We're changing the way Sapphire looks
Same platform, new visual identity. Learn more: Sapphire is becoming NHMRC Grant Management System.
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Latest news and stories
Tracker – 26 October 2026
Welcome to Tracker, the National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) fortnightly newsletter with the latest information on major activities and funding opportunities.
Sapphire is becoming NHMRC Grant Management System
A new name and look for NHMRC's grant management platform. NHMRC is updating the name and branding of its grant management platform, Sapphire.
Nominations now open – NHMRC Council, Principal Committees and Joint NHMRC-MRFF Advisory Committees
Welcome to this special edition of Tracker.
Speaking of Science: From clinical practice to research: changing how we care for people with cardiovascular disease and frailty
Australia’s population is rapidly ageing and as the population ages, so does the prevalence of multiple chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease. This leads to a growth in the number of frail older adults in acute care settings.
Tracker - 12 October 2026
Welcome to Tracker, NHMRC’s fortnightly newsletter with the latest information on major activities and funding opportunities.
2027 NHMRC Biennial Awards
Welcome to this special edition of Tracker.
Nominations are now open for the 2027 NHMRC Biennial Awards, celebrating the people and teams whose work is shaping the future of health and medical research in Australia.
In this special edition, you'll find everything you need to know about the awards, including award categories, eligibility requirements and how to submit a nomination.
Dual battle: Protecting the heart in the fight against breast cancer
During breast cancer radiation therapy, the heart can receive a significant dose of radiation. To reduce this, patients are treated while holding their breath, also known as Deep Inspiration Breath Hold (DIBH). Read how Professor Joerg Lehmann has successfully developed a first ever monitoring system to continuously and directly measure DIBH to assure optimal radiation delivery to patients.
Speaking of Science: From early detection to impact: improving outcomes of children with leukaemia
Beginning in the 1990s, researchers at the Children’s Cancer Institute received a succession of NHMRC grants to support research focused on childhood cancers.
Tracker - 28 September 2026
Welcome to Tracker, NHMRC’s fortnightly newsletter with the latest information on major activities and funding opportunities.
CEO statement on NHMRC’s Research Translation Centre Initiative
Research Translation Centres foster collaboration, build research capability and support health service led innovation. This has helped improve health outcomes and strengthen Australia's health and medical research translation ecosystem.
Advancing medical research breakthroughs to reach more Australians
NHMRC is supporting health and medical research partnerships that will improve health services across Australia. This project is a part of a broader Australian Government investment of $17.3 million, with an additional $27.7 million committed by funding partners.
Meet Professor Fabienne Mackay: Driving innovation in immunology, research translation and commercialisation
Immune related diseases affect millions of people worldwide, driving an urgent need for research that can be translated into better treatments and health outcomes.
Meet Professor Yvette Roe: Championing First Nations health research and community-led change
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples continue to experience significant health inequities, making culturally informed, community led research more important than ever.
Meet Professor Anushka Patel: Advancing cardiovascular health through research, leadership and expert advice
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide, affecting hundreds of millions of people each year.
National research funders back Australian health and medical research
From 2021–22 to 2024–25, the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) and the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) invested almost $6.5 billion in strengthening Australia's research capability and improving health outcomes for Australians.
Tracker – 14 September 2026
Welcome to Tracker, NHMRC’s fortnightly newsletter with the latest information on major activities and funding opportunities.
Shaping the future of Indigenous genomics
Wiradjuri man, Adam Heterick, has built his career as Australia’s first Indigenous bioinformatician at the intersection of genomics, data science and community-led health research.
Knowledge impact case study: Protecting smiles, transforming oral health
Poor oral health affects billions of people worldwide and is one of the most common chronic health conditions, impacting wellbeing, quality of life and overall health. Research that prevents disease before it starts has the potential to improve outcomes for individuals while reducing pressure on health systems.
Knowledge impact case study: Shaping policy, saving lives – the impact of research on drug use and addiction
Drug use and dependence contribute significantly to illness, injury and premature death worldwide, creating major challenges for individuals, families and health systems.
$66 million to fund centres of research excellence
NHMRC is investing $66 million into 22 new centres of research excellence, collectively aiming to improve health outcomes and promote or improve translation of research into policy and practice.
Tracker - 31 August 2026
Welcome to Tracker, NHMRC’s fortnightly newsletter with the latest information on major activities and funding opportunities.
Joint communiqué from ARC and NHMRC: Towards a more trusted, collaborative and connected research system
Landmark joint meeting of the ARC Board and NHMRC Council.
Speaking of Science: From bench to birth: Building a test and treat program to prevent early preterm birth
NHMRC’s history in developing dietary advice during pregnancy, lactation and early infant feeding dates to the 1980s where early recommendations were made to those providing direct care to pregnant and lactating women to meet the nutrient requirements for both the mother and their baby.
Turning back the clock on ageing with nanomedicines
Ageing is driven by an accumulation of molecular and cellular damage over time. Professor Victoria Cogger is exploring how we might one day be able to reduce the rate or even reverse the process of ageing by starting with one of the body’s most critical organs, the liver.
Tracker - 17 August 2026
Welcome to Tracker, NHMRC’s fortnightly newsletter with the latest information on major activities and funding opportunities.
Transforming support for Aboriginal children across generations
Associate Professor BJ Newton is a proud Wiradjuri woman and one of Australia’s leading researchers in child protection policy and outcomes for Aboriginal children. She leads the ‘Bring Them Home, Keep Them Home’ research program – the first international study examining restoration rates, outcomes and lived experiences of Aboriginal children in out of home care. Associate Professor Newton is the recipient of the NHMRC Sandra Eades Investigator Grant Award for her research into understanding systems abuse and Aboriginal resistance in child protection contexts.
Shining a light on intergenerational complex trauma for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families
Discover the inspiring journey of Professor Cath Chamberlain – a dedicated midwife and researcher, as she shines a light on Indigenous parents experiencing intergenerational trauma and aims to improve support for parents to heal the past by nurturing the future.
Tracker - 3 August 2026
Welcome to Tracker, NHMRC’s fortnightly newsletter with the latest information on major activities and funding opportunities.
Knowledge impact case study: The enzymes protecting our cells
‘What happens when the body's natural controls on cell growth break down?’
Addressing the public health challenge of mould exposure
Professor Rebecca Bentley is a public health researcher at the University of Melbourne, Healthy Housing Research Lead at the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, and Director of the Centre of Excellence in Healthy Housing. Her research examines how housing affordability, security and suitability shape population health and health inequalities, with a focus on reducing the health burden associated with poor housing conditions. Professor Bentley is the recipient of the NHMRC Fiona Stanley Synergy Grant Award for her research into addressing the public health challenge of mould in homes.
NHMRC supporting international collaborations in medical research
NHMRC is investing almost one million dollars for international collaborations in medical research through the NHMRC-Horizon Europe grant scheme.
$430 million for Australian health and medical research investigators
NHMRC is investing $430 million into Australia’s outstanding health and medical research to support our nation’s highest performing investigators through our Investigator Grants scheme.
Accelerating towards the future for hepatitis B elimination
Developed by Associate Professor Jess Howell, a point of care test that uses a single droplet of blood to measure liver damage has the potential to revolutionise the diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis B for populations worldwide.
$3.8 million to improve the health of Australia’s homeless population
NHMRC is supporting research to better understand and improve the health of people experiencing unstable housing conditions.
Tracker - 20 July 2026
Welcome to Tracker, the National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) fortnightly newsletter with the latest information on major activities and funding opportunities.
Knowledge impact case study: Growing kidneys in the lab
‘The big question I’ve been trying to answer for almost 35 years is, how you recreate a kidney.’ – Professor Melissa Little
The power of discovery science
Professor Arthur Christopoulos is the Professor of Analytical Pharmacology and Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Monash University. He is a world leader in drug discovery of G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), particularly through multidisciplinary studies of allosteric modulation and biased agonism as novel biological paradigms to treat a broad range of diseases. Professor Christopoulos is the recipient of the NHMRC Peter Doherty Investigator Grant Award (Leadership) for his research into allosteric modulation of muscarinic receptors for the treatment of neurocognitive deficits.
Speaking of Science: 50 Years of Deadly: Aboriginal science, genomic sovereignty and what precision medicine must do for our mob
For 50 deadly years, NAIDOC Week has been a platform to celebrate the steady, unapologetic and proud voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. NAIDOC Week provides an opportunity to reflect on the stories, marches, languages, art and leadership grounded in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history.
Speaking of Science: Bowel cancer prevention: from discovery and innovation to impact on survival in Australia
Bowel cancer is Australia’s second most common cause of cancer related death in Australia.
Tracker - 6 July 2026
Welcome to Tracker, the National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) fortnightly newsletter with the latest information on major activities and funding opportunities.
Webinar: Overview of the National Health and Medical Research Strategy
The National Health and Medical Research Strategy 2026–2036, presented by the Chair of the National Strategy, Ms Rosemary Huxtable AO PSM, sets out a 10-year vision for strengthening Australia’s health and medical research system and improving outcomes for the community. A webinar was hosted on Friday 26 June to walk through the strategy.
Innovation in breast cancer immunology treatment and prevention
Professor Sherene Loi is a breast medical oncologist and clinician scientist at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, where she leads a research program integrating tumour immunology, genomics and clinical trials to improve breast cancer outcomes. Her internationally recognised work has defined how immune cells within breast tumours and normal breast tissue influence cancer risk, prognosis and treatment response. Professor Loi is the recipient of the NHMRC Elizabeth Blackburn Investigator Grant Award for leadership in Clinical Medicine and Science for her research into breast cancer immunology and prevention.
$31 million to strengthen Australian health and medical research partnerships
NHMRC is supporting health and medical research partnerships that will improve health services and processes within Australia through an investment worth more than $31 million.
Tracker - 22 June 2026
Welcome to Tracker, the National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) fortnightly newsletter with the latest information on major activities and funding opportunities.
Eliminating cervical cancer in Australia
Professor Karen Canfell AC’s research has impacted cancer control policy across multiple cancers. Her team’s modelling and clinical trial findings on cervical screening in a Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccinated population were central to the 2017 transition of Australia's National Cervical Screening Program to primary HPV screening. Her work has supported the Australian and World Health Organization (WHO) strategies to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer, and her team continues to support WHO global guidelines for cervical screening. Professor Canfell is the recipient of the NHMRC Elizabeth Blackburn Investigator Grant Award for Leadership in Health Services Research for her research into the effective implementation and scale up of the WHO strategy to eliminate cervical cancer in Australia, the Indo-Pacific and globally.
Tracker - 9 June 2026
Welcome to Tracker, the National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) fortnightly newsletter with the latest information on major activities and funding opportunities.
New initiative promoting Indigenous health equity through research
To help drive equitable health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, NHMRC is asking all grant applicants to consider the potential impacts and benefits of their research for Indigenous health in more schemes in 2026.
Combatting antimicrobial resistance through a synthetic biology approach
Dr Sue Chin Nang is a Senior Research Fellow and leads the bacteriophage (phage) therapy team in the Laboratory of Antimicrobial Systems Pharmacology at the Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University. Her research tackles the global threat of antimicrobial resistance by combining traditional antibiotics with nontraditional phage approaches. Dr Nang is the recipient of the NHMRC Frank Fenner Investigator Grant Award for her research into combatting antimicrobial resistance through a cell free synthetic biology approach.
New guidance on the use of identifiable images in grant applications for MREA schemes
NHMRC has introduced new guidance on the use of identifiable images of people in grant applications. The guidance will be introduced in the Grant Opportunity Guidelines for MREA schemes, supported by a new declaration in Sapphire.
Improving post kidney transplant outcomes
Dr Craig Coorey is a nephrologist at Westmead Hospital and a PhD candidate at the University of Sydney within the Centre for Kidney Research. His research focuses on improving outcomes in kidney transplantation, including donor recipient matching and the prediction and management of complications after transplant. Dr Coorey is the recipient of the NHMRC Gustav Nossal Postgraduate Scholarship Award for his research into improving post kidney transplant outcomes with a patient centred causal inference framework.