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Latest news and stories
90 years of tackling Australia's biggest health challenges
For 90 years, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has helped drive the health of Australians through investment in research, evidence and innovation.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
$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.
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.
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.
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.
Speaking of Science: Being All In: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership, research sovereignty and systems change
National Reconciliation Week (27 May – 3 June) enables us to explore how we can contribute to achieving nationwide reconciliation. The 2026 them, All In, makes it clear that reconciliation is not a spectator sport and that all of us must step away from the sidelines and take action to make real impact.
Equity in cancer care: Bridging the gap for Indigenous Australians
With a commitment to equity, rigour and impact, Professor Joan Cunningham has worked to improve cancer outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through collaborative research aimed at understanding and improving the performance of the health system.
Tracker - 25 May 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.
Tracker - 11 May 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.
Speaking of Science: From discovery to impact: improving access to mental health care for children
Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent mental health conditions affecting children and adolescents globally. These disorders can appear as early as preschool age and often have significant negative impacts on a young person’s daily life.
Demonstrating innovation and excellence in perinatal depression and anxiety screening for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women
Developed through collaboration with Aboriginal communities, the Kimberley Mum’s Mood Scale (KMMS) improves early detection of mental health and social, emotional and cultural wellbeing concerns and promotes culturally safe care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. Its adoption in routine primary health care illustrates the enduring impact of community driven research.
Strengthening health systems with a $10.5 million funding boost
NHMRC is injecting $10.5 million into Australian health and medical research funding to address strategies for supporting health systems to improve equitable health outcomes globally.
Tracker - 13 April 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.
Distinguished experts honoured for leading health and medical research excellence
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has honoured a group of respected researchers for their contributions and commitment to health and medical research excellence.
Tracker - 30 March 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.
Speaking of Science: Oral health in the land of milk and honey: Developing dairy based technologies to help reduce oral diseases
Oral diseases, such as tooth decay and erosion, are the most prevalent diseases of humankind, affecting nearly 3.5 billion people worldwide.
$6.7 million to support safer First Nations families and stronger communities
NHMRC is investing $6.7 million in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research to improve family safety and wellbeing. The funding will support work that builds on cultural knowledge, strengthens communities, and delivers evidence that can make a real difference on the ground.
Tracker - 2 March 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.
Speaking of Science: From concept to worldwide clinical use: developing an optimal surgical treatment for glaucoma
Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide, with an estimated 80 million people affected including more than 200,000 Australians.
Purpose-led research – advice from Professor Fiona Stanley AC
'It's really important that another question that you ask yourself is, is this research going to translate into something that will make a difference?'
NHMRC and MRFF Open Science Policy
NHMRC and the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, responsible for the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), have launched a joint Open Science Policy. This policy marks a step forward in Australia’s commitment to research that is open, rigorous, and designed to benefit everyone.
$55 million investment in diverse research to deliver better health outcomes
NHMRC is investing $55 million towards 11 outstanding teams of researchers, from a range of disciplines, who will answer major health and medical research questions that cannot be answered by a single researcher through NHMRC Synergy Grants.
Speaking of Science: Is obesity a disease or a risk factor? Changing paradigms with new definitions
The limitations of Body Mass Index (BMI) measurements are well documented in health and medical research and yet it remains the sole diagnostic tool for obesity.
$9.6 million investment to strengthen healthcare for all Australians
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) is investing $9.6 million into research to improve understanding of the patient journey and better meet the healthcare service demand.
Speaking of Science: Acting now against antimicrobial resistance
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites no longer respond to antimicrobial agents. As a result of this drug resistance, antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents become ineffective and infections become difficult or impossible to treat, increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness and death.
Over $9 million for health and medical research partnerships
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) is committed to strengthening collaborative partnerships with a combined investment of over $9 million towards health and medical research.
Speaking of Science: Genetics of depression: risk and response to treatment with Dr Brittany Mitchell
Depression is the most common psychiatric disorder and the largest contributor to global disability and yet one third of people diagnosed with depression are refractory to treatment.
$4 million funding boost to advance oral health care research
NHMRC is investing nearly $4 million to drive groundbreaking oral health research that will benefit all Australians.
We stand on the shoulders of giants
Yvette Roe is a proud Njikena Jawuru woman from the West Kimberley and Professor of Indigenous Health at Charles Darwin University. Yvette is also Director of the Molly Wardaguga Research Institute for First Nations Birth Rights. With a career spanning over 35 years in Indigenous health, Yvette has dedicated her life’s work to amplifying Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices in efforts to achieve their aspirations. Here is where she has seen the impact that research can have, driving her motivation to make more change for the generations moving forward.
Speaking of Science: Achieving better outcomes in women's sexual and reproductive health: The SPHERE CRE journey
Initiated by a NHMRC Project Grant in 2014, Professor Danielle Mazza’s (Monash University) journey towards creating the SPHERE Centre of Research Excellence (CRE) has gone from strength to strength in the years following. SPHERE’s mission, focused on fundamental reproductive rights, aims to drive better sexual and reproductive health outcomes for Australian women through primary care.