ million | 2018 $ million | 2019 $ million | 2020 $ million | 2021 $ million | 2022 $ million | 2023 $ million |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health | 49.1 | 55.8 | 51.7 | 49.6 | 50 | 54.4 | 57.2 | 58.1 | 67 | 69 |
| Adolescent Health | 23.5 | 26.2 | 20.3 | 18.9 | 20.2 | 21.9 | 24.5 | 23.4 | 24.3 | 26.5 |
| Aged Health | 42.3 | 40.7 | 36.2 | 36.6 | 39.5 | 45.9 | 45.7 | 40.2 | 39 | 39.5 |
| Child Health | 101.1 | 112.2 | 98.3 | 96.7 | 103.3 | 111.3 | 111 | 104.6 | 108 | 113 |
| Maternal Health | 52.8 | 60 | 47.2 | 45.4 | 46 | 48.2 | 49.4 | 50.0 | 53.4 | 57.6 |
| Men’s Health | 19.7 | 20.5 | 17 | 17 | 18.6 | 18.7 | 14.9 | 13.0 | 14.1 | 15.3 |
| Women’s Health | 93.8 | 100.7 | 84.4 | 83 | 83.4 | 86.5 | 83.5 | 81.2 | 92.3 | 98.2 |
Outcomes of NHMRC Grant Application Rounds
A full list of grants awarded each year is available.
NHMRC Analysis of Australian Health and Medical Research Publications
We regularly publish reports on the scientific publication output and the citation impact of NHMRC-funded research and of Australian health and medical research more broadly.
Governance Reporting
In accordance with our reporting obligations, further data on our grants is available at the below link.
