Monday

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 Annual Report 2024–25 – now available

NHMRC’s Annual Report for 2024–25 was tabled in Parliament today, 27 October 2025.

The report details the functions, performance and record of activities that have supported NHMRC’s mission of building a healthy Australia, including achievements in research investment, translation and integrity.

You can read the Annual Report on our website. 
 

Clinical guidelines for chronic fatigue syndrome – progress update

NHMRC has begun a comprehensive, multi-year project to develop clinical practice guidelines for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). The guidelines will provide up to date evidence-based recommendations for the diagnosis, clinical management and models of care for ME/CFS and related conditions including long COVID, fibromyalgia, and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.

First guideline development committee meeting held 
NHMRC has established the ME/CFS Guideline Development Committee to provide expert advice throughout the guideline development process. The committee held its first meeting in August 2025. A summary is available on NHMRC's website.  

ME/CFS scoping survey report published 
As part of the scoping phase for the guidelines, NHMRC conducted a national survey to hear directly from the ME/CFS community. The survey ran between 21 February and 27 April 2025. Over 1,000 responses were received from individuals, organisations and healthcare professionals. NHMRC thanks all participants for their valuable contributions.  

The ME/CFS scoping survey report is available on NHMRC's website. 

For further information visit the ME/CFS webpage or contact me_cfs@nhmrc.gov.au.   
 

Invitation for public submissions: Australian and New Zealand Living Clinical Guidelines for Stroke Management 

The Stroke Foundation is seeking NHMRC approval under section 14A of the National Health and Medical Research Council Act 1992 for living recommendations from its Australian and New Zealand Living Clinical Guidelines for Stroke Management.

Consultation on new and updated draft living recommendations is now open until Friday 21 November 2025.

To view these recommendations and make a submission please follow the hyperlinks below.

Alternatively, email feedback to guidelines@strokefoundation.org.au.

Find out more about the guidelines by visiting the Stroke Foundation website.
 

Impact case study - safer contact lenses

Contact lenses provide improved vision for many people around the world, however when they were initially developed they could also impair eye health. The work of NHMRC-funded researchers at the University of New South Wales led to significant positive impacts on eye care globally. These included the development of a much safer type of contact lens along with several other market-leading products, and advancing knowledge about contact lens-related infection and inflammation.

You can read this and other impact case studies on NHMRC's website. 
 

Reminder: Scientific progress reports – new template

NHMRC has revised its scientific progress report for NHMRC funded (MREA) grants that are required to submit a progress report.

The updated template will include additional and revised questions for better visibility of achievement against outcomes, to identify clinical trial components and capture clinical trial registry details and support data availability to evaluate NHMRC-funded grants.

The updated template will be released in Sapphire early November 2025.

Transitioning to the new template
The revised MREA progress report is to be used for reports due 2026 onwards and any unsubmitted overdue reports.

Any unsubmitted progress reports will be overwritten when the new template is released. Please complete any overdue reports as soon as possible. Further information will be provided in the coming weeks.
 

Join the Australian Medical Research Advisory Board

Expressions of interest are open for Australian Medical Research Advisory Board (AMRAB) membership.  This is a valuable opportunity for individuals who are passionate about advancing medical research and have a proven track record of excellence in their respective fields. AMRAB is an independent group of experts that sets the strategy and priorities for the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF).

Nominations are encouraged from people from diverse backgrounds, including individuals at early career stages and consumers or people with experience in consumer issues.

Learn more and express your interest on the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing website. 

Applications close on 9 November 2025.
 

Partnership Projects 2025 Peer Review Cycle 3 (PRC3)

The due date for NHMRC Approved Administering Institutions to submit partner waiver requests for applications in Partnership Projects 2025 PRC3 is Wednesday 29 October 2025 17:00 (AEDT). 

Please direct all enquiries to help@nhmrc.gov.au. 
 

Key NHMRC grant program dates

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

The following opportunities are now open for applications:

This grant opportunity seeks to investigate the short- and long-term adverse health outcomes experienced by individuals living in unstable housing conditions. The insights gained from this research will inform the development and implementation of comprehensive interventions aimed at improving health outcomes and reducing health disparities among people experiencing homelessness in Australia.

Further details including grant guidelines are available on GrantConnect.

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

The following opportunities have minimum data due soon:

Applicants must complete the required fields with correct information. Use of placeholder text will not be accepted. For more information on minimum data requirements refer to Appendix C of the Centres of Research Excellence 2026 Guidelines (available on GrantConnect).

Failure to meet the minimum data requirements by the deadline will result in the application not proceeding. New applications cannot be started after the minimum data deadline.

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


The following opportunities are closing soon:

We encourage applicants to work closely with their Research Administration Officers (RAOs) well in advance of the due date to ensure they can submit applications on time.

Researchers listed on applications must have a Sapphire account. New account registrations must be submitted at least 72 hours prior to application close. The Research Help Centre will continue to respond to Sapphire-related enquiries until Wednesday 5 November 2025 13:00 (AEDT).

Further details are available on GrantConnect and NHMRC’s website. 

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

Medical Research Future Fund – grant opportunities key dates

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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If you have any questions about the newsletter, email communications@nhmrc.gov.au. 

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