The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Genomics Targeted Call for Research Grant Advisory Committee (the Advisory Committee) has been established to oversee the progress of the $25 million Genomics Grant awarded in October 2015, for the duration of the grant.

The NHMRC Genomics Targeted Call for Research Grant Advisory Committee (the Advisory Committee) has been established to oversee the progress of the $25 million Genomics Grant awarded in October 2015, for the duration of the grant.

The Advisory Committee is comprised of experts in genomic medicine, and experts in areas of health and medical research where genomics is becoming increasingly important.

Current appointments to the Advisory Committee are from 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2018.

The Advisory Committee will meet bi-annually to assess progress against identified milestones, as well as the grant holders' participation in, and compliance with, the objectives of the Global Alliance for Genomics and Health and the Global Genomic Medicine Collaboration. Grant recipients are required to submit a progress report against the milestones outlined in their Research Proposal to the Advisory Committee for assessment at these meetings. The Advisory Committee will advise NHMRC's CEO on whether milestones have been met.

Terms of reference

The Terms of reference for the Genomics Targeted Call for Research Grant Advisory Committee are to:

  • Assess progress of the Genomics TCR grant against six-monthly milestones.
  • Assess the grant holders' participation in, and compliance with, the objectives of the Global Alliance for Genomics and Health and the Global Genomic Medicine Collaboration.
  • Recommend adjustments to the budget of the grant based on progress against the milestones.
  • Perform other duties as directed by the NHMRC's Chief Executive Officer.

Member information and Declarations of Interest

The members of the expert Advisory Committee were required to document their interests and involvement (financial and non-financial) in activities regarding health and medical research. The members were also asked to consider perceived conflicts of interest as well as real interests.

Members

Chair,
Professor
John (Jock)
Findlay AO

  • Centre for Reproductive Health
  • Hudson Medical Research Institute

Relevant experience

  • Honorary Life Member of the Endocrine Society of Australia
  • Emeritus Member & Fellow of the Society for the Study of Reproduction, USA
  • Lifetime Member & Fellow of the Society for Reproductive Biology
  • Honorary Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne
  • Adjunct Professor at the Monash University Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
  • Chair of the Robinson Research Institute Advisory Board, University of Adelaide
  • Previous NHMRC SPRF and Project and Program Grant holder.

Professor Findlay is internationally recognised for his research into female reproduction and fertility, which has led to a shift in understanding how hormones have local effects on the body including the production of eggs, and to the development of improved IVF procedures. Professor Findlay's recent research has contributed to our understanding of chemoresistance and metastasis of ovarian cancer.

Professor
Augusto
Rendon

  • Director of Bioinformatics and Genome Analysis, Genomics England
  • Queen Mary University of London

Relevant experience

  • Senior Research Associate at the University of Cambridge Department of Haematology
  • Researcher at the Medical Research Council Biostatistics Unit

Professor Rendon is internationally recognised for his work leading the UK's 100,000 Genomes Project, and the design of genome interpretation systems for use by the UK's National Health Service. Professor Rendon's recent work has focussed on the building of genomic databases to enable translation research within the programs he leads.

Professor
Anushka
Patel

  • Professor of Medicine, Sydney Medical School
  • The George Institute for Global Health

Relevant experience

  • Chief Scientist of the George Institute for Global Health.
  • Cardiologist and Honorary Senior Medical Officer at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
  • Fellow and Council Member, Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences
  • NHMRC Elizabeth Blackburn Fellow

Professor Patel is internationally recognised for her focus on developing innovative solutions for delivering affordable and effective chronic disease care in the community and in acute care hospital settings. Professor Patel's recent research covers the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes in Australia, India and China.

Professor
Paul
Kelly

  • Chief Medical Adviser, Health Products Regulation Group, Australian Government Department of Health
  • Professor, Australian National University Medical School

Relevant experience

  • Former member of the National Health and Medical Research Council (2011-2019)
  • Former Chief Health Officer for the Australian Capital Territory (2011-2019)
  • Member of the Expert Advisory Group for the Australian Burden of Disease Study and of two World Health Organization Advisory Groups – International Health Regulations Roster of Experts and Nutritional Guidelines Advisory Group.

Professor Kelly has a particular research interest and expertise in respiratory infectious diseases, including tuberculosis and influenza, health services research, systems approaches to chronic disease prevention and regulatory science.