Award winners in previous years

Peter Wills Medal

Created in honour of the leader whose work led to the inception of Research Australia, The Peter Wills Medal recognises an Australian who has made an outstanding contribution to building Australia’s international reputation in the area of health and medical research, and fostering collaboration for better health.

2011   Professor John Shine, AO, FAA
2012   Sir Gustav Nossal, AC, CBE, FAA, FRS
2013   Professor Paul Zimmet, AO, FRACP
2014   Prof Alan Lopez AC
2015   Prof Sharon Lewin AO, FRACP, FAHMS
2016   Prof Ian Gust AO
2017   Professor Kim Mulholland
2018   Laureate Professor Nicholas Talley AC
2019   Professor Kathryn North AC FAHMS
20-21  Dr Brendan Murphy, Secretary of the Department of Health
2022   Professor Ian Alexander

Griffith University Discovery Award

An early career researcher (no more than five years post PhD) whose paper/patent/discovery has already demonstrated its importance or impact. The Discovery Award was introduced in 2008.

2008   Dr Jeff Holst
2009   Dr Sarah Whittle
2010   Dr Mark S Pearson
2011   Dr Oliver Baumann
2012   Dr Motoko Koyama
2013   Dr Franziska Bieri
2014   Dr Genevieve Healy
2015   Dr Andrew Gardner
2016   Dr Rebecca Coll
2017   Dr Avnika Ruparelia
2018   Dr Sarah Best
2019   Dr Christine Keenan
20-21  Dr Mo Chen
2022   Dr Caleb Dawson

Data Innovation in Health & Medical Research Award

For the development of the most innovative method of gathering, making available, processing or interpreting data in a way that advances the sector.

2016   Capital Markets CRC, Health Market Quality Team
2017   Professor Helmut Butzkueven
2018   Dr Craig Dalton
2019   Professor John Lynch FAHMS
20-21  Dr Tracy Dudding-Byth
2022   The AusVaxSafety Team

Great Australian Philanthropy Award

This award is to recognise and encourage personal philanthropic donations over a period of time by an individual or family to health and medical research.

2003   Dame Elisabeth Murdoch AC DBE
2004   Lady Mary Fairfax
2005   The Myer Family
2006   Carlo Salteri AC
2007   Frank Lowy AC
2008   Judy and Jack Gibson OAM
2009   Clive Berghofer AM
2010   Greg Poche AO
2011   The Sylvia & Charles Viertel Charitable Foundation
2012   Harold Charles Mitchell AC
2013   Susan Alberti AO
2014   Len Ainsworth & Gretel Ainsworth; Charles Feeney (two Awards in 2014)
2015   John Gandel AO & Pauline Gandel
2016   McCusker Charitable Foundation
2017   Andrew Forrest AO and Nicola Forrest
2018   The Bill & Iris Burges Trust
2019   Mrs Pamela Galli, The Lorenzo and Pamela Galli Charitable Trust
20-21  Andrew and Jean Miller (Miller Foundation)
2022   Mr and Mrs Roy and Nola Thompson

Frontiers Research Award

Australia’s strong track record in health and medical research excellence positions it well to lead the world in health innovation. This award recognises the success of innovative health and medical research that extends existing knowledge, boundaries and/ or understandings within health and medical research. This category will recognise transformative research by an individual, team or corporate that will enable Australia’s health system to position itself as a global leader.

2019   Associate Professor Jeremy Crook & Team
20-21  Dr John Parker
2022   Scientia Prof Justin Gooding

Health Services Research Award

This award was created in 2014 to recognise the importance of the emerging field of health services research.

2014   Prof Robert Sanson-Fisher AO
2015   Prof Jeffrey Braithwaite
2016   Prof Michael Barton OAM
2017   Australian and New Zealand Hip Fracture Registry (AMZHFR)
2017   Highly Commended: Professor Lorna Moxham
2018   Professor Sue Kildea
2019   Professor Libby Roughead
20-21  Professor Brett Mitchell
2022   Professor Johanna Westbrook

The Advocacy Award

This award combines the celebrity and media awards from previous years. This award recognises an Australian from either the health and medical research Community, media, celebrity or a member of the community that has raised community awareness about the benefits of health and medical research and the need for increased funding.

2008   Dr James O Little AO, musician
2009   Professor Ian Hickie AM
2010   Li Cunxin
2011   Stephen R Leeder
2012   Ita Buttrose AO, OBE
2013   Mark Beretta
2014   Karen Livingstone
2015   Connie Johnson & Sam Johnson
2016   Brenda King
2017   Sanfilippo Children’s Foundation
2018   Matthew Grounds
2019   Professor Gordon Lynch
20-21  The Chimera Legacy Foundation
2022   ghd

Leadership in Corporate Giving Award

To recognise and foster involvement of Australian businesses, both small and large, in advancing health and medical research in Australia.

2003   Channel Seven Perth
2004   Coco’s Fresh Food Market, Queensland
2005   Estee Lauder
2006   L.J. Hooker
2007   Wesfarmers Ltd
2008   Pfizer Australia
2009   Macquarie Group Foundation
2010   Not awarded
2011   David Jones
2012   Xstrata Coal
2013   Rio Tinto
2014   Bupa
2016   Volvo Car Australia
2017   The QBE Foundation
2018   MACA Limited

Leadership and Innovation Award

This award recognises an individual or organisation that has shown exceptional leadership and/or innovation towards making health and medical research a higher national priority.
2003   The Hon. Bob Carr, Premier of New South Wales
2004   The Hon. Peter Beattie, Premier of Queensland
2005   The Hon John Brumby, Minister for State & Regional Development Minister for Innovation
2006   Sir Gus Nossal AC CBE
2007   Professor J. Coghlan AO
2008   Professor Fiona Stanley AC
2009   Professor Joseph Sambrook
2010   Professor John Funder AO
2011   Professor Doug Hilton, PHD, FAA, FTSE
2012   Will Delaat AM
2013   Simon McKeon AO
2014   Alastair Lucas AM

Celebrity Advocacy Award

This award recognises an Australian celebrity who has used their fame and influence in advocacy, fundraising or building awareness of health and medical research.

2003   Sarah Murdoch, Model and Patron for the National Breast Cancer Foundation
2004   Michael Milton, Paralympian and supporter of children’s cancer research
2005   Delta Goodrem, musician, singer and actress
2006   Ricky Ponting, Australian cricket captain
2007   Lisa Wilkinson, television personality

Health Research in the Media Award

This award recognises journalists/media personalities who have dedicated their time and efforts to promoting health and medical research through the media and raising the profile of research in the Australian community.

2004   Belinda Hope, Medical Reporter, National Nine News.
2005   Sophie Scott, National Health Reporter, ABC Television
2006   Dr Norman Swan, Health Reporter, ABC Radio National
2007   Carol Nader, The Age newspaper

National Leadership in Advocacy Award
(special award category)

The National Leadership in Advocacy Award was a special award presented to the Federal Minister for Health and Ageing Hon. Tony Abbott for his personal commitment to raising funds the Westmead Millennium Institute through the Pollie Pedal bike ride.

2006   Hon. Tony Abbott MP

Lifetime Achievement Award

This award honours a significant lifetime commitment to supporting and promoting health and medical research.

2003   Mrs Mickie Hardie and Mrs Leila Schmidt (posthumous)
2004   Dr Susan Alberti AM
2005   Sir Bruce Watson AC
2006   The Hon Neville Wran AC
2007   Ken Roberts AM
2008   Professor the Hon. Barry Jones AO
2009   Elaine Henry OAM
2010   Professor Colin Binns
2011   Laureate Professor Peter C Doherty, AC, FAA, FRS
2012   Professor Hugh R Taylor AC
2012   Professor Philip Sambrook (posthumous)
2013   Bill Ferris AC
2014   Carol Langsford & Roy Langsford
2015   Prof Perry Bartlett FAA