Category: News

The nation’s leading health and medical researchers, innovators, advocates and philanthropists have been recognised at Research Australia’s 22^nd Health and Medical Research Awards this evening in Sydney with Professor Tracey O’Brien AM, CEO, Cancer Institute NSW and NSW Chief Cancer Officer leading proceedings as Master of Ceremonies.

Research Australia’s Chair, Professor Dawn Freshwater, reflected on the importance of the Awards. “They honour and celebrate Australia’s outstanding researchers and innovators, and those who support their work across the health and medical research innovation pipeline. Health and medical research doesn’t succeed through research alone. It takes data innovators, implementers, and everyone who translates discovery into impact. Tonight’s awards celebrate that whole pipeline, not just the parts that make headlines”.

In a speech on the night, Research Australia CEO & Managing Director, Nadia Levin, called for a new co-investment fund between government, industry and philanthropy to enable smarter investment across health and medical research and innovation.

“We excel at discovery, but the ‘valley of death’ stalls breakthroughs before they become therapies, devices, care models and companies. Australia needs a new blended capital model that brings together public, philanthropic and private funding to make research initiatives investable, and to finally start addressing that gap between discovery and translation.

For too long, health and medical research has been treated as a good deed – a public health imperative, rather than an economic and productivity engine. The truth is investment in research and innovation yields health and fiscal dividends. But an economic engine is only as strong as the people powering it, and right now we’re losing almost one in three people trained to find the next cure, diagnostic tool or novel technology”, Ms Levin said.

The prestigious Peter Wills Medal, which recognises an individual who has made an outstanding, long-term contribution to building Australia’s international reputation in areas of health and medical research was awarded to Professor Melissa Little AC, whose engineering of the world’s first human kidney organoids has redefined how kidney disease is studied and treated worldwide. Published as a landmark Nature cover story, her lab-grown “kidneys in a dish” have shifted global research away from animal models and flat cell lines toward complex, functioning human tissue, laying the foundation for a future where transplantable kidneys are grown, not just donated.

“Seeing the passion Peter Wills had for the sector motivated me to remain actively involved in advocating for medical research and showed me how critical it is to engage the wider community in what we do,” Professor Melissa Little AC said.

Professor Kathryn North AC, Chair of the Australian Medical Research Advisory Board and Executive Director of the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute gave the keynote address.

“The next iteration of Australia’s excellent medical research infrastructure is a system in which Australians retain agency over the knowledge and health solutions that will shape all our futures. Sovereign capability means more than keeping Australian expertise onshore. It means having the capacity to generate, govern and use Australian data, technologies, clinical trials and manufacturing capability for Australian benefit, in ways that are universally trusted, secure and above all, equitable,” Professor Kathryn North AC said.

A full list of winners follows.

ENDS                                  

2025-26 Award Winners

Peter Wills Medal: Created in honour of Research Australia’s Founding Patron, Peter Wills AC, the Peter Wills Medal is the flagship award and recognises someone who has made an outstanding, long-term contribution to building Australia’s international reputation in areas of health and medical research and fostering collaboration for better health.

Winner – Professor Melissa Little AC (Murdoch Children’s Research Institute)

Discovery Award: This Award recognises an early career researcher (anytime from qualification but no more than 5 years past PhD) whose paper/patent/discovery has already demonstrated its importance or impact.

Winner – Dr Caitlin Jones (University of Sydney)

Advocacy and Philanthropy Award (sponsored by AbbVie): This Award recognises and congratulates exceptional contributions made by research champions who help raise community awareness and understanding of the importance of health and medical research.

Winner – Neil and Norma Hill Foundation

Frontiers Research Award (sponsored by UNSW Sydney): This Award recognises transformative research that could revolutionise health outcomes in Australia and internationally.

Winner – The Cancer Blueprint – Associate Professor Arutha Kulasinghe (University of Queensland)

Digital and Data Health Innovation Award (sponsored by Digital Health CRC): This Award recognises an individual or team whose innovation is considered to represent one of the most impactful new data innovations in the health and medical research sector within the past five years.

Winner – A National Infrastructure for Linked Data Innovation (Data Connect Australia)

Health Services Research Award (sponsored by Bond University’s Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare): This Award is for an individual or team who has provided leadership and made an outstanding contribution to health services research; driven research that has led to a significant improvement in healthcare; and/or has championed the development of the health services research field.

Winner – Associate Professor Chris Freeman (University of Queensland)

Research Australia welcomes the launch of Australia’s inaugural National Health and Medical Research Strategy at Flinders University Health and Medical Research Building by the Hon Mark Butler MP, Minister for Health and Ageing. We were pleased to join Minister Butler and colleagues in South Australia for the release event, which marks a significant milestone for our sector.

The Strategy provides a once-in-a-generation opportunity to strengthen Australia’s position as a global leader in health and medical research and innovation, while ensuring Australians benefit more rapidly and equitably from new discoveries, treatments and technologies.

“Australia’s greatest health and economic challenges demand bold thinking, collaboration across sectors and a commitment to keeping people at the centre of innovation – and that is exactly what a strong Strategy will need to achieve”, said Research Australia Chair, Professor Dawn Freshwater FRCN.

Today’s launch follows sustained advocacy by Research Australia on behalf of our members and the broader health and medical research and innovation sector. This includes initiating national consultations with the sector in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic to elevate the urgency for a coordinated, long-term strategy to strengthen Australia’s health and medical research and innovation ecosystem. It was the trust and sharing of stories directly from our members that led to an unambiguous call for a national strategy.

Since 2020, Research Australia has championed the need to bring together the entire sector – universities, medical research institutes, public and private health systems, industry, patient advocacy organisations, and government – to create a strategically coordinated and long-sought vision and roadmap to deliver better health outcomes, a stronger economy, productivity and national resilience.

“Today’s launch is a pivotal moment for Australia’s health and medical research sector, and for the patients and communities who ultimately benefit from research and innovation,” said Nadia Levin, CEO and Managing Director of Research Australia.

“Investing in health and medical research is not only about better care – it’s about building a more productive, resilient and sustainable Australia. The development of a dedicated Strategy recognises this”.

Throughout the Strategy’s development, Research Australia has worked closely with the Strategy Chair, Ms Rosemary Huxtable AO PSM, and the broader sector to ensure the Strategy reflects the priorities and expertise of Australia’s world-leading research and innovation community.

“In this year’s Federal Budget, we began to see a welcome shift in the national conversation – recognising that investment in research and development is fundamental to productivity and long-term economic growth and with the release of MRFF. The Strategy now gives Australia the opportunity to build on that momentum with real ambition,” said Nadia Levin. “It’s time for industry and health to work together to create a healthier, wealthier Australia”.

Research Australia thanks our members for their insights and contributions throughout this campaign and remains resolved to continuing to work with Government, researchers, consumers and industry on the details to support implementation of the Strategy and ensure its long-term success over the next decade and beyond. This must not sit on a shelf, and the government needs to continue to resource its implementation and ensure all reforms are moving in the same direction – Ambitious Australia, clinical trials reforms, and the HTA Review.

Research Australia has cautiously welcomed key reforms announced in the Federal Budget, including increased investment through the Medical Research Future Fund and reforms to Research and Development (R&D).

The Federal Budget arrives at a critical juncture for Australia, navigating a complex fiscal environment defined by a persistent cost-of-living crisis and heightened global instability.

It is why the announcement on the MRFF is welcome news, however, more still needs to be done to support Australia’s health and medical research and innovation sector.

The Government has confirmed it will increase disbursements from the MRFF by $508.5 million over the next four years from 2026–27 and lift annual investment from $650 million to $1 billion from 2030–31.

“This is crucial for a sector under significant strain, providing much-needed certainty and momentum at a time when rising costs, workforce pressures and global competition are placing increasing pressure on Australia’s health and medical research and innovation system,” Research Australia Chair, Professor Dawn Freshwater FRCN said.

While increasing allocations through the MRFF is important, it is disappointing that the NHMRC (MREA) is still tracking below forecast inflation and does little to address years of real decline.

Research Australia CEO, Nadia Levin, reconfirmed the crucial role that research, development and innovation play to both the health of Australian’s and our nation’s economic future through boosting economic resilience, sovereign capability and productivity.

“Investing in health and medical research is not only about better care – it’s about building a more productive, resilient and sustainable Australia – tonight’s Budget is a small step towards this,” said Nadia Levin, CEO of Research Australia. “Every dollar invested delivers around four dollars in economic returns. We cannot afford to leave this potential untapped.”

Research Australia also welcomed measures to improve coordination across the research, development and innovation system, including the establishment of the National Resilience and Science Council to provide coordinated advice on more than $15 billion in RD&I investment.

“Better alignment of public and private investment is critical to lifting productivity, strengthening economic resilience, and ensuring Australia captures the full value of its research capability,” Ms Levin said. If we are serious about innovation, we need smart, sustained investment and partnerships that reflect the role of both public and private investment.” While tonight’s announcements are that small first step, high rewards need courageous investment.

Research Australia notes other measures announced in tonight’s Budget to support the research pipeline and translation, including:

• $15.8 million to continue development of the National One Stop Shop to streamline approvals for clinical trials and human research
• Additional support for Health Technology Assessment system sustainability and improvements to R&D Tax Incentive and Venture Capital settings
• Funding committed over the forward estimates following the establishment of the Australian Centre for Disease Control
• $40.1 million to establish the Neale Daniher MND Clinical Network to accelerate research and improve outcomes for people living with motor neurone disease
• •$387.4 million over four years (and ongoing funding) to support the long-term sustainability of the CSIRO, including upgrades to the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness

Research Australia noted that while the Government has not allocated specific funding for implementation of the forthcoming National Health and Medical Research Strategy, this reflects the scale and complexity of the reform but is eager to see further detail for this crucial piece.

Research Australia looks forward to more announcements on the this and will continue to work constructively with Government and our members to support its implementation.

Research Australia has welcomed tonight’s announcement in the Federal Budget that from 2030-31, the Medical Research Future Fund will distribute $1 billion of direct investment in medical research, reaffirming the MRFF’s original purpose and providing a significant boost to the sector.

CEO of Research Australia, Nadia Levin, said the decision reflects the importance of maintaining a clear focus on research funding to deliver better health and economic outcomes for all Australia.

“The intent of the MRFF has always been to make $1 billion available each year for investment in medical research, and Australia needs to build to that level as a priority and tonight’s news from the Budget is welcome,” Ms Levin said.

I want to thank all the Research Australia members who have contributed to the ongoing campaign to release the additional funds in the MRFF. You’re stories, case studies and experiences have kept the pressure on.”

This result is welcome news to a sector under significant strain, providing much-needed certainty and momentum at a time when rising costs, workforce pressures and global competition are placing increasing pressure on Australia’s health and medical research and innovation system,” Ms Levin said.

After first identifying the funds in 2023, Research Australia has led advocacy on this issue, calling for targeted MRFF investment in priority areas including early and mid-career researchers and a new research-active healthcare mission to better support translation.

Ms Levin said directing the additional funds directly to research will strengthen Australia’s capacity to translate discovery into real-world outcomes and support industry collaboration.

“The MRFF is not only a research fund – it is a critical translation fund that enables collaboration between researchers, clinicians and industry to turn discoveries into new therapies, technologies and companies,” Ms Levin said.

This announcement is about strengthening Australian health and medical research and innovation to deliver a healthier population and a wealthier economy.

Research Australia acknowledges the sector-wide advocacy with its members and others that led to this achievement and will continue to work with Government to ensure the MRFF delivers on its full potential, in line with its original intent, as a dedicated and enduring investment in Australia’s health and medical research and innovation future.

A new Research Australia report released today by Arthritis Australia confirms one of our leading causes of disability and pain – arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions (including back pain) – remains significantly deprived of research funding, despite costing the health system a staggering $16 billion a year.[1]

Arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions (AMSK) affect almost one in three Australians[2], from young children to people of working age through to retirees,[2] but are starved of research funding to advance how we manage them effectively – receiving just 5% of MRFF funding and 1.6% of National Health & Medical Research (NHMRC) funding in 2023-24.[1]

AMSK are a leading cause of chronic pain and early retirement and are one of the top three contributors to Australia’s disease burden (13%) alongside cancer (16.4%) and mental health (14.8%).[1]  They generate a significant financial and productivity drain with $1.1 billion per year to be spent on extra welfare payments and lost tax revenue and $9.4 billion per year on lost GDP due to arthritis related early retirement by 2030.[2]

The analysis by Research Australia, comparing different research funding models, confirms a focussed MRFF Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Mission, over the next decade, will not only yield significant gains to the community living with these debilitating conditions but also generate a twofold reduction in the health system and productivity burden.[1] A net return of $361 million would also result for the economy, and over 600 research and clinical jobs would be created over the period.

In light of the alarming findings, Arthritis Australia is calling for an MRFF Mission commitment of at least $100 million to ensure arthritis and musculoskeletal (AMSK) conditions no longer limit Australian’s participation, productivity or quality of life.

“We have reached a crisis point with arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions and the unprecedented strain they place on communities, hospitals and health budgets. We need to move urgently to give them the attention they deserve and finally address the long-term research underfunding,” states Louise Hardy, CEO Arthritis Australia.

You can read the full joint media release here.

Consumers who are involved in health research would receive a standard hourly rate of remuneration, under a framework developed by the National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health at the Australian National University (ANU) in partnership with Research Australia.

Recognising Consumers’ Contributions to Health Research was co-designed with health consumers and representatives of universities, a local health district, and not for-profit and consumer-led bodies.

Associate Professor Jane Desborough said individuals with lived experience of specific health conditions make important contributions to high-quality health research, for example through being involved in research teams, on steering groups or by participating in focus groups and interviews.

“While consumer engagement is now widely expected in Australian health research, approaches to recognising and rewarding those contributions have not kept pace,” Associate Professor Desborough said.

Dr Talia Avrahamzon, Head of Policy, Projects and Advocacy at Research Australia, said the development of the framework reflected the importance of consumer participation in health research.

“Research Australia is proud to have been a part of this important work, and we would like to thank the members of Research Australia’s Consumer Remuneration Working Group for their contributions to this framework,” Dr Avrahamzon said.

“Consumers are central to high-performing health and medical research and innovative systems. Research Australia has consistently championed formal recognition of lived experience, and this work reinforces that valuing their contributions is not optional – it is essential to delivering research that is relevant, impactful and truly centred on patient outcomes.”

Recognising Consumers’ Contributions to Health Research is published on the Research Australia website. You can read the full joint media release here.

For decades, Australia’s health and medical research (HMR) ecosystem has been shaped by short political horizons rather than long-term national vision. Yet meaningful change in science and innovation takes time.

Our nation could be a global contributor – developing, exporting, and commercialising the next generation of diagnostics, therapies, and technologies that will define the future of healthcare. But it all comes down to how we invest.

As Research Australia set out in our Pre-Budget Submission, a high-functioning HMR sector is a foundational, economically generative and cross-cutting solution to the interconnected national challenges facing Australia, and should be treated as strategic public investment rather than discretionary spending.

You can read our full opinion piece here.

Research Australia welcomes the release of Ambitious Australia: Strategic Examination of Research and Development Final Report. The report marks a significant step toward strengthening Australia’s research, development and innovation (RD&I) system and improving national productivity.

The report, commissioned by the Australian Government and led by an independent expert panel chaired by Robyn Denholm, outlines a comprehensive reform agenda to strengthen Australia’s RD&I system.

Given that health and medical research and innovation accounts for close to a quarter of all Australian RD&I, Research Australia welcomes the inclusion of health and medical research as a key pillar of the Strategic Examination of R&D.

“The report confirms what the health and medical research and innovation sector has been saying for some time – RD&I is crucial not only to Australians’ health and wellbeing but to our nation’s economic future, boosting economic resilience, sovereign capability and productivity,” said Ms Nadia Levin, CEO of Research Australia.

Research Australia’s submission emphasised the need for a coordinated national approach to RD&I, stronger industry engagement and sustained investment across the research pipeline. These priorities are strongly reflected in the final report.

Research Australia’s submission similarly called for:

• A national, long-term strategy for research and innovation aligned with economic and societal priorities.

• Greater investment in research from discovery through to translation and commercialisation, ensuring discoveries deliver real-world benefits.

• Stronger collaboration between industry, health services, universities and research organisations. These priorities are echoed in the review’s focus on improving coordination across the R&D system, increasing industry participation and ensuring research investment delivers national impact.

“This report shows clearly the urgent need for bold reform to boost Australia’s RD&I capabilities, the real test now will be how the Australian Government responds to the review’s recommendations, Ms Levin said.

“Research Australia looks forward to working with government, industry and the research sector to ensure these recommendations translate into meaningful action and look forward to seeing the long-awaited release of the National Health and Medical Research Strategy to ensure these reforms are aligned.”

You can read Research Australia’s full submission and summary of recommendations to the Strategic Examination of R&D here.