We invite you to join us in-conversation with some of Australia’s health and medical powerhouses as part of an extraordinary series of speaker events, brought to you by NHMRC.
Our NHMRC: Speaking of Science webinar series are not-to-be-missed opportunities to hear from our nation’s outstanding researchers, high profile individuals, and scientific experts within their chosen fields, and to discuss topics at the core of their careers in health and medical research.
Everyone is welcome to attend these free virtual webinars, inviting you to engage with some inspiring individuals on different topics across the spectrum of health and medical research, as well as connect with peers across the wider sector. There will be a Q&A session at the end of each webinar and questions are encouraged.
Registrations are essential — Don't miss out on this chance to learn, engage, and connect. Subscribe below to be the first to know about upcoming events.
If you have suggestions on who may like to be a part of this great series, please let us know via communications@nhmrc.gov.au — we'd love to hear from you!
Upcoming
Bowel cancer prevention: from discovery and innovation to impact on survival in Australia
Colorectal or bowel cancer is the second most common cause of cancer related death in Australia, claiming the lives of an estimated 5,372 people across our nation each year. However, it is also one of the most treatable types of cancer when detected early.
Australia was the first country in the world to implement and sustain a national population based organised screening program that uses faecal immunochemical tests (FIT) to detect bowel cancer. This NHMRC funded work would go onto underpin the development of what we now know as our National Bowel Cancer Screening Program, or most commonly referred to as the ‘poo test’.
In light of Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, NHMRC will be joined by Emeritus Professor of the College of Medicine and Public Health at Flinders University, Professor Graeme Young AM to discuss the innovative research into bowel cancer screening and prevention and how this has impacted survival rates in Australia.
This webinar will take place on Thursday 25 June 2026 from 11:00AM–12:00PM AEST.
Fifty Years Deadly: Aboriginal science, genomic sovereignty and what precision medicine must do for our mob
For 5 decades, NAIDOC Week has celebrated the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, honouring the resistance and culture that enriches our nation. This year NAIDOC Week marks an important milestone, Fifty Years of Deadly – a tribute to the people who built this movement, the Elders who stood firm, the organisers who made space, the artists who turned resistance into expression and the communities who keep showing up.
Join NHMRC this NAIDOC Week as we host Australia’s first Indigenous bioinformatician, Adam Heterick of both the Black Ochre Data Labs (The Kids Research Institute Australia) and at the National Centre for Indigenous Genomics (ANU).
Adam will discuss his research into Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander genomics and health equity, Indigenous data sovereignty in practice and strengths based framing that empowers First Nations researchers and communities to be leaders, not subjects. Intertwining this with 50 Years of Deadly, Adam will also share his vision for the next 5 decades of deadly, sovereign science.
This webinar will take place on Wednesday 8 July 2026 10:00AM–11:00AM AEST.
Past
Watch previous editions of Speaking of Science.
2026
- Being All In: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership, research sovereignty and systems change
- From discovery to impact: improving access to mental health care for children
- Oral health in the land of milk and honey: Developing dairy based technologies to help reduce oral diseases
- From concept to worldwide clinical use: developing an optimal surgical treatment for glaucoma
2025
- Is obesity a disease or a risk factor? Changing paradigms with new definitions
- Acting now against antimicrobial resistance
- Genetics of depression: risk and response to treatment with Dr Brittany Mitchell
- Achieving better outcomes in women's sexual and reproductive health: The SPHERE CRE journey
- The Artificial Heart Frontiers Program: engineering the next generation of artificial hearts with Professor Shaun Gregory
- New frontiers in brain cancer research with Professor Misty Jenkins AO and Professor Matt Dun
- Empowering consumers in health and medical research with Professor James St John and hosted by Ms Ainslie Cahill AM
- Cultural safety and fostering connections to social and emotional wellbeing with Associate Professor Yvonne Clark
- Interrogating the physiology of the human vagus nerve with Professor Vaughan Macefield
- Evaluating 23 years of Dementia and Diabetes research
- Discovering a breakthrough in the fight against cancer with Professor Andrew Wilks
2024
- International Day of Persons with Disabilities
- Emerging international trends in sex and gender science with Dr Cara Tannenbaum
- Breast Cancer Awareness Month with Professor Belinda Parker
- SOLVEing Coronary Heart Disease with Professor Julie Redfern
- Synthetic Biology (designer cells and antibodies) with Professor Shalin Naik
- International Research Translation Practice
- International Men’s Health Week
- Unlocking the power of Indigenous co-design and intervention: Transformative outcomes through authentic collaboration
- Towards a National Indigenous Genomics Agenda with Professor Alex Brown
- International Women’s Day: Inspire Inclusion with Ms Christine Gunson, Professor Yvette Roe, Dr Yee Lian Chow and Professor Frances Kay-Lambkin
- Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month: Early detection, risk prediction and improving prognosis with Professor Susan Ramos