14 September 2026

Welcome to Tracker, NHMRC’s fortnightly newsletter with the latest information on major activities and funding opportunities.

Speaking of Science - From early detection to impact: improving outcomes of children with leukaemia

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia is the most common cancer in children. While almost all patients enter remission after initial chemotherapy, for around one in 6 patients, a small residue of leukaemia cells survives and drives relapse.

Beginning in 1996, NHMRC funding has underpinned research into the development of minimal residual (MRD) testing, which is capable of detecting one leukaemia cell among a million healthy cells. MRD testing has led to a doubling in survival for high-risk children while sparing lower risk children from overly intensive treatment.

Professor Murray Norris AM of the Children’s Cancer Institute will join us for Speaking of Science this September, in acknowledgement of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, to discuss improving outcomes in childhood leukaemia.

There will be a Q&A session at the end, so we encourage you to attend and ask questions!  

This webinar will take place on Friday 25 September 2026, 10:00AM–11:00AM AEST.

Register on Teams here. 
 

NHMRC’s next CEO – applications closing soon

NHMRC is seeking a highly respected leader with demonstrated achievement in health and medical research, healthcare, research funding, public policy, innovation, academia or a related field for the role of CEO, to:

  • shape the future of health and medical research in Australia
  • lead Australia’s largest health and medical research funding organisation
  • support the ambition of Australia’s first National Health and Medical Research Strategy
  • set national standards, including for the conduct of research, ethics in health, and providing trusted, evidence-based health advice to improve the health and lives of all Australians.

Applications close Thursday 17 September 2026, 11:59PM (AEST).

For more information, see our Careers webpage on NHMRC’s website. 

National Artificial Intelligence in Research Survey

Australian researchers are invited to participate in the National AI in Research Survey, led by Science & Technology Australia and the MetaMelb Research Group at the University of Melbourne. The survey will help build an evidence base on how AI is being used across research and inform future policy discussions. 

The initiative is supported by NHMRC, ARC and the Office of AI within the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Researchers are encouraged to share their experiences and perspectives. 

The survey closes on Friday 25 September 2026. Complete the survey via the Science & Technology Australia webpage.

Public consultation is open until 18 September 2026 and can be accessed through the Department’s consultation website.  

The Science|Business website outlines developments that will help shape the European research and innovation landscape for 2028–2034, and inform negotiations on Framework Programme 10, the European Union’s next Framework Programme for Research and Innovation. 

Centres of Research Excellence funding announced

On 2 September 2026, the Special Envoy for Men's Health, the Hon Dan Repacholi MP, announced the funding outcomes for the 2026 Centres of Research Excellence (CRE) grant opportunity. 

This $66 million investment into 22 new CREs includes funding for early-onset bowel cancer research supported by Bowel Cancer Australia, and infection prevention and control research in aged care supported by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. 

Media releases for this announcement are available from the Special Envoy's media centre and NHMRC news centre. 
 

Research helps expand Australia’s blood donor pool

A new NHMRC impact case study highlights how Australian research helped expand blood donation eligibility while maintaining the safety of the national blood supply. 

NHMRC-funded researchers from the Kirby Institute, working with Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, used epidemiological evidence and risk modelling to assess the risk of variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (vCJD) transmission through blood donation. Their findings showed that removing longstanding restrictions on donors who had lived in the United Kingdom during the ‘mad cow’ outbreak posed an extremely low risk. The research informed regulatory change, resulting in more than 700,000 additional Australians becoming eligible to donate blood.

Read more about this and other positive impacts arising from NHMRC grant funding in our impact case studies.
 

Public consultation on Horizon Europe implementation arrangements now open

Australian researchers can apply directly to Horizon Europe funding opportunities from 1 January 2027. To support researchers, the Department of Industry, Science and Resources is seeking feedback from Australian stakeholders on implementation arrangements. 

Public consultation: Nutrient Reference Values (NRVs) sodium and vitamin B6 recommendations

NHMRC’s public consultations on revised NRV recommendations for sodium and vitamin B6 are now open. 

NRVs are guidelines that describe how much of each nutrient, like sodium and vitamin B6, people need to stay healthy. They help people in Australia and New Zealand meet their nutritional needs and aim to reduce the risk of health issues from nutrient deficiency or excess.

Public consultation closes Wednesday 30 September 2026, 11:59PM (AEST).

For more information or to make a submission, use the following links to our website: 
Sodium
Vitamin B6
 

NHMRC-approved third party guidelines

Under section 14A of the National Health and Medical Research Council Act 1992, the Chief Executive Officer of NHMRC, Professor Steve Wesselingh, approved the living recommendations of the following guidelines:

  • Australian and New Zealand Living Clinical Guidelines for Stroke Management developed by the Stroke Foundation. The NHMRC-approved living recommendations provide advice on: 
    • lifestyle modifications – physical activity
    • adherence to pharmacotherapy. 
  • Australian Pregnancy Care Guidelines developed by the Living Evidence for Australian Pregnancy and Postnatal Care (LEAPP) consortium. The NHMRC-approved living recommendations provide advice on:
    • psychological birth trauma
    • human papillomavirus screening
    • nutritional supplements.
  • Australian Postnatal Care Guidelines developed by the Living Evidence for Australian Pregnancy and Postnatal care (LEAPP) consortium. The NHMRC-approved living recommendations provide advice on:
    • psychological birth trauma
    • perineal health and healing. 
  • Two recommendations from The Australian MND Guideline developed by Health Evidence Synthesis, Recommendations and Impact (HESRI) (Adelaide University). The NHMRC-approved living recommendations provide advice on medications to modify disease in Australian clinical practice.

The above living recommendations were approved on 26 August 2026.

Open for applications: Targeted Call for Research into Strengthening the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workforce Pipeline to Improve Health Equity 2026

The Targeted Call for Research (TCR): Strengthening the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workforce Pipeline to Improve Health Equity 2026 is now open for applications in Sapphire. 

The grant opportunity aims to support research and evaluation to strengthen the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce pipeline, including attraction and entry into the pipeline, education about workforce pathways, and continuing through to retention, career progression and leadership. The research will generate evidence to support effective workforce planning, development and health equity outcomes.

  • Minimum data due Wednesday 21 October 2026 5:00PM (AEDT)
  • Applications close Wednesday 4 November 2026 5:00PM (AEDT). 

Further details on this grant opportunity, including the grant guidelines, are available on GrantConnect.

Please contact the Research Help Centre via help@nhmrc.gov.au for further information or assistance.

Centres of Research Excellence grant opportunity opening soon

The 2027 Centres of Research Excellence grant opportunity will open soon for applications in Sapphire.  

Key dates:

  • Applications open Wednesday 16 September 2026 (AEST)
  • Minimum data due Wednesday 14 October 2026 5:00PM (AEDT)
  • Applications close Wednesday 4 November 2026 5:00PM (AEDT). 

The 2027 CRE grant opportunity will include four application streams:

  • basic science research
  • clinical research
  • health services research
  • public health research.

Information will be available on GrantConnect on the application open date. Please email help@nhmrc.gov.au for Sapphire assistance and any further information or support.

Medical Research Future Fund – grant opportunities key dates

The following MRFF grant opportunities have a close date approaching: 

Applications close Wednesday 16 September 2026 at 5:00PM (AEST).

Applications close Wednesday 16 September 2026 at 5:00PM (AEST).

Details on how to apply for MRFF grant opportunities and all MRFF close dates are available on GrantConnect. Applicants are reminded that only applicants who completed minimum data by the due date can submit an application. It is also the applicant’s responsibility to ensure they meet all eligibility requirements, including limits on the number of times a person can be named as a Chief Investigator on applications submitted to a grant opportunity.

Applicants should ensure:

MRFF grant assessment committee self-nomination

Register your interest to become a member of a MRFF grant assessment committee.

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