21 July 2025

Welcome to Tracker, the National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) fortnightly newsletter with the latest information on major activities and funding opportunities.

NHMRC Speaking of Science - The Artificial Heart Frontiers Program: engineering the next generation of artificial hearts

30,000+ Australians are diagnosed with heart failure each year and yet, an estimated 144 heart donations are made annually.

But what if we could develop a durable artificial heart implant that could eventually negate the need for human heart donors entirely?

In celebration of National Science Week, join us as we host the innovative Co-Director of The Artificial Heart Frontiers Program, Professor Shaun Gregory on Tuesday 12 August 2025 from 10:00–11:00 AEST as part of our Speaking of Science series. Professor Gregory will discuss how the program is engineering the next generation of artificial hearts, with the end goal of saving countless lives now and in the future.

As always, there will be a Q&A discussion at the end, so come prepared with your questions.

Register to attend.

Please note that this webinar will be recorded and published to NHMRC’s website afterwards as part of our ‘Speaking of Science’ series.  

If you have any questions for the event organisers you can reach us at media@nhmrc.gov.au.
 

Partnership Projects 2024 - Peer Review Cycle 3 (PRC3) funding announced

On 10 July 2025, NHMRC announced the funding outcomes for 2024 Partnership Project PRC3 grants totalling $19.9 million.

These grants support researchers to partner with policy makers and health service providers to design and deliver research that addresses health needs in our community. Researchers work with partners to define research questions and undertake research that the partners then translate into improved health services for end users.

Projects funded will be supported by 134 funding partners, which together are contributing a further $25.2 million, bringing the total investment in the collaborative research to over $45 million.  

Find out more about the projects funded in NHMRC's media release. 
 

Promoting excellence in consumer and community involvement 

NHMRC, in partnership with the Consumers Health Forum of Australia and the Health and Medical Research Office within the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, has created a suite of resources showcasing excellent consumer and community involvement in health and medical research. These include videos and case studies designed to promote consumer and community involvement and complement the current consultation on the revised Statement on Consumer and Community Involvement in Health and Medical Research. More resources will be released throughout the consultation period.

Access the videos and case studies on the Consumer Statement review webpage.

Do you have a case study on consumer and community involvement you’d like to share with us? Email priorities@nhmrc.gov.au.

If you’d like to get involved in the review of the Consumer Statement, register your interest at the Kids Research Institute webpage, or fill in the survey on NHMRC’s consultation hub. 
 

Automated Sapphire account creation and updated portal

On Thursday 17 July 2025 NHMRC updated the Sapphire portal. Key changes include new page design to support faster access to information, a search function, the ability to direct users to links to parts of the portal such as tutorials pages, and an upgrade to the request form for individual Sapphire accounts.    

This update significantly improves the user experience and includes a streamlined process for creating Sapphire accounts that will enable most account creation requests to be processed automatically providing a more efficient and user friendly form and a faster response. Please note, some requests may require manual processing or verification by the Research Help Centre (RHC).  

This update applies only to individual account holders - there will be no changes to the process for handling institutional positions. For any questions or further assistance, please contact help@nhmrc.gov.au.

The web address is unchanged: healthandmedicalresearch.gov.au
 

Open for applications: Cancer Australia Research Initiative (CARI) Targeted Call for Research (TCR): Early-Onset Cancer 2025

The CARI TCR: Early-Onset Cancer 2025 is now open in Sapphire.  

This Cancer Australia and NHMRC co-funded grant opportunity aims to enhance understanding of Early-Onset Cancer (EOC) and develop novel clinical approaches for earlier diagnosis and innovative models of care to ensure effective management for those diagnosed with EOC. This should be achieved with strategic, long term approaches to address the possible causes, pathogenesis, early recognition and diagnosis as well as complexities of management and survivorship associated with EOC. Applications may focus on a single tumour sub type or multiple tumour types. Proposals addressing cancers that have a greater burden of disease are encouraged.  

  • Minimum data due on Wednesday 27 August 2025 17:00 (AEST)
  • Applications close on Wednesday 10 September 2025 17:00 (AEST).

Further details on this grant opportunity are available on GrantConnect.

Please contact help@nhmrc.gov.au for further information. 

NHMRC Impact Case Studies: Improving dental health and helping kids with anxiety  

Impact Case Studies

NHMRC has recently published 2 new impact case studies, which demonstrate how NHMRC funded researchers have helped to build a healthy Australia.

Improving dental health  

NHMRC funded researchers at the Melbourne Dental School and the University of Melbourne have developed new technologies that significantly improve dental health.

Clinical trial and global sales data for these technologies suggest that, over the past 15 years, they have led to healthcare and public good savings (including improvement in quality of life and increased productivity) in excess of $12 billion. They have also generated in excess of $2 billion in global sales.  

Helping kids with anxiety

NHMRC funded researchers at Macquarie University and the University of Queensland played key roles in demonstrating the importance of early anxiety intervention. Their work has led to the development of highly effective treatment methods that are now being used in schools and clinics to help many thousands of young people worldwide. Their program has been translated into over a dozen languages and is being used in at least 25 countries, both developed and developing.

Read more about these and other positive impacts arising from NHMRC grant funding in our Impact Case Studies. 
 

Key NHMRC grant program dates

NHMRC grant opportunities are funded through the Medical Research Endowment Account (MREA).

Open for applications: 

  • Partnership Projects 2024 PRC3  
    • Open for applications on Thursday 24 July 2025.

Minimum data due dates approaching:

  • Partnership Projects 2025 PRC2
    • Minimum data due by Wednesday 23 July 2025 17:00 (AEST). Only applicants that completed minimum data by Wednesday 23 July 2025 17:00 (AEST) can submit a full application in PRC2.  
      Please direct all enquiries to help@nhmrc.gov.au.

Closing soon:  

  • Investigator Grants 2026  
    • Applications will close on Wednesday 30 July 2025 17:00 (AEST).  
      Further information can be found on GrantConnect. Contact help@nhmrc.gov.au for further assistance.  
       
  • Partnership Projects 2025 PRC2
    • Applications close on Wednesday 6 August 2025 17:00 (AEST).
       

Medical Research Future Fund – grant opportunities key dates

The following MRFF grant opportunities have opened for applications: 

The following MRFF grant opportunities have close due dates approaching: 

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.
 

Key dates

Refer to Funding schemes and calendar.

Tracker

See previous editions of Tracker.

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