The Australian Government is investing in the future capacity of Australian health and medical research with more than $7 million to support the research training of 62 outstanding graduates.
Successful applicants will be supported early in their research careers through National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Postgraduate Scholarships.
Among the 62 recipients of funding are:
- Dr Briony Shaw from Monash University who will investigate novel approaches to monitoring transfusion of patients with blood cancers, including a pilot program to transfuse patients in their homes
- Dr Yanna Ko from Western Sydney University who will evaluate faecal microbiota transplantation as a method of restoring healthy gut bacteria when treating irritable bowel syndrome
- Dr Michael Moso from The University of Melbourne who aims to develop a therapeutic approach using nanoparticles and gene therapy to cure human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection by reactivating latent virus
- Dr Antonia Kolovos from Flinders University who will use functional, genetic and other indicators to create a risk calculator to identify patients with a high risk of vision loss from glaucoma and propose new approaches to glaucoma monitoring
- Dr Karen Liddle from The University of Queensland who will use imaging and genetic testing to develop a model for precision diagnosis of children with hearing loss.
The full list of successful applicants can be found here.
Quotes attributable to Minister Butler:
“This is an important investment in the next generation of Australian medical research leaders.”
“The Australian Government is supporting outstanding health and medical graduates to be trained to conduct research that is internationally competitive, strengthening our national research capacity.”
Quotes attributable to NHMRC CEO Professor Anne Kelso AO
“The NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship scheme supports graduates in medicine, dentistry, allied health and other fields early in their careers to undertake health and medical research,” NHMRC CEO Professor Anne Kelso said.
“Successful applicants are funded to attain a research-based postgraduate degree that will set them on the path to an independent research career.”
List of recipients funded (in order of Application ID)
|
Chief Investigator |
Application Title |
Administering Institution |
|
Doctor Natacha Omer |
Natural killer cell immunotherapy in paediatric sarcomas |
The University of Queensland |
|
Doctor Xi May Zhen |
Overweight and obesity in young adults with type 1 and type 2 diabetes: mortality, pregnancy outcomes, and novel glycaemic interventions |
The University of Sydney |
|
Doctor Josephine Warren |
Evaluation and diagnosis of cardiac allograft vasculopathy post heart transplant using novel Cardiac CT techniques. |
Monash University |
|
Harrison Hansford |
The ZEUs (ZopiclonE for acUte low back pain) trial: A multi-site, double blind, randomised controlled trial of zopiclone for acute low back pain |
The University of New South Wales |
|
Doctor Sarah Heynemann |
Ethics of cancer trials |
The University of Sydney |
|
Doctor Lawrence Kasherman |
Improving outcomes and experiences of culturally and linguistically diverse patients affected by cancer participating in survivorship programs |
The University of Sydney |
|
Doctor Phillip Nguyen |
Clonal determinants of immune evasion to allogeneic stem cell transplant in acute myeloid leukaemia |
The University of Melbourne |
|
Doctor Steven Nicolaides |
Immune related adverse events of the gastrointestinal system and investigation of novel diagnostics and therapeutics |
Monash University |
|
Doctor Elisabeth Ng |
Primary Aldosteronism: new strategies for diagnosis and management |
Monash University |
|
Doctor Hannah Gordon |
Characterising the perinatal, neonatal and school-age childhood outcomes associated with diabetes in pregnancy |
The University of Melbourne |
|
Doctor Suyi Ooi |
Advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) biomarkers for prediction of clinical outcomes after a first seizure |
The University of Melbourne |
|
Doctor Avraham Travers |
CD8+ T cell tolerance within the tumour draining lymph node as a novel immunotherapy target in colorectal cancer |
The University of Melbourne |
|
Doctor Gia Tang |
The impact of gender affirming hormone therapy on scalp hair pattern and distribution |
The University of Melbourne |
|
Doctor Minh Huan Dang |
Defining new therapeutic targets for ANCA-associated vasculitis |
Monash University |
|
Doctor Shuyu Wang |
Advancing precision therapies for epilepsy |
The University of Melbourne |
|
Stefanie Dimov |
The impact of post-school transitions on the mental health of young people with developmental disabilities |
The University of Melbourne |
|
Doctor Briony Shaw |
Novel approaches to transfusion to improve supportive care for patients with blood cancers |
Monash University |
|
Doctor Rahul Muthalaly |
Cardiovascular risk reduction in stroke survivors |
Monash University |
|
Doctor Rajan Rehan |
Novel insights into ischemia and no obstructive coronary artery disease |
The University of Sydney |
|
Karan Rao |
Investigating methods to optimise and streamline transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) |
The University of Sydney |
|
Lottie Morison |
Improving outcomes for children with complex communication needs |
Murdoch Children's Research Institute |
|
Doctor Omali Pitiyarachchi |
Moving towards personalising treatment for patients with pancreatic cancer using a patient-derived tumour explant model |
The University of New South Wales |
|
Doctor Youlin Koh |
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors And Depression in Atrial Fibrillation: The SAD-AF randomised controlled trial |
Melbourne Health |
|
Doctor Yanna Ko |
The role of the gut microbiome in irritable bowel syndrome and its therapeutic potential |
Western Sydney University |
|
Rachael Farquhar |
Investigating the effectiveness of systems-oriented implementation research and partnerships in malaria- endemic settings |
Burnet Institute |
|
Doctor Antonia Kolovos |
Saving sight: Novel stratification instruments for glaucoma |
Flinders University |
|
Nina Leggett |
Digital health to assist recovery after critical illness |
The University of Melbourne |
|
Juliana Kanawati |
Three-dimensional (3D) printing to refine cardiac assessment and procedures |
The University of Sydney |
|
Doctor Justin Chua |
Defining the landscape of ANCA- associated vasculitides in Australia and providing a foundation for improved care |
Monash University |
|
Doctor Michael Moso |
Nanoparticle and gene therapy approaches to HIV cure |
The University of Melbourne |
|
Doctor Antonia Clarke |
Community, country and cognition: a multi-jurisdictional assessment of dementia affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples |
The University of Melbourne |
|
Doctor Yvonne Kong |
Platelet biomarkers of thrombotic risk in type 2 diabetes |
The University of Sydney |
|
Yunduo Zhao |
Coronary artery mimicking blood clot test: a point-of-care prothrombotic prediction device for patient-specific diagnosis |
The University of Sydney |
|
Doctor Natasha Gorrie |
Understanding the phenotypic expression of early disease and genetics of cardiac amyloidosis |
The University of New South Wales |
|
Doctor Douglas Tjandra |
Predicting progression of intestinal metaplasia to gastric cancer |
Monash University |
|
Ellie Medcalf |
Generating the trial evidence end-users prefer: adding value to the analysis of a randomised controlled trial of patient-led surveillance for subsequent melanoma (MEL-SELF) |
The University of Sydney |
|
Rabia Khalid |
Understanding the interplay between eating disorders and weight management therapy |
The University of Sydney |
|
Doctor Jeremy Hill |
Towards ending tuberculosis and leprosy in the Pacific – implementing the PEARL study in South Tarawa, Kiribati |
The University of Sydney |
|
Doctor Karen Liddle |
Precision diagnosis for children with hearing loss: optimising utilisation of imaging and genetic testing |
The University of Queensland |
|
Doctor Abera Saeed |
Novel retinal imaging biomarkers for the assessment and prevention of diabetes complications |
Centre for Eye Research Australia Limited |
|
Doctor Shejil Kumar |
The effects of osteoanabolic pharmacotherapy and osteogenic exercise on bone and muscle outcomes in postmenopausal osteoporosis: exploring the bone/muscle interface |
The University of Sydney |
|
Danielle Hutchinson |
Community Sentiment Tool |
The University of New South Wales |
|
Doctor Russell Gear |
Comparing the efficacy and acceptability of genomic testing and skin biopsy in diagnosing monogenic skin disease |
Murdoch Children's Research Institute |
|
Doctor Justin Phan |
Assessing the cardiac arrhythmia profile of cancer therapeutics |
The University of New South Wales |
|
Doctor Smitha Kumble |
Critical evaluation of the diagnostic utility of whole genome and transcriptome sequencing and the training of physicians in the deployment of frontier diagnostic technologies in healthcare |
Murdoch Children's Research Institute |
|
Doctor Emma Tay |
Prescription drug monitoring program in New South Wales: a mixed methods study of implementation processes, stakeholder experiences, and program impact |
The University of Sydney |
|
Nga Yan Tse |
Functional connectivity-guided transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) treatment for young people with major depression |
The University of Melbourne |
|
Doctor Aashray Gupta |
Evidence supporting strategies for coronary artery revascularisation |
The University of Adelaide |
|
Doctor Aleece MacPhail |
Predicting and preventing sepsis in patients with haematological malignancy |
Monash University |
|
Doctor Joshua Wong |
Heart failure prevention in cancer survivors by recognition and treatment of subclinical disease |
Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute |
|
Doctor Alex Stoyanov |
Detection of autoantibodies using novel bioluminescent systems |
The University of Sydney |
|
John Chetwood |
Optimising biologics in inflammatory bowel disease |
The University of Sydney |
|
Georgia Carstensen |
Novel policy approaches to reduce the supply and availability of tobacco products |
The University of Queensland |
|
Catherine Banks |
Targeted and stem cell therapeutics for cystic fibrosis sinus disease |
The University of New South Wales |
|
Doctor Chun Mei Thng |
Investigating novel prevention and treatment strategies for gonococcal control |
Griffith University |
|
Doctor Adam Peterson |
Human amnion epithelial cell derived novel therapeutics in inflammatory bowel disease |
Monash University |
|
Sarah Donoghue |
Towards treatment of intellectual disability caused by errors in the chromatin machinery |
Murdoch Children's Research Institute |
|
Yasmin Mohamed |
Vaccine champions and vaccine communication program |
Murdoch Children's Research Institute |
|
Doctor Patricia Khoo |
Novel bacteria as a therapy for inflammatory bowel disease |
Monash University |
|
Doctor Megan Frohlich |
Application of novel personalised medicine tools to understand treatment mechanisms in Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia |
The University of New South Wales |
|
Doctor Melissa Shields |
Better vision for patients with ocular toxoplasmosis |
Flinders University |
|
Michael Dymock |
Designing Bayesian clinical trials to enhance clinician- and consumer-directed decision-making |
The University of Western Australia |