2025-26 Winners Announced
Australia’s health & medical research awards, now in their 22nd year.
For more than two decades, the Awards have recognised the individuals and teams transforming health outcomes across the country, from discovery and translation through to commercialisation.
And the winners are
2025–26 winners & highly commended
Finalists, nominators, members of parliament and sector leaders came together to recognise research, innovation, technology, philanthropy and advocacy.
Peter Wills
Medal
Winner
Professor Melissa Little AC
Murdoch Children’s Research Institute
Discovery Award
Winner
Dr Caitlin Jones
Research Fellow, School of Public Health, The University of Sydney
Highly Commended
Dr Angli Xue
Garvan Institute / UNSW Sydney
Highly Commended
Dr Jinni Yan
University of Technology Sydney
Health Services Research Award
Sponsored by Bond University Institute for Evidenced-Based Healthcare
Winner
Assoc Prof Chris Freeman
The University of Queensland
Highly Commended
Assoc Prof Carlos Garcia Esperon
Hunter New England Local Health District
Highly Commended
Distinguished Prof Andrea Driscoll
Monash Health / Deakin University
Nominations for the 2027 Awards open in early 2027.
Members submit nominations, anyone can be a nominee, and self-nomination is welcome.
Digital & Data Health Innovation Award
Sponsored by Digital Health CRC
Winner
Data Connect Australia
A national infrastructure for linked data innovation
Highly Commended
Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health
University of Newcastle, The University of Queensland
Highly Commended
A-Eye: Seeing Brain Pressure Through the Eyes
University of Technology Sydney
Advocacy & Philanthropy Award
Sponsored by AbbVie
Winner
Neil and Norma Hill Foundation
Philanthropy
Frontiers Award
Sponsored by UNSW Sydney
Winner
The Cancer Blueprint
Assoc Prof Arutha Kulasinghe, Frazer Institute, The University of Queensland
GSK Award for Research Excellence
Sponsored by GSK Australia
Winner
Professor Katherine Kedzierska
The Doherty Institute & The University of Melbourne
Every finalist, in full
Congratulations to all our winners, highly commended recipients and finalists.
Why Attend
An evening that matters
The nation’s leading researchers, clinicians, philanthropists and decision-makers, in one room.
Your 2025-26 Host
Professor Tracey O’Brien AM
NSW Chief Cancer Officer, CEO of the Cancer Institute NSW, and paediatric oncologist.
Be in the room
Connect with senior researchers, clinicians, philanthropists and government decision-makers who shape the future of Australian health research.
Visibility
Be seen (and see) the people whose decisions matter for funding, collaboration and the direction of the sector.
Celebrate
Support finalists and colleagues being recognised on a national stage, and mark the work that is improving lives across Australia.
A premium evening
A world-class ceremony at a major city’s finest venues.
Our Partners
We couldn’t do this without them
Thank you for helping us celebrate both current and future research leaders.
Know someone who should be on this stage?
Nominations for 2027 open in early 2027. Members submit nominations, anyone can be a nominee, and self-nomination is welcome.